Luanda - The National Assembly Speaker Carolina Cerqueira on Thursday in Brussels, Belgium, said the Angolan parliament has put at the top of its agenda peace, stability, security and the promotion and preservation of the culture of peace, as a basis for development and social justice.
The Parliament Speaker, who was speaking at the Summit of Women Political Leaders, said the National Assembly has been promoting high level debates with civil society in favour of peace, gender equality and denouncing violence against women and girls.
Carolina Cerqueira reported that through parliamentary diplomacy, initiatives in favour of peace in the Great Lakes Region are evident, where the conflict situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is worrying.
"The intervention of parliamentarians in favour of peace and stability in the region, through permanent dialogue and the laying down of arms by rebel forces, whose military actions have led to inhuman crimes against defenceless civilian populations, cross-border crimes and the permanent violation of human rights, is intense," said the top parliamentarian.
The National Assembly is also monitoring the situation of instability in northern Mozambique, with women parliamentarians playing an important role in defending peace, protecting the victims of the conflicts and denouncing the consequences of the conflict that have increased the fragmentation of social and family stability, damaging above all the safe and healthy growth of children and the future of young people, particularly young girls, victims of physical and sexual violence, victims of forced marriages and deprivation of their rights and fundamental freedoms.
To Carolina Cerqueira, strengthening solidarity between institutions, understanding and friendship between them are fundamental if women are to be the generators and promoters of change at local and global level in favour of peace, reconciliation and the building of a better world.
The action of the political women of the world, Cerqueira said, must be in favour of women's rights, non-violence, to denounce political, economic and social discrimination, adoption of policies in favour of equality and to promote legislative initiatives that guarantee more opportunity for access to education, to decision-making in various fields and the well-being and prosperity of families.
"The future must be one of peace, lasting development and justice, integration and social inclusion, respecting fundamental human rights and equal opportunities for men and women," said the MP.
In her view, women are the fundamental support of democratic societies and staunch defenders of justice and the law.
"In Angola, women's activism is dynamic and the advances of women in politics are encouraging. We have a unicameral parliament that has representation from five political parties and is made up of 38% women in a total of 220 deputies. Our Parliament reflects diversity and gender and generational balance", she stressed.
The mission, she said, is to continue to denounce the obstacles that prevent the full and free exercise of women's freedom, promote initiatives for the permanent education of young women to contribute to the promotion of equal opportunities for all women, more solidarity, and above all, more recognition of the important role they play in favour of a better future.
The Women Political Leader Annual Summit took place from June 7 and 8 in Brussels, focusing on the sharing of experiences between women leaders from all over the world and analysing the advances and challenges to reinforce equity, participation and opportunities for women at a global level. VM/Amp/jmc
