Parliamentary
leaders from nearly 140 countries have pledged to do their utmost to reconnect
people with democracy in an ambitious and far-reaching declaration adopted at
the end of a three-day global summit in New York.
More
than 170 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliaments at the Fourth World
Conference of Speakers of Parliament acknowledged that extraordinary efforts
would be needed to build a world that people want by turning the tide against
the many challenges that undermine democracy, peace and development.
Mohammed
Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of Federal National Council, FNC, led the UAE
Parliamentary Division, to the three-day conference.
"The
world is at a crossroads. The enormity of the challenges that we and our planet
face is daunting. We must have the resolve to overcome them. How political
leaders respond to the crises that threaten us has perhaps never been as
important to our future as now," said IPU President, Saber Chowdhury.
The
world’s parliamentary leaders committed to bringing parliament closer to the
people by tackling the growing public scepticism and disconnect with politics,
social and political marginalisation, gender inequality and an imbalanced power
relationship with government.
They
underlined the need for constitutional and institutional reforms in transition
countries, social justice, good governance and respect for human rights,
including freedom of speech and assembly.
The
speakers also pledged to pursue efforts to make parliaments more
representative, accountable and transparent. Although some progress has been
made on commitments to increasing women’s participation in parliament since the
2010 Speakers’ Conference, the pace of change remains unacceptably slow
overall. Some countries have announced planned changes to electoral laws that
will ensure more equitable representation of women, youth and minorities.
The
conference, held at United Nations Headquarters in the final run-up to the UN
Summit on Sustainable Development, also gave the global parliamentary
community’s unequivocal support to the new development agenda with its 17
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. The SDGs are due to be adopted at the
summit later this month.
Welcoming
the overall ambition to end poverty and promote peace, equality and the
well-being of the people and the planet, the Speakers and IPU committed to
working to achieve reaching Goal 16 on the promotion of peaceful, inclusive
societies and the building of effective, accountable and inclusive
institutions.
They
recognised the responsibility parliaments have been given in ensuring the
implementation of the SDGs through legislation, allocation of budgetary
resources, and holding governments accountable for attaining the goals.
Parliaments would also work to build public awareness and national ownership of
the SDGs in order to leave no-one behind and strengthen links between
parliament and government at both national and local levels.
However,
the speakers called for greater efforts to solve conflicts, end terrorism and
violent extremism, as well as to better protect migrants and refugees. As
pre-requisites for development and social equity, global peace and security had
to be an international priority.
"Solutions
to what may seem overwhelming challenges are there. They require a different
mindset, a new way of doing politics. Parliaments and their leaders must step
into the political breach as the voice of the people and grasp the opportunity
to shape a new destiny for the world and our planet," added President
Chowdhury. "IPU will support them at every point."
The
next World Conference of Speakers of Parliament will take place in 2020.
Rashid
Al Shuraiqi, member of the UAE delegation, said the Declaration of the Fourth
World Conference of Speakers of Parliament featured 38 items covering general
principles of sustainable development, democracy, peace and security, gender
partnership, youth empowerment, eradication of poverty and hunger and
countering terrorism.
The
UAE, he noted, was among 14 parliaments which submitted recommendations and
amendments to the final declaration.
He
said the declaration welcomed the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
that has emerged with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Poverty eradication
is the overarching objective of this new agenda, alongside the promotion of
economic, social and environmental development. These objectives can only be
achieved, he added, by changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and
production, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, building
resilient infrastructure, fostering innovation, protecting and better managing
natural resources, as well as revitalising the global partnership for
sustainable development. –End-
Image
by: http://www.livemint.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment