POLITICS: Parliamentarians to Tackle Poverty

By Miriam Mannak Reprint | | Print |

Miriam Mannak

CAPE TOWN, Mar 18 2008 (IPS) - The link between global warming and poverty, and the effects of poverty on women, will be among the topics put in the spotlight during the 118th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which takes place next month in the South African port city of Cape Town.

The annual conference, being held this year under the theme ‘Pushing back the frontiers of poverty’, will draw delegates from 140 national parliaments around the world: in all, about a thousand legislators are expected at the Apr. 13-18 meeting.

The IPU is an umbrella organisation for parliaments worldwide. Set up in 1889, it works in part to encourage communication between legislatures, strengthen their operations, and promote human rights.

“During the assembly, which was held in Indonesia last year, special attention will be given to the impact of global warming on poverty, peace building and reconciliation, and poverty in relation to maternal and child health,” said the speaker of South Africa’s National Assembly, Baleka Mbete.

She made the comments Tuesday at the South African parliament in Cape Town, where the 118th assembly was officially launched.

The assembly will also give attention to the role of women in politics, and ensure that women delegates have an opportunity to raise matters of importance to them.

“It is important for women to be given time to talk about the issues that affect them and what the implications are of these issues. Since the IPU was established in 1889, women have fought for this,” said Mbete.

Additionally, the IPU will launch its annual gender equality survey concerning women in politics.

According to Gwendoline Lindiwe Mahlangu-Nkabinde, deputy speaker of the South African National Assembly, the past years have seen progress on this front. “There was a time where delegations participating in the annual IPU assembly did not send any women. Times have changed now, thanks to the efforts of parliaments worldwide.”

In fact, the IPU even advises participating countries to send women to the assembly: those which don’t face the possibility of having their total number of delegates cut (delegations usually comprise eight to ten members). “That means that a country’s power to put issues across is being reduced as well,” said Mahlangu-Nkabinde.

The conference will further deal with human trafficking, xenophobia, and difficulties faced by migrant workers, amongst other social and economic problems – said Mbete.

Various high ranking political figures have confirmed they will attend the IPU assembly, including South African President Thabo Mbeki and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro.

Graça Machel, a leading children’s rights activist and the wife of former South African leader Nelson Mandela, will also be present, as well as Nobel Peace Prize winner David Trimble.