Female parliament speakers issue Abu Dhabi Declaration

The Women Speakers of Parliament issued the Abu Dhabi Declaration with a commitment to effectively addressing challenges facing the world through promoting links and partnership between Governments and private areas, concluding their 11th Global Summit on December 13 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the closing session of the Summit

The declaration committed to contributing to realising the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the results of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Marrakech and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as to addressing all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.

It affirmed the 38 provisions of the Declaration of the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament entitled Placing democracy at the service of peace and sustainable development and reiterating the principles and recommended actions of the summary report of the Tenth Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament entitled Innovating for Gender Equality.

Women speakers of parliament from more than 30 countries to the Summit pledged to place the well-being of their people, peace, prosperity, and the integrity of both their planet and humanity at the core of their parliamentary strategic objectives, and making them central to their development efforts, towards responding to the needs of all people, including those on the economic and social margins, and improving the health and socio-economic well-being of all, particularly women and girls.

They proposed the International Parliament Union (IPU) to consider an international parliamentary declaration on tolerance aiming at promoting and upholding human values and the principle of tolerance to promote peace and security, and combat terrorism and violent extremism.

It also underlined the necessity to consider establishing an appropriately resourced structure for horizon-scanning in every parliament, which would inform parliament's legislative and oversight work regarding the implications of megatrends that affect our world, thus ensuring a better quality of life for future generations.

The deceleration also promoted youth empowerment and women's empowerment, thus increasing representation and facilitating contribution of youths and women to legislation and policymaking.

It urged the IPU to follow-up on the proposals and commitments included in the Abu Dhabi Declaration and accommodate them in its work programme in such a manner as to promote continued and strategic partnerships with government authorities, scientists, academia, youth and representatives from the private sector and civil society.

Speaking at a session on the Abu Dhabi Declaration earlier the same day, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan applauded the draft Declaration as representing the will and commitment of female speakers of parliament to joining hands to cope with global challenges and promote peace, security and sustainable development.

In the framework of the Summit, the Vietnamese top legislator also joined other women speakers for a round-table talk.

VNA

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