The 10th Summit of Presidents of the G20 Parliaments, called P20, began this Wednesday (6) in the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, in Brasília. The theme of this edition is “Parliaments for a fair world and a sustainable planet”.
The event brings together representatives from the parliaments of the 19 largest economies in the world, plus the European Union and the African Union, as well as international organizations.
For three days, proposals will be discussed to combat gender and racial inequalities, hunger and poverty, and the environmental crisis.
At the opening of the event, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), defended gender equality.
“There is no way to talk about fighting hunger, poverty, inequality if we do not advance in promoting gender equality, female economic autonomy and overcoming racism. There is no way to talk about sustainable development without addressing the position of women by knowing and applying sustainable practices that can stop or mitigate serious environmental damage”, he said.
At the ceremony, President Arthur Lira was presented with the Charter of Alagoas, with 17 recommendations to build a more equal future between men and women. The document was prepared by deputies and senators from 26 countries during the 1st Meeting of P20 Women Parliamentarians, in July, in Maceió.
The leader of the women’s bench in the Senate, senator Leila Barros (PDT-DF), highlighted the importance of expanding the representation of women in parliaments. According to UN data, Brazil occupies the penultimate position among the G20 countries, better only than Japan.
She also spoke about the importance of women’s economic autonomy.
“Women with control over their income and resources directly contribute to reducing poverty and the growth of their communities. This forum should be a space to promote initiatives that guarantee equal access to employment, financial education and social protection mechanisms so that women can prosper economically”, said the senator.
The president of the P20 Inter-Parliamentary Union, Tulia Ackson, recalled that combating violence against women in parliaments is another non-negotiable aspect. According to her, studies show that 80% of women suffered psychological violence during parliamentary terms, especially younger women.
The 10th P20 Summit runs until Friday (8).
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