VIEW FROM THE CWP CHAIRPERSON
COMMONWEALTH WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS AND DELIVERING A COMMON FUTURE: CONNECTING, INNOVATING, TRANSFORMING Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Chairperson, Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA, National Assembly of Pakistan
Nobody could have thought through the enormous implications and resonance of the Commonwealth theme of ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’ when it was first launched some time ago. Not since the Second World War has our ‘common future’ been so uncertain than in the post-COVID world that holds all of our futures in the balance. The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that whether we wish it or not, we stand united for the protection of our lives, our world, our planet, our people, and our Parliaments. Isolationism is passé and will not ensure a future of any sort. To further its vision, the Commonwealth focused on ‘Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’ as laying the seeds of the elements that are capable of delivering that golden ‘common future’ and these will be found in: Governance and the Rule of Law; Information, Communication Technology & Innovation; Youth; and the Environment. To put it simplistically, ‘Connecting’ in its most literal sense is what is (unfortunately) responsible for the uncontrolled spread of the current pandemic. However, I’m proud to state that both
“This work reflects our will and power to stay the course, to innovate and produce work that touches the lives of all women Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth and enables them to deliver on transforming the futures of their constituents. And what is more is that the CWP is working to ensure that we reflect our own guidelines and enabling aspects of our work to connect and transform the entire CPA.” 116 | The Parliamentarian | 2021: Issue Two | 100 years of publishing
the CPA and CWP in particular have managed to use the power of ICT and technology to stay connected, plan, work and deliver during the current time. Some of the CWPs most innovative pieces of work have emerged during this pandemic, including the CWP 2020-2022 Strategic Plan, our CWP Anti-harassment and Bullying Guidelines, the CWP’s Gender-Sensitive Parliament Guidelines, and for the first time, collaboration with international organisations. This work reflects our will and power to stay the course, to innovate and produce work that touches the lives of all women Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth and enables them to deliver on transforming the futures of their constituents. And what is more is that the CWP is working to ensure that we reflect our own guidelines and enabling aspects of our work to connect and transform the entire CPA. One readily available example is the role that the CWP has had in the development of the CPA-wide Strategic Plan 2022-2025 that was recently launched by the CPA Secretary-General. The CWP, while keeping its own vision for the empowerment and growth of women Parliamentarians, as well as seeking to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality, is also looking at how the rest of the CPA re-positions itself in a new world order. This does beg the important question of distinction i.e., how does the CPA differ from similarly situated organisations that all are working on connected projects such as the UN Agenda 2030, and delivering on a ‘common future’? For me, the answer lies in the traditional staying power of the CPA, which has skillfully adapted itself to a post-colonial world, recognising that the world has moved on in so many ways and taking charge of its destiny in a world of new technology and AI. The aspirations of all Members of Parliament have to be taken into account to keep our diverse coalition of different colours, races and religions together, as what binds the CPA is its reverence to the values of democracy, equality and good governance in the Commonwealth. Why this is critical is simply due to the fact that the world has no precedent of stability and that difficult times are inevitable; as a case in point, with a post COVID-19 situation, the
