20 MARCH 2015

New Zealand Parliamentarians to attend Women in Parliaments Global Forum Annual Summit

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Two New Zealand members of Parliament, Joanne Hayes and Denise Roche, will be joining several hundred parliamentarians and leaders from 90 countries at the Women in Parliaments Global Forum (WIP) annual summit, to be held at the Headquarters of the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon David Carter, said New Zealand’s participation built on our strong reputation for gender equality and he was delighted that New Zealand would be represented on the panel to discuss how non-legal barriers for women in politics could be broken down.

“I am very pleased that New Zealand is able to participate in this Summit; it is significant as we mark the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and reflect upon the progress made in improving the lives of women and girls,” said Rt Hon David Carter. “Parliamentarians, both men and women, know we face new and difficult global challenges and that women and girls often are the most disadvantaged in times of economic downturn, conflict and change.”

WIP is the global network of around 9000 female parliamentarians at the national level, including the European Parliament. The summit, based around the theme “New Leadership for Global Challenges” provides a significant platform for the exchange of experience, insights and innovations on how best to navigate the future.

Participants in the summit will focus on the development and implementation of international commitments proposed under the post-2015 development agenda. They will discuss education, health, entrepreneurship and regional co-operation, with special attention to the role female political leaders play in defining development and ensuring accountability.

The summit will be held 23 - 25 March 2015.

ENDS

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