Report on the Annual Gathering of the Group of Women Parliamentarians
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE GROUP OF WOMEN
PARLIAMENTARIANS
At this Gathering of the Group of Women Parliamentarians, we made connections, built partnerships, and reaffirmed our commitment to substantive gender equality – all through the insightful, constructive dialogues that ParlAmericas and its Group of Women Parliamentarians are known for.
The agenda of the 2014 Gathering was dynamic and diverse. We covered gender quotas, women’s leadership on corporate boards, reproductive rights, political harassment, and much more. We heard testimonies of successful initiatives from our colleagues and observed the many practical and legal obstacles we must confront to achieve real equality for the women of this hemisphere. We then devised a path for moving forward on these issues at regional, national, and individual levels.
I invite you to put your energy into these areas, and to continue sharing your victories and setbacks with the Group. I look forward to working alongside you in the coming months.
Jennifer Simons
Speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname
President of the Group of Women Parliamentarians
3
The 2014 Gathering drew inspiration from the President of the Group of Women Parliamentarians, Jennifer Simons, who emphasized in her closing remarks at the 2013 Gathering in Suriname:
The discussions are important but when we return to our countries, we have to translate the ideas into action plans and implement the actions we have marked as important for each of our countries.
"
"