SPEECH BY HON. JUSTICE DR PATRICK MATIBINI, SC, MP, SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA AT THE 23RD MEETING OF THE WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS DURING THE 134TH IPU ASSEMBLY, HELD ON SATURDAY, 19TH MARCH, 2016, AT 09:30 HOURS AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER
 
THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION;
HON. PROF NKANDU LUO, MP, MINISTER OF GENDER;
HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT;
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA AND INDEED ON MY OWN BEHALF, I WISH TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO ZAMBIA AND TO THANK YOU FOR HONOURING OUR INVITATION TO ATTEND THE 134TH INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS. LET ME ALSO THANK YOU FOR ACCORDING ME THIS RARE HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE OF OFFICIALLY WELCOMING YOU TO THIS 23RD MEETING OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS, WHICH WILL AFFORD YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ISSUES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE WELFARE OF WOMEN.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS, DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
LET ME START BY STATING THAT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS AT THE VERY HEART OF DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE. THIS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN INCORPORATED BY MOST COUNTRIES IN THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON DEMOCRACY BY THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION, ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER 1997, WHICH AFFIRMED THAT “THE ACHIEVEMENT OF DEMOCRACY PRESUPPOSES A GENUINE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN THE CONDUCT OF THE AFFAIRS OF SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY WORK IN EQUALITY AND COMPLEMENTARITY, DRAWING MUTUAL ENRICHMENT FROM THEIR DIFFERENCES”.

AS YOU COMMENCE THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE 23RD MEETING OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS, ALLOW ME TO STRESS THE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL YOU HAVE TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN THE WELFARE OF WOMEN THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF YOUR CORE FUNCTIONS WHICH INCLUDE: OVERSEEING THE EXECUTIVE; ENACTING LEGISLATION; REPRESENTATION OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND APPROVING THE BUDGET.

I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ISSUES THAT ARE PERTINENT TO THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN. I AM INFORMED THAT YOUR AGENDA TODAY COVERS THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
•    WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS AND YOUNG WOMEN’S POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT.
•    PROTECTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CONTEXT OF TERRORISM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: FREEDOM FROM VIOLENCE AND DISCRIMINATION.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS, DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
THE FIRST TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IS VERY PERTINENT BECAUSE POLITICS HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A MALE DOMAIN THAT MANY WOMEN HAVE FOUND UNWELCOMING OR SIMPLY HOSTILE.  IN A NUMBER OF OUR SOCIETIES WHERE TRADITIONAL OR PATRIARCHAL VALUES REMAIN STRONG, WOMEN WHO ENTER POLITICS ARE STILL FROWNED UPON. FOR INSTANCE, WOMEN ARE OFTEN MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO:
(a)    FACE PRACTICAL BARRIERS TO ENTERING POLITICS,INCLUDING A PAUCITY OR LACK OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES;
(b)    LOWER LEVELS OF EDUCATION;
(c)    LOW ACCESS TO INFORMATION;
(d)    GREATER FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES; AND
(e)    DEPRIVATION OF RIGHTS THAT HAS LEFT THEM WITH FEWER OPPORTUNITIES TO ACQUIRE POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS, DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
BARRIERS TO WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION ARE OFTEN MAGNIFIED IN CONFLICT SOCIETIES. IT IS THEREFORE, IMPERATIVE THAT YOU HAVE A VERY CANDID DISCUSSION ON THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM ON THE RIGHT OF WOMEN. YOU WILL NOTE THAT ONE COMMON CHARACTERISTIC THAT IS SHARED BY EXTREMIST MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE CAPTURED THE WORLD’S ATTENTION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, FROM NORTHERN NIGERIA TO NORTHERN IRAQ, SYRIA TO SOMALIA, AND MYANMAR TO PAKISTAN, IS THE VICIOUS AND WANTON ATTACKS ON WOMEN AND GIRLS’ RIGHTS.

HON MEMBERS, IT DOES NOT MATER THE NAME AND LOCATION WHERE THE TERRORIST GROUP IS OPERATING FROM, THEIR COMMON AGENDA AND FOCUS, IS ALMOST INVARIABLY TO PLACE LIMITS ON WOMEN’S ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES, RESTRICTING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIFE, AND ENFORCING THE RESTRICTIONS THROUGH TERRIFYING VIOLENCE.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS, DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
WHILE EXTREMISTS PLACE THE SUBORDINATION OF WOMEN AT THE CENTRE OF THEIR AGENDA, IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR PARLIAMENTS TO PLACE THE PROMOTION OF GENDER EQUALITY AT THE CENTRE STAGE, SO THAT EXTREMISTS DO NOT REVERSE THE GAINS THAT WE HAVE REGISTERED IN THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN.

OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHOWS THAT WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IS A POWERFUL FORCE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STABILITY, AND SUSTAINABLE PEACE. GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN THE WORKFORCE AND INCOME GENERATION ARE LINKED TO:
1.    HIGHER GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) PER CAPITA;
2.    EQUAL ACCESS TO LAND AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL INPUTS;
3.    INCREASED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND REDUCE WORLD HUNGER.
THEREFORE, INVOLVING WOMEN IN PEACE BUILDING STRONGLY INCREASES THE PROBABILITY THAT VIOLENCE WILL END OR AT LEAST BE CONTAINED.  IT IS NO WONDER THAT IN SOCIETIES AND COMMUNITIES WHERE GENDER EQUALITY INDICATORS ARE HIGHER, WOMEN ARE LESS VULNERABLE TO THE IMPACT OF VIOLENT EXTREMISM.
HONOURABLE MEMBERS, DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST THEREFORE, CONFRONT THE THREAT OF TERRORISM WITH STRATEGIES THAT ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS PROMOTION OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND DEVELOPMENT — INCLUDING ESPECIALLY WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY.  SINCE WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE THE PRIMARY TARGETS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS; IT THEREFORE, FOLLOWS THAT THE PROMOTION OF THEIR RIGHTS MUST BE THE FOREMOST PRIORITY RESPONSE.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS, DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
FURTHER, IT IS A NOTORIOUS FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH WOMEN FORM THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IN MOST OF OUR COUNTRIES, THEY CONTINUE TO BE MARGINALLY REPRESENTED AT ALL LEVELS OF DECISION MAKING. WOMEN ALSO CONTINUE TO BE THE WORST AFFLICTED BY POVERTY, HIV AND AIDS AND HIGH ILLITERACY LEVELS. IT’S ALSO UNFORTUNATE THAT WOMEN EXPERIENCE SEVERAL OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE INCLUDING BATTERY, SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION, AND RAPE AND DEFILEMENT, TO MENTION BUT A FEW.

THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND LEGISLATORS SHOULD NOT LAY BACK AND ADOPT AN INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE.  WE MUST CONTINUE TO SPEAK AGAINST THESE INJUSTICES.  THIS MEETING MUST, TOO, ADD ITS VOICE TO THIS FIGHT.

WITH THESE REMARKS, IT IS NOW MY HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME YOU TO THE 23RD MEETING OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION.