PARLAMERICAS’ YEAR IN HIGHLIGHTS 2014 03
MESSAGE FROM THE INCOMING PRESIDENT
Dear fellow legislators and members of ParlAmericas,
I am proud to present you with our very first Year in Highlights report. In it you will find snapshots of our accomplishments from January to December 2014, providing a glimpse of the work on the topics ParlAmericas has addressed in diverse areas of the region.
As you will see, the issues we undertook this year are rich for hemispheric debate: budget oversight, substantive gender equality, the post-2015 development agenda, and legislative openness – to name a few. You will note that outcomes of these debates are not limited to broad recommendations; they are actionable and concrete commitments for moving ahead.
I am particularly proud to share within these pages an overview of the Gathering of the Group of Women Parliamentarians, hosted by the Senate of Mexico in June. The strategic planning session held during the Gathering is a perfect example of the creative, collaborative work we carry out, including meaningful follow-up actions for legislators to take back to their chambers.
I am grateful to step into this presidency in a forward-thinking institutional environment, thanks to the direction established by former President Randy Hoback, fellow board members, and the International Secretariat. My vision for 2015 is to expand on ParlAmericas’ successes in parliamentary knowledge-sharing in new spaces and with new partners.
I invite you to learn more about our continental forum and to connect with our network of parliamentarians for the Americas.
Sincerely,
Marcela Guerra Castillo
Senator, Mexico
President of ParlAmericas