His Excellency Mr. Jamal Mohammed Fakhro, First Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, stressed that the Women’s Leadership Initiative represents a fundamental investment in democracy, as it supports gender equality and serves all segments of society, noting that this initiative is consistent with the strategic priorities of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in the areas of gender equality and youth participation.
This came during the speech delivered by His Excellency Mr. Jamal Fakhro, today (Thursday), before the 151st General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in the city of Geneva, as part of a session to present reports of the specialized sessions held to extend the work of the Assembly.
Fakhro said that gender equality is the main topic of the Inter-Parliamentary Union for the year 2025, noting that in this special year a series of activities were implemented within the Women’s Leadership Initiative within the framework of the “WYDE” project, which represents a new strategic project for the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Fakhro explained that the pioneering initiative is not just a project, but rather a fundamental investment in democracy that serves everyone, as it focuses on supporting women’s participation in parliaments, addressing social norms that hinder their participation and leadership in parliamentary life, and combating violence against female representatives, in addition to enhancing intergenerational cooperation through partnerships between male and female MPs and parliamentarians, and with women’s and youth movements and civil society organizations.
Fakhro stated that the project is funded by the European Union, and is being implemented by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in partnership with UN Women, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and its implementation began at the end of the year (2024) and will continue until the end of next year (2026).
Fakhro stated that the project allows expanding partnerships and engaging more deeply with civil society, enhances the role of parliamentarians in supporting women’s participation and leadership in political and parliamentary work, and addresses major obstacles such as violence against women in politics and negative social norms.
Fakhro pointed out that the project witnessed the organization of seven intergenerational dialogues that brought together young representatives, senior leaders, women’s and youth organizations, and international organizations, including members of the Intergenerational Equality Forum, in addition to special dialogues between female parliamentarians, indicating that these dialogues addressed important issues and achieved new aspects of cooperation, especially with regard to the social norms that limit women’s participation in political life, the role of male representatives in promoting gender equality, and experiences Combating violence against women in politics.
Fakhro said that he participated in a number of these dialogues, affirming his support for achieving gender equality, stressing its importance and benefit. Because it represents a valuable opportunity to learn, think, expand the network of relationships, and work in harmony with parliamentarians and leaders from different fields who share the same values and goals.
Fakhro stated that work is currently underway to prepare a set of practical tools to support parliamentary work in promoting diversity within parliaments and combating violence and negative norms that affect women’s participation in parliamentary life. The upcoming support for male and female parliamentarians will also include guidance materials, training sessions, and new spaces for intergenerational dialogue and multilateral discussions.
His Excellency concluded by emphasizing that this pioneering initiative is not just a project, but rather an essential investment in democracy that serves everyone, calling on the members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to continue supporting this important work.
