Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698833833143.pdf (Uganda)
STATEMENT By HON JOVAH KAMATEEKA (WOMAN MP MTTOOMA DISTRTCT/CHAIRPERSON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMTTTEE) ON WOMEN Mps OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE HEID ON 8th NOVERMBER tN TONDON UK Rt.

Hon Speaker and Hon Members, On the 8th of November 2018, I was privileged to attend the Women MPs of the World Conference at the House of Commons in London UK.

The Conference was in commemoration of 100 years of women in the UK being able to stand for elective positions in politics.
lt was a celebration of votes for women 1918-2018, under the theme: Strengthening Visibility, Driving chdnge.

The conference brought together women MPs from around the world, one from every Parliament to celebrate their achievements, discuss how to strengthen visibility and further empower women parliamentarians to continue to drive change nationally and internationally.
The event aimed at building capacity to advocate for greater representation of women in Parliament and public life, as well as exploring the specific challenges facing women MPs and how these might be overcome.

lt looked at how women parliamentarians are already driving policy change and strategized on how to amplify this.
The event also aimed at creating an active network of women parliamentarians around the world, providing opportunity for impactful international collaboration and building the blueprint for further coordination.

By sharing knowledge and good practices and building commitments, the gathering aimed at strengthening and supporting the efforts of women parliamentarians to drive change in their own countries, their communities as well as globally.
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, hosted the ladies to a pre event dinner at L0 Downing Street and made a strong statement affirming women leadership.

There were sessions in the House of Commons and break-away sessions, committee style, that focused oo, Empowering women leaders to be powerful and effective representatives.

Promoting women's economic empowerment.


Ending violence against women and girls including enhancement of quality girl child education and Championing women's choices and holding governments accountable through family planning.

IV It gives me pleasure to present the communiqu6 that was signed at the end of the conference and the commitments therein.
c( Women MPs of the world conference: strengthening visibility, driving change Thursday 8 November 2018 Catl to Action: Accelerate Women's Equality #womenmpsoftheworld We gather here in the House of Commons in London, as elected women parliamentarians from around the world to recognise the importance of women's contribution to public life and politics, and to inspire the next generation of women leaders.
Today we celebrate the achievements of women parliamentarians in delivering legislative change to improve the lives of women and girls; in challenging the discrimination that women in politics can face, and the negative norms and attitudes about women's political leadership.
We must redouble our efforts to tackle gender inequalities that hold back women and girls globally and in our respective countries, including working with and influencing men and boys, as essential contributors to more rapid and long- lasting change.

TODAY WE COMMIT TO: a a a a a a a new generation of women to become sociat and political leaders in their coinmunities by reaching lnspire irls, mentoring aspiring women politicians, and encouraging women they know to stand for election.
We out to g creating safe spaces in their commit to speak (including online); working with political parties to support more women commu to stand as candidates for election; and, in line with the Dublin Declaration (2018) by the lnternational Congress of Parliamentary Women's Caucuses, mobilising support for more gender-sensitive practices within parliaments.
the dispro cost of where End violence against vvomen and girls by championing better legislation to tackle perpetrators and better services to support survivors; campaigning for the recognition of intimate partner violence as the most widespread human rights abuse globally; driving change to end child marriage and achieve a world free from the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030.
Break the barriers to girls'education, providing the opportunity for at least 12 years of quality education and learning for all girls by 2030, by backing inclusive system reform and targeting the most marginalised girls including poor rural girls, girls with disabilities and those affected by child marriage, early pregnancy, FGM and conflict and crisis.
Champion efforts to enable all women to have access to voluntary family planning, so they can decide whether, when and how many children to have; enabling them to complete their education, take up economic opportunities and have control over their lives.

We will ensure legislation and policies are in place and address barriers, including social norms, which prevent women from using voluntary family planning.
Promote women's economic empowerment by committing to tackling legislation that limits women's ability to work and to access as well as control key assets; advocating for the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care; engaging with the private sector to improve women's oppoftunities, pay and workinq conditions, and; reducing and closing the gender pay gap.
Promote implementation of international commitments to protect and empower women and girls and promote gender equality including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly Goal 5.5), and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and related resolutions on women, peace and security ?.

a a I wish to record my appreciation to the Rt.


Hon Speaker for your unwavering support to the women's cause and for allowing me to attend the Conference; to the Uganda Women Parliamentary Caucus, UWOPA, for championing all women's issues and all our Colleagues for their support.
Special recognition goes to Her Majesty's Government and the Department of lnternational Development, the British Council Westminster Foundation for Democracy, UK Aid and Wilton Park for Co-sponsoring and organizing the conference.

Last but not least, I wish to recognize the Uganda Government headed by H. E, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for an enabling and supportive legal framework and government programs that promote women empowerment.
I beg to lay the Statement on Table and pray that the commitments be adopted by this House I beg to move HON KAMATEEKA WOMAN MP MITOOMA DISTRICT CHAIRPERSON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMIfiEE Women Power Politics 3 ,I ftrsuex I Women MFs of the wr:rlci conference: strengthening visibiiity, driving change Thursday 8 Ncvemb er 2a18, House of commons, westminster" Wcrking groups A and C; Empow-ering women ieaders: how can v/omen iUPs be as erfective and ccwei-fu!

as oossibie in theii'parliarnents?


How to i'epresent their constituents most effectiveiy?

liow ic balance being an lvlp with pei'sona I respons i bi iiti es a nd f arr,ii;,t?

Committee Rooms 14 and 10 This session will explore how women MPs can maximise their.

influence and impact in parliament.


Objectives ' ldentify strategies, techniques and ways of working that help maximise the influence and impact of women members of parliament ' Explore practices and systems that help women MPs deal effectively with the competing demands fortheir time and attention Key questions for discussion women MPs in accessing or being active in these?

o What are some of the key determinants of status and power in parliaments?
What are the baniers to ' What can women MPs do to change exclusive or toxic power dynamics, rather than reinforce them? '

What strategies are most effective when trying to advance a legislative, policy or political agenda? '

What practices, systems or structures work best to maximise the voices and influence of women in parliaments? '

How can women MPs represent their constituents most effectively? '
What change is needed for MPs to be able to balance the demands of political life with the needs o,f farily and other personal responsibilities?

Please bring examples from your country, highlighting the successes as well as the learning that can be shared.

Globally, women's share of parliamentary membership has more than doubled since the Beijing platform for Action in 1995.
More women than ever are currently involved in politics at every level, from organising local action to running for national or federal office.

Greater physical presence in the halls of parliament, however, has not always translated into equal amounts of influence, authority and access to key decision-making roles.

More women are in elected office now, but in many societies they are still not in power.

Parliaments can be challenging or even hostile work environments for women.
Additionally, managing the excessive demands of parliamentary work with family or personal commitments, or with unpaiO worktoads and care responsibilities outside of parliament, can make political life onerous at times.
Recognising these challengesr as well as the measurable gains to societies when women are fully included in political decision-making, this session seeks to explore how women MPs can be as effective and influential as possible in their parliaments, both to support their own success and to ensure their societies benefit from what trey bring to political life.
trdditional reading National Democratic lnstitute, WHy Women in politics Women Leaders Global Forum, The Female political Career lnter-Parliamentary Union, women in parliament:20 years in Review iKNOW Politics, Parliaments and Representatives I Page 1of 3 Wo:"nen MFs of the world c,pnference: strengthenir-rE irisib!lity, driving chanEe Thursday I November 2Ai8, House of Comrnons, Westminster Working Group B: Getting more women into parliament: how to suppcri ,'cuies tc eleclton forwomen?
ilo.,v tc buiid community support for and acceptance of women's leadership?

Cornrnittee Roorn l1 This session will look at strategies that support wornen who wanl to become parliamentarians, and encourage cornmunities to elect .ir/ornen, Objectives To identify and share effective strategies for electing more women parliamentarians and commit to actions that can be taken following the conference.

Key questions for discussion .

What are the most effective strategies to enable more women to be elected?

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What can elected women do to help more women get involved (and what can we ask of our male .

How can women candidates build support among communities?

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How to make progress to get to gender parity in parliament?

colleagues)?

Please bring examples from your country, highlighting the successes as well as the learning that can be shared.

The latest data from the IPU indicates that women make up 24o/o of representatives globally in elected bodiesl.
However, whilst women are elected at levels well below their population numbers, representation is increasing, and there are now more politically active women than ever- despite uneven progress across different countries and contexts.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action2 was a significant tuming point in the debate about women's representation, with a focus on "discriminatory aftitudes and practices' and "unequal power relations'.
This shifted the focus to the institutional and cultural mechanisms that exclude women and away from a focus on the responsibility of individual women.

Strategies to achieve greater numbers of women in politics have included: .

Actions by political parties3, such as strengthening women's role in decision making, supporting networkin g and political skills of women that have attracted more female candidates and increased their opporturities to be elected.

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Advocacy and actions by civil society organisations and the women's movement that have been effedive pressing for change and supporting women to consider political roles and develop political skills4.

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Voluntary or legislative quotas that have helped increase the number of women in parliament, although the usage and effects of quotas is contesteds .

,Additional reading Women.

power and politics: What's chanqed in '1 00 vears?
British Council,2018 Gender equalitv in elected office: A six steo action plan, OSCE, 2010 Facts and fiqures: Leadership and oolitical particioation I UN Women 1 IPU Women in national legislatures http://archive.ipu.orq/wmn-e/classif.htm 2 http://beiiino20.unwomen.oro/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/csilofa e final web.odf 3httos://iknowpolit itics.pdf a https://eioe.europa.eu/oender-maingtreaminq/oood-practices/ireland/orassroots-camoaiqn-empowers-womerl s https://www.
idea.inUdata-tools/data/qender-quotas/quotas Page2 of 3 4 women MPs of the worid canfersn ce: strengthening visibili.ty, ciriving change Thursday 8 No'vemb er 2aig, i-.loi-ise of comi-nons.

westrninster Group D: countering backiash; how to deal witn buJrying anc narassmeni.

both cniine and or-flii-.?

How io engage with men to change i;re narrative?

Cornmittee Roora This session will look at strategies to counterthe backrash that many wo!-nen Mps experience.
Objeciives ' ' actions that women MPs can take to prevent harassment and abuse, personaly and ;i,ii:#:T,:'::r"Jrt::'gffi[:::t"rv with harassment and abuse - as individuars, within parriamenb and :1",,::,'r:ilcrete Key questions for discussion ' How do individual women parliamentarians deal with harassment and abuse?

e what can parliaments and political parties do to prevent harassment, abuse and bullying? '
address the practices, social norms and behaviours that facilitate violence against women in X":[# :[H;.ot'" examples from your country, highlighting the successes as wefl as the tearning that can be As we celebrate the increasing numbers of women who are elected to public office, we are also dismayed at the increasing levels of violence, ia'assment and abuse tnat trose wimen endure, much of itspecifically designed to undermine and threaten women because orlneil gender.
rrrany oii19 parliamentarians joining lhis event will harze experienced this personally' A recent tntenParliinenatry iiii, tipulstudy showed that 81.Byo of women parliamentarians surveyed had experienced some rorm of psycrrotogical violence trom mlmoers of the public and fellow parliamentarians' Verbal abuse and harassment now arso ta[e prace in onrin" ,p"-c"s, often anonymourry, that are harder to regulate' Harassment and abuse undermine alro".
"tic cultures, threaten feedom of expression' and may deter other women from entering politics.

The cost for many *or"n ia simply too high.

How do women parliamentarians cope with harassment and abuse, and what can they and others do to preverl it?

Additional reading UNSpecialRapporteuronMolenceagainstWomen: Hll,,[3,""'ExpertGroupMeetingRJportandR""o,ffiIffiffiarch2018,@ top Molence Against Women in politics, @ National Democratic lnstitute incident reporting tool.
lnter-Parliamentary Union, (NDl), #Notrhecost campaign has reports, such as No partv to Viorence -t Page3d3 A-N$qEx Tt Women MFs of the world conference: strengthen!ng visibility, driving change Thursday 8 Novemb er 2018, House of commons, westminster Group E: Promoting women's economic empowerment Ccmmittee R.ooa'n 9 "This session will look at how MPs can promote economic ernpowerment for women' Objectives .-^^ L^.,^ ..,^-1,^A6 FAeo share insights and experience of what legislative tools, wider strategies and policy measures have worked across the world to tackle the barriers women face' Key questions for discussion What policy measures and legislative tools are needed to: .
Ensure equal access to education and skills and that women and men are not held back by social attitudes in the career choices theY make?

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Help parents to share work and caring responsibilities equally relieving the unpaid care burden faced by women?

Support women and men to enter and progress in the labour market according to their talent and arnbition?

support women as leaders and decision-makers: in public life, business and as female entrepreneurs?

Promote financial inclusion?


Bring women's voices into policy making?

Make progress towards meeting SDG Goal 5 through economic empowerment for women?

What role have elected women in your legislature been able to play in progressing such measures/tools?

Please bring examples from your country, highlighting the successes as well as the learning that can be shared.
Women,s economic empowerment means women having (i) the ability to succeed and advance economically and (ii) the power to make and act on economic and related Oecisions.

lf girls and women were operating at their full potential and playing an identical role in labour markets to men's, then an estimated $28 trillion could be added to gLb"iGoi bi zozd.
', However, a[ women are facing structuralinequalities around their labour market participation at every stage of their tivli- f ne global gende, pay gip could take over 200 years to close' Women bear disproportionate responsibility for unpaid sectors.
The UN High Level Panel has identified seven drivers of change to accelerate women's economic "rnpo*"*"nt arou-nd the world - and specific suggestions about proven and promising actions: *oit ,-uie much more likely to work part-time and in lower-paid "ar" a. Tackling adverse norms and promoting positive role models b.
Ensuring legal protection and reforming discriminatory laws and regulations c. lnvesting in care d. Building assets - digital, financial and physical e. Changing business culture and practice t. tmprwing public sector practices in employment and procurement g. Stiengthening visibility, collective voice and representation Supporting women and girls to be economically empowered is.fundamentalto gender equality, poverty reducticn, and inclusive economic grofrn.
There is no silver bullet'- girls and women face multiple baniers to contributing equally to the economy and acnieving tneir potential.
We have come some way but structuralinequalities persist' This session will explore global and nation-specific solutions including: challenging the gender stereotypes that prevent girls and women from getting an education; workplace policies and-cultures inctuoing violence and harassment; targeted s.tpport for those least able to access und progi"r" in the labour market; social policy issues such as addressing unpail care; and equal representation in public life.
I McKinsey, 2015 (Feb 2ol8) Page 1 o f4 Wornen MFs of the world conference: strengthening visibility, driving chanEe Thursday 8 November 2018, House of Commons, Westminster Group F: Ending violence against women and girls (VAWG) Committee Room 10 This session will look at how MPs can drive efforts to end violence against wornen and girls.
Objectives ' Showcase examples of effective interventions and success stories of preventing violence that Mps can use to make the case for govemment action and to inspire others; ' Share emerging evidence on prevalence and on the variety of types of violence which occur; and ' Discuss strategies for how MPs can use this knowledge to help eliminate violence against women and girls globally.
Key questions for discussion ' How can MP's use their role to make the case that VAWG can be prevented and encourage govemments to strive to meet SDG 5.2: eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in publil and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual, and other types ol exploitation? '

some women have a greater risk of experiencing violence, such as women with disabilities.

How can we ensure these women are included in our work to end VAWG? '
What legislation in your country is tackling VAWG effectively and how can we ensure that it is properly implemented/enforced? '

How can women and their communities be empowered to openly discuss VAWG in their society? '

How can we bring legislation and social change together to change particularly deep-rooted norms around VAWG;such as FGM?

Please bring examples from your country, highlighting the successes as well as the learning that can be strared.
One in three women worldwide will experience violence in their lifetime - be it intimate partner violence, sexual violence, female genital mutilation; child, early and forced mariage; or one of many other forms of violence.

This makes violence against women and girls one of the most systemic and widespr"ad human rights violations d our time.

It affects women and girls everywhere.

And the costs are far reaching: it limits the potential of individuals, farnilies, communities and economies.
Girls and women who experience violence are less likely to complete their education, 1-5 times more likely to acquire Hlv, and are at increased risk of matemal mortality.

For children exposed to violence, the long-term health and social impacts are similar to those of child abuse and neglect.

For econonies, the costs are estimated at between 1.2o/o and 3.7% of GDp.

And yet violence against women and girls is preventable.
This session will explore how Mps can raise awareness of the scale of VAWG and the actions that governments, communities and civil society can take to prevent violence and support the survivors of violence.

the world producing ground breaking finding on effective intervention in low-middle income settings.

Additional reading ' What Works to Preven ' UK Strateqv to end violence aoainst women and qirls: 2016 to 2020.
This strategy provides an overview d the wide range of actions the government will be taking towards its strategy of endirig violence against wornen anc1 girls between 2016 and 2020.ltwas taunched on g March 2016. is a UK Aid-funded innovative global programme working in 13 countriesacross PagZ o14 Women IMPs of the won!d conference: strengthening visibility, dniving change Thursday 8 November 2018, House of Commons, Westminster Group G: Voluntary family planning: championing women's choices and holdinE governments to account.
Committee Roorn 11 This session will explore how MPs can champion women's right to make decisions about whether, when and how many children to have.

Objectives .

Establish concrete actions MPs can take to champion women's choice around family planning.

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ldentifY how governments can be held to account for their existing commitments to famity planning Key questions for discussion .

How can MPs use their unique role to champion women's choice around family planning?

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What examples of achievements and good practice Can we learn from?

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What are the baniers and how can we overcome them?

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How can we best hold govemments to account fortheir commitments to family ptanning, including those made through FP2O20 at the 2017 Familv Planning Summit in London?

Please bring examples from your country, hightighting the successes as well as the tearningthat can be shared.
Voluntary Family Planning is transformational: it helps empower women to shape their own lives, make families healthier, and can help lift entire countries out of poverty.

We have collectively made huge progress since the London Summit on Family Planning with nearly 39 million more women using rncdern contraception in 2017 than in 2012, in the 69 FP2020 focus countries.
However, there are still 214 nillion women across all developing countries who want to delay or prevent pregnancy, but who aren't, for a range of reasons, using modern methods of contraception.

This session will examine how we can rmke progress towards SDG target 5.6: universalaccess to reproductive rights and health, and how govemments can be held to account for commitments they have made to family planning, including those made throughFP2020 at the 2017 Family Planning Summit in London.
Additional reading FP202O Commitment Making Countries: http://unr,nff.familvplanninq2020.oro/entities 2017 Family Planning Summit http://summit201 T.familvplanninq2020.orq/ Page 3 o{4 t wornen MFs of the world conference: strengflrening visibitity, driving change Thursday 8 Novemb er 201g, House of commons, westminster gffi,li;:l;:ing barriers ro ensure at reast 12 vears of quarity educarion for ail sirrs This session will look at how MPs can champion at least 12 yearsof quality educatlon for all girts.
Objectivos ' Establish concrete actions MPs can -take forward to break down barriers to girls, education and provide the opportunity for at least 12 years of quality education ,no terrning tor alr girls-b y zozo:including targeting the most marginalised girls particularly poor rural girls, girts with dis;bitities Ino tnlse affected by conflict and crisis. '

Explore how education system refo.rm can drive up quality and address the needs of all learners.
This includes exploring how to develop, implement "ni 3:,1?"i:,::1:",:,t:'[?:?*!

'""'o'or;" ov reportins [u"r. on prosress on education quariiv ani ;;;;,i,y, ,oniiJ.

gender-responsive education prans, policies and Key questions for discussion ' How can Mps use their unique rore to champion girrs, education? '

what exampres of achievements and good practiie can we rearn from?

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How can we overcome the barriers ouflined above? '

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accountrortheircommitments to girrs'education, incrudins those ' How we can ensure girls education investments deliver leaming outcomes, ensure girls transition through secondary schoot and the funding t"rur"g"" i"w partnerships and financing for girls, !

!ffi.ry# "" "no r How to make progress towards sDG-target 4.4, eliminating gender disparities in education?

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rrre most marsinarised si,r, r""" many barriers Please bring examptes from your countryr, highlighting the succe"sses as wefi as the tearning that can be shared.

Globally' 130'9 million girls remain out of school.

Even those who are in schoor often are not mastering basic l*eracy and numeracy skills by.the end.of primaryand do not pr"gful" t secondary schoor.

Globally, 3g7 million children !13:'#::,ffi:1fffi1[li}l,L"rd oi r,l ' :ffi:[*1fr".
:TT"?.im.atter: Fewerthan 1 in 20 poor, ruratsirls in Sub-saharan Africa are on track lo ' Age matters: Adolescent girls face a disproportionate burden of domestic work, and greater risk of violerce, ' :;llr$i$i,X1"?i?lii;1il:f#**ce, affectins 246 minion sirrs and b"y;;;;;year, remains a of secondary eoucation limits progressior . '

Girls with disabilities face double discrimination: whilst the overall literacy rate for persons with ' ,i:ili:trT:li:J::ffif ::ffi[:fl:X= "t ^.
Girls have huge potential, energy economies' This can only happLn when they are equipf,ed witn a quaritv education helping them learn and succeed in jobs of the future.

Additional reading ih" ti."

thev most need supporr: sirrs are 2.stimes more uron:Jn to change their lives and lead in their communities, societies and early maniage and early piegnancy.

r-""i oi ar"irr;iity ;;; disabilities is 3%, it is just 1% for women and girls.

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