CPA ANNUAL REPORT AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW 2021
Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) 1
The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) seeks to work for the increased representation of women in Legislatures and for the furtherance of gender equality across the Commonwealth. Furthermore, the CWP seeks to ensure that gender continues to be mainstreamed across all activities to assist Legislatures to exceed the Commonwealth target of at least 30% of women in decision making positions across all representative bodies.
2
A CWP Steering Committee of 11 Members of Parliament, which includes one representative from each of the nine CPA Regions plus the CWP President and CWP Chairperson, plan the CWP’s annual activities. The CWP Chairperson serves a term of three years and the CWP President serves for one year.
CWP Chairperson’s International Activities Throughout the year, the CPA Headquarters Secretariat have supported the CWP Chairperson, Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA, (Pakistan) in her role.
CWP CHAIRPERSON HIGHLIGHTS GENDER EQUALITY AND SDG5 IN UGANDA The current Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA (Pakistan) met with the former CWP Chairperson (2013-2016) Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, MP, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and a former Speaker of Parliament to discuss gender equality and achieving SDG5. The meeting took place in the margins of the African and Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting on the ICPD25 Commitments that took place in Kampala, Uganda from 17 to 19 August 2021. Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan led a six-person delegation from the National Assembly of Pakistan to the conference which was attended by representatives of 24 countries to discuss Agenda 2030, population development, maternal health as well as Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality.
CWP CHAIRPERSON HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANT ROLE OF WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AT PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN SEMINAR
COMMONWEALTH ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION TO ZAMBIA
The CWP Chairperson, Hon.
Chairperson, Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA
Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA
(Pakistan) joined a Commonwealth observer group
addressed delegates at the Center
for the Zambia general elections in 2021. The former
for Research & Security Studies
President of Tanzania, HE Dr Jakaya Kikwete, led
‘Beyond Boundaries’ seminar which
the group of eminent persons from across the
brought together women MPs and
Commonwealth to observe the elections in Zambia which
key stakeholders from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The CWP Chairperson
took place on 12 August 2021. The 14-member team of
spoke about the importance of women’s economic empowerment in
observers was
transforming the lives of all citizens and the work towards Sustainable
constituted by the
Development Goal 5 on gender equality.
Commonwealth
Other topics included the impact of COVID-19 on women and the
The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians
Secretariat at the
need for children’s rights and basic education provision around a national
invitation of the
curriculum. The Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities Regional
Government of
Champion (CPA Asia Region), Hon. Zille Huma, MNA also highlighted the
the Republic of
CPwD network and the importance of campaigns for disability rights.
Zambia.
34 | Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Annual Report and Performance Review 2021
