How can Parliamentarians pursue and champion legislative reform for gender equality?
Across the Commonwealth, discriminatory laws continue to undermine women’s rights, entrench economic inequality and signal that gender discrimination is acceptable. At the same time, recent years have seen notable reforms that demonstrate what is possible when political will, strategic advocacy and evidence-based policymaking come together.
A new publication, Understanding, Assessing & Achieving Equality before the Law in the Commonwealth: A Practical Handbook for Change Agents with Historical Records, Statistical Data and Case Studies, provides up-to-date mapping of such laws and highlights successful reforms.
Produced by UN Women, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the World Bank Group’s Women, Business and the Law, the Handbook serves as a practical tool for Parliamentarians seeking to lead change. Vital structured engagement with legislators enhances and strengthens efforts to address legislation, deepens public debate and enhances accountability in the movement towards greater gender equality and equity.
This Workshop, held during the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Network Conference in the margins of the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), will launch the handbook and create a unique space for Parliamentarians to share reform experiences, discuss priority areas for legislative change, and commit to concrete next steps.
As CPC is the largest gathering of Commonwealth Parliamentarians who come together to discuss and debate key global political issues and developments, this will provide an opportunity to include a dynamic roundtable that discusses trends and highlights best practices.
To read and download the Research Briefing for this workshop please click here.
