Speaker of Parliament Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga has been elected to head the African Geo-Political Group at the ongoing International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva.
The IPU Assembly (formerly known as the Inter-Parliamentary Conference) is the principal statutory body that expresses the views of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on political issues. It brings together Global parliamentarians to study international problems and make recommendations for action.
Kadaga who is attending the 5-day, 135th IPU Assembly went along with a delegation that comprises of among others Buhweju MP and FDC’s Hon Francis Mwijukye.
The Speaker was yesterday elected unopposed to head the African Group, after the President of the Madagascan National Assembly Christine Razanamahasoa stepped down for her.
The African Geopolitical Group comprises of 50 different African countries.
Geopolitical groups at the IPU, play an important role in the functioning of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Each group decides on its own working methods that best suit its participation in the activities of the Union and informs the Secretariat of its composition, the names of its officers, and its rules of procedure.
Meanwhile, at this year’s IPU Assembly, which is Themed, “Human Rights abuses as precursors of conflict: Parliaments as early responders,” the Buhweju MP Francis Mwijukye was also elected to the IPU Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights.
At the event, the World Parliamentarians discussed a wide range of issues, among them the challenges that Woman MPs face.
Among the issues that came out during yesterday’s meeting was the violence that Woman MPs face which they said was at “troubling levels,” particularly psychological violence, affecting 81% of the female legislators.
The IPU meetings will discuss over five days a number of issues mainly the role of parliaments in the immediate response to human rights violations, freedom of women and their participation in the political process, the reports of the committees on peace, sustainable development, finance, trade and the UN affairs.
The next 136th IPU assembly is scheduled to be held in Dhaka in 2017.