REPORT OF THE MEETING OF

WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS OF AIPA (WAIPA)

 

 

Your Excellency, the President of AIPA,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Parliamentarians,

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

I have the honour to submit the Report of the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians of AIPA (WAIPA) which was convened during the 30th AIPA General Assembly on Monday, 3 August 2009.

 

As nominated by His Excellency Mr. Chai Chidchob, President of AIPA, I presided over the meeting and was assisted by Honorable Mrs. Pikulkeaw  Krairiksh, a rapporteur.

 

The meeting expressed their condolences to the Philippines and the Philippine peoples on the demise of Her Excellency Madame Corazon C. Aquino, former President of the Republic of Philippines, who was an icon for democracy, human rights and women empowerment in the region and the world. The meeting observed a one minute silence to pay tribute to the late President.  

The following WAIPA delegates attended the meeting:

 

CAMBODIA

1.   Hon. Mr. Khuon Sudary

2.   Hon. Mrs. Ho Nuan

3.   Hon. Mrs. Mean Som An

 

INDONESIA

1.   Hon. Prof. Dr. Wila Chandrawila S.

2.   Hon. Mrs. Maryamah Nugraha Besoes

3.   Hon. Mrs. Isma Yatun

4.   Hon. Mrs. Lena Maryana

5.   Hon. Mrs. Ulha Soraya

 

LAOS

1.   Hon. Prof. Dr. Boungnong Boupha

2.   Hon. Mrs. Souvanpheng Boupphanouvong

3.   Hon. Mrs. Singkham Khongsavanh

 

 

MALAYSIA

1.   Hon. Mumtaz Md. Nawi

2.   Hon. Tan Ah Eng

3.   Hon. Fuziah Salleh

 

PHILIPPINES

1.   Hon. Lorna C. Silverio

2.   Hon. Reylina G. Nicolas

3.   Hon. Ma. Milagros H. Magsaysay

4.   Hon. Adelina Rodriguez-Zaldarriaga

 

SINGAPORE

1.   Hon. Dr. Amy Khor

2.   Hon. Mr. Masagos Zulkifli

 

THAILAND

1.   Hon. Assoc. Prof. Porapan  Punyaratabandhu

2.   Hon. Assoc. Prof. Kobkul  Phancharoenworakul

3.   Hon. Mr. Chareon  Kanthawongs

4.   Hon. Asst. Prof. Rachada  Dhanadirek

5.   Hon. Mr. Anusak  Kongmalai

6.   Hon. Prof. Sukanya  Sudbanthad

7.   Hon. Miss Rosana  Tositrakul

8.   Hon. Mrs. Achara  Techaritpitak

9.   Hon. Mrs. Trungjai  Buranasomphob

10. Hon. Mrs. Orpin  Monsin

11. Hon. Mrs. Yuwadee  Nimsomboon

12. Hon. Mrs. Kirana  Sumawong

13. Hon. Mr. Somchai  Swangkarn

14. Hon. Mrs.     Jitthana  Yingtaweelapa

15. Hon. Mr. Supote  Photongkum

16. Hon. Mrs. Pornthip  Chanratanapreeda

17. Hon. Mrs. Ninlawan  Petcharaburanin

18. Hon. Mrs. Suampha  Kochakrai

 

VIETNAM

1.   Hon. Mrs. Tong Thi Phong

2.   Hon. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bach Mai

3.   Hon. Mrs. Pham Thi Loan

 

The meeting was also observed by Hon. Mr. Bryon Wilfert, from Canada, AIPA Observer.

 

The meeting considered 4 draft resolutions and adopted the following:

 

1.      Resolution on Women in Economic Development and Poverty Reduction

The meeting acknowledged that women play vital and constructive roles as a key to development and poverty reduction and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The ASEAN Member countries should take necessary steps to undertake concrete actions on poverty reduction and narrowing the development gap by focusing on the perspectives of women and ensuring their equal participation and rights in all fields of socio-economic development. The meeting called for cooperation among ASEAN Member Countries in   developing programmes for equal access to financial services and credit for the poor and disadvantaged women including the promotion of  initiatives for the advancement of women through their participation as leaders in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and cooperatives which shall strengthen all efforts made to achieve higher goals beyond the MDGs especially to increase the proportion of women in local, national parliaments, and all levels of administrative authorities in the civil service through the improvement of legislation and administration to give women full and equal access to those positions.

 

2.      Resolution on the Roles of Women in Building an ASEAN Community

The meeting recognized that the ASEAN Community which comprises three pillars, namely an ASEAN Political-Security Community, an ASEAN Economic Community and an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, shall be established by the year 2015 with ASEAN Charter as the guideline. The meeting acknowledged the role of women under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar and the people as the center of an ASEAN Community and women can contribute to constructive and active participation in building an ASEAN Community.  The meeting emphasized that the participation of the ASEAN Citizen and the promotion of greater awareness of an ASEAN identity is imperative for building the ASEAN Community.

 

3.      Resolution on Strengthening Gender Equality and the Protection of the Rights of Women and Children

The meeting recognized that while ASEAN is moving forward to establish the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the rights of Women and Children, gender equality remains a serious challenge in the region despite the fact that women in the ASEAN Member Countries have gained more prominence and have reached decision-making levels.  The meeting supported regional and international cooperation with a view to addressing the protection of the rights of women and children as appropriate means to consolidate the establishment of an ASEAN Community. The meeting encouraged the ASEAN Member Parliaments to adopt laws, strategies, national policies and programmes on gender equality for the advancement of women and children as well as the mobilization of parliaments to be a key mechanism to promote gender equality and ensure that the rights of women and children are undertaken through legislative procedures. The meeting stressed the need for women parliamentarians to play more active roles in following up all implementations of international agreement in line with the MDGs.  The meeting also supported all efforts made for the achievement of the higher goals of the MDGs. It furthermore urged the women parliamentarians to play vital roles in supporting the enhancement of parliamentary actions on this matter.

4 Resolution on the Empowerment and Contribution of Women in Politics

The meeting took into account that awareness, campaigns and strategies which aim to promote the participation of women in politics shall be done at national and regional levels for concrete and solid cooperation among women parliamentarians of ASEAN Member Countries. The ASEAN Member Countries are requested to set up activities or programmes at national and regional levels for the benefit of women’s participation in politics, to share similar situations and challenges with neighbouring countries and to encourage coordination and participation between men and women in politics to promote balanced gender equality and ensure respect for the rights of women in line with the Universal Declaration of Democracy.  The meeting urged ASEAN Member Countries to introduce and strengthen legislation to empower women and contribution of women in politics.  The meeting also supported all initiatives of ASEAN for the promotion of women participation in politics to follow up the resolutions and recommendations of the United Nations and the development of women’s skills and knowledge in politics such as public speaking and debate skills, policy and strategy formulation, and election campaigns, to promote women’s participation in political life.

I hereby present the Report of the WAIPA Meeting to the 30th AIPA General Assembly.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

ASSOC. PROF. TASSANA  BOONTONG                      PIKULKEAW  KRAIRIKSH

CHAIRPERSON                                                       RAPPORTEUR