29 November 2016
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The Special Committee Meeting on APA Women Parliamentarians held its meeting on 29 November 2016 to discuss the Draft Resolution on APA Women Parliamentarians to be submitted to the 9th plenary session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly for adoption on 1 December 2016.
On the occasion, H.E. Mrs. Khuon Sudary, Chairwoman of Women’s Caucus of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, who chaired the meeting, said the aim of the meeting was to beef up the participation and representation of women in APA framework, focusing on promoting peace and sustainable development. She added that the meeting discussed the role of women in political, social, cultural and economic affairs, especially the active participation of women in decision-making process and in mechanisms to promote the advancement of women, including the empowerment of women in playing an important role in all the fields of development.
She went on to say that the APA women special meeting not only centered around promoting peace and sustainable development in Asia but also elaborated the root causes of war and its provoker. In addition, there was also a discussion about sustainable development goals, poverty eradication and suppression of women sexual abuse through providing economic opportunities to women, especially those living in Asia by improving their access to vocational trainings and quality health care.
Afterward, despite some challenges facing women, the chairwoman expressed her satisfaction over the comments aired during the meeting with male parliamentarians, in the meeting, paying their greater attention to promoting the participation of women in national and subnational levels, which were met with laud applause from the gathering.
She stressed that in actual fact, the Special Committee on APA Women Parliamentarians is under the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs, but with the aim of promoting the active participation of women in societies, the APA has created this Special Committee to offer the possibilities for the voice of women in the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
Finally, the Special Committee Meeting on APA Women Parliamentarians come up with a whole host of recommendations and agreed to forward the above mentioned Draft Resolution to the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs to the 9th Plenary Session, which will be held tomorrow, for final consideration and adoption.
Article and photos by courtesy call of the Information Department
