Luanda — The Speaker of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, joined the mobilization for gender parity on Saturday in Mexico, during the World Conference of Women Parliamentarians.
Carolina Cerqueira, who previously served as Minister of State for Social Affairs, Media and Culture, spoke at a panel dedicated to the "Tribute to Parliamentary Leadership," in which she encouraged young people, as future leaders, to see parity as the realization of constitutional equality among citizens and a strengthening of democracy.
According to the Speaker, the Tribute to Parliamentary Leadership is aimed at social and gender inclusion, strengthening democratic institutions, affirming the Angolan Parliament internally and externally, and involving women in political decision-making processes.
"In the current legislature, our focus has been on advocacy for social issues, gender inclusion and youth, considering that the future of our nations is linked to the potential of youth," she said.
The parliamentarian argued that young people, with their energy, creativity and innovation, have the capacity to change realities and drive development. On the other hand, we have also carried out parliamentary diplomacy as a mechanism to strengthen and seek best practices to improve parliamentary work, as well as for peace and international stability, because without peace there is no development.
Carolina Cerqueira stressed that the National Assembly has encouraged the new generations to maintain a culture of peace and dialogue, the pursuit of the public interest as a way to carry out the fundamental tasks of the State, and the preservation of the environment as a guarantee for the survival of future generations.
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"The maintenance of peace and international stability is the foundation upon which social, economic and political progress is built. Maintaining this requires a firm and continuous collective commitment to multilateralism and preventive diplomacy," said Carolina Cerqueira.
She noted that of the 220 members of the National Assembly, 40% are women and that they are represented in all the internal bodies of the Parliament, highlighting as examples the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Defense, Security, Internal Order, Ex-combatants and Veterans of the Homeland, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Economy and Finance, and the Chairwoman of the Committee on Family, Childhood and Social Action.
The Speaker of the National Assembly is leading a parliamentary delegation composed of deputies Erika Aires, Edna Queximalunga and Manuel Armando da Costa Ekuikui.
At least 350 women parliamentarians from 62 countries and other delegates are participating in the event.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), founded in 1889, is organizing the conference in collaboration with the Mexican Congress.ART/AMP