Progress towards gender equality

" There are real advances being made and this report chronicles such efforts.” Don Mckinnon, Commonwealth Secretary - General

Since 1999, 24 Commonwealth countries have recorded an increase in women’s representation in parliament. St Vincent and the Grenadines and Guyana recorded the largest increases, from 4.6 per cent to 22.7 per cent and from 3.3 per cent to 20 per cent respectively. Sierra Leone recorded an increase from 8 to 15 per cent of women in parliament in the first post-conflict elections in May 2002. However, 15 countries also recorded a reduction in the percentage of women in parliament.

These figures are highlighted in ‘Building on Achievements’, the report of the Commonwealth Secretary-General on the implementation of the 1995 Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development and its Update (2000-2005). The report was presented to Commonwealth Heads of Government when they met in Abuja, Nigeria, from 5 to 8 December 2003.

In the report’s Foreword, the Secretary-General says: “While we know that much progress remains to be made, it is gratifying to see that international attention is moving from policy to practice. While legislation may pay lip service to women’s equality, in practice this still remains elusive in too many Commonwealth countries. However, there are real advances being made and this report chronicles such efforts.”

Over the last month, several workshops have been held by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with other partners as part of ongoing efforts to promote gender equality at all levels in member countries. One such workshop was held in Abuja on 3-5 December 2003, on the eve of the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. It brought together Commonwealth parliamentarians from a range of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association branches. Representatives of the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network and the Civil Society Forum joined parliamentarians for some sessions.

The closing communiqué issued by the workshop contains a number of recommendations for leaders. It called on Heads of Government “to promote gender equality and equity as a central principle in the achievement of development and democracy for all Commonwealth peoples, recognising the crucial part Parliamentarians must play in partnership with civil society organisations and the private sector.” The workshop also noted “the progress that some countries have made in achieving the 30% target of women’s representation in parliament, including through affirmative action” and expressed “deep concern that the Commonwealth target is not receiving the attention it deserves from Governments.” Parliamentarians urged Heads of Government to take immediate action to provide resources and practical strategies to make this goal a reality by 2005.

‘ Building on Achievements’ can be obtained from the Gender Section of the Social Transformation Programmes Division of the Secretariat, which can be contacted at gad@commonwealth.int. The full communiqués of this and other workshops can be viewed on the Secretariat’s website, www.thecommonwealth.org/gender.