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During its plenary, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference implored all African Parliaments to prioritise proportional representation of women and gender mainstreaming in both their legislatures and governments.
 
The discussion on 'Evolving and Adapting New Strategies for Increased Women Participation in Politics' set the tone for a gender centric approach to the other topics for discussion in the conference workshops.
 
The delegates shared challenges, best practices and experiences on what can be done to strengthen support for female Members of Parliament to ensure that they function as leaders in their own right and not tokens and proxies for political correctness.
 
In her Southern Africa Sub-regional activity report, the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Representative, Ms Winnie Ngwenya, emphasised the urgent need for gender responsive budgeting and legislative instruments to enforce gender mainstreaming.
 
She described how the South African Parliament uses its policy-making and legislative instruments to support and protect women against Gender-based Violence and Femicide.
 
"We treat Parliamentary Committees as a formal mechanism to enable both male and female Members of Parliament to influence legislative and policy agendas. This is done through reviewing bills to ensure that they are gender-sensitive and by holding enquiries into gender equality issues", said Ms Ngwenya.
 
"To this end, I am pleased to report that the South African Parliament has passed three progressive pieces of legislation to protect vulnerable women in our country. The three acts to be implemented in South Africa are the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, Domestic Violence Amendment Act, and the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, respectively," added Ms Ngwenya.
 
The Conference commended Rwanda for achieving over sixty percent of women's representation in its national Parliament and lauded its achievement as a model to be followed. Furthermore, the Conference also commended South Africa for having nine female Speakers out of the ten legislatures, including National Parliament.
 
During the deliberations at the Conference, countries such as South Africa, Rwanda, and Zambia reported significant progress in gender inclusivity in their legislatures and protection of women's policies. Malawi, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and others still bewailed the poor number of women participation in politics, let alone leadership roles.
 
In addition, the Conference resolved that gender sensitive legislation needs to be enacted to ensure that, even in instances where gender parity is achieved, women are not placed in strategic positions as tokens and proxies for powerful men but as equal and able leaders of society.
 
The Conference heard that other challenges regarding women's representation depend on political ideologies and vary from country to country. The Speaker of the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Legislature, Ms Nontembeko Boyce, argued that her political party has a 50/50 gender representation policy. In contrast, other political parties in the country are silent on the matter. On the same issue, the President of the Female Caucus in the Sierra Leone Parliament, Ms Veronica Kadi Sesay, argued that members of her caucus are united on women's matters and value representation above political affiliation.
 
During a discussion on the continent's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the plenary noted that women were significantly impacted by the devastating effects of the pandemic resulting in loss of income, poverty, and a grave threat to food security. Member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, Ms Matlhodi Maseko, implored the CPA Secretariat to create a universal virtual database wherein best practices, research, and prevention methods can be shared within the region.
 
Although most discussions revolved around gender mainstreaming and how women bear the brunt of poverty, pandemics, and forms of oppression, other topics discussed in the plenary include:
 
• Strengthening Parliamentary Visibility: Parliamentary Efforts in Resource Allocation for Purposes of Executing its Constitutional Mandate,
• The Role of African Parliaments in Accelerating Intra-Africa Trade,
• Mobilising Regional, International Coordination and Cooperation to Respond to Covid-19 and Future Pandemics
• Drawing Lessons from Covid-19 to Build Lessons for Future Pandemics
 
The Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and Treasurer of the CPA Africa Region, Ms Ntombi Mekgwe, emphasised the need to strengthen the Finance subcommittee of the CPA to ensure that women's activities are supported optimally. She vowed to use her position as CPA Regional Treasurer to influence the funding of Conference resolutions and the implementation of women empowerment programmes in the region.
 
Led by the National Council of Provinces Chairperson, Mr Amos Masondo, and the Southern Africa Subregion Representative, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, the South African delegation list consists of CWP Representative, Mrs Winnie Ngwenya, CPA Africa Region Chairperson and Gauteng Legislature Speaker, Ms Ntombi Mekgwe, as well Members of National Parliament, Speakers and Members of Provincial legislatures, namely:
  

• Mr Darren Bergman, Member of Parliament,
• Ms Nomgqibelo Nkosi, Member of Parliament,
• Ms Reneiloe Molapo, Speaker of Limpopo Legislature,
• Mr Jerry Ndou, Deputy Speaker of Limpopo Legislature,
• Ms Nontembeko Boyce, Speaker of KwaZulu Natal Legislature,
• Ms Vuyiswa Caluza, Member of KwaZulu Natal Legislature,
• Mr Masizole Mnqasela, Speaker of the Western Cape Legislature,
• Ms Matlholdi Maseko, Member of the Western Cape Legislature,
• Ms Ntombizanele Sifuba, Speaker of the Free State Legislature,
• Mr Heinrich Sandlana Smit, Member of the Free State Legislature
• Mr Armand Cloete, Member of the Free State Legislature,
• Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, Member of Gauteng Legislature,
• Thokozile Magagula, Member of Gauteng Legislature,
• Ms Makhosazane Masilela, Speaker of Mpumalanga Legislatures,
• Nompumelelo Hlophe, Member of Mpumalanga Legislature,
• Ms Sussana Dantjie, Speaker North West Legislature,
• Mr Joba Dliso, Member of the Northern Cape Legislature,
• Mr Neo Maneng, Chief Whip of the Northern Cape Legislature,
• Ms Lorraine Senye, Whip of the Northern Cape Legislature,

The CPA Africa Region is a member of Parliamentary association of Commonwealth countries across the globe which aims to promote peace, democracy, and good governance amongst its members.
 
The CPA Africa Region concludes its 52nd Conference, currently held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Thursday.

Issued by Parliament