Updates

By: James Karuhanga; Originally posted on allAfrica.com

Members of the Chamber of Deputies, yesterday, passed the draft Penal Code, with the majority voting in favour of an article that permits abortion under special circumstances.

The critical vote came after the House received and approved a report of an earlier established joint Chamber of deputies-Senate committee to review the bill.

Seven women MPs abstained from voting for or against Article 165, which absolves criminal liability for exceptional abortion cases, arguing it was hazardous to the Rwandan society.  Read more...

Delegates participating in the G(irls)20 Summit in Paris presented French President Nicholas Sarkozy with a communiqué featuring recommendations on how G20 leaders can help reduce gender inequality and recognize the pivotal role women and girls play in advancing the global economy. Drafted by 21 young delegates -- all women under the age of 20 -- the communiqué features more than 30 specific recommendations on gender-based violence and inequality; education, training, and employment; political, economic, and social representation; and health; designed to influence global leaders convening at the G20 meetings in Cannes, France next month. Read more...

A network of professional and civil society organizations are urging Ministers  of Parliament in the United Kingdom to use their “unique powers of advocacy, scrutiny, debate, legislation, budget setting, and monitoring” to ensure the government fulfills its funding pledges toward maternal and child health. Read more...

This week on Monday and Tuesday (16th & 17th May) EPF and its French NGO partners (Equilibres et Populations and Mouvement Français Pour le Planning Familial) organized a Global Parliamentarians’ Summit entitled “Girls and Population: the forgotten drivers of development”. The event was hosted at the French National Assembly by EPF Vice-President Hon. Danielle Bousquet, and it brought together more than 60 parliamentarians committed to population and development issues from around the world, and from across the political spectrum. Read more...

Women and children’s health were on the agenda at the 124^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which took place April 15-20th in Panama City, Panama. The Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, gave the keynote address on “Building Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” to 600 parliamentarians from around the world, highlighting the need for women’s leadership and political participation. Read more...