Speaker of the National Assembly, Mussa Zungu, has highlighted the importance of inclusive parliaments that provide women with equal opportunities to participate in political life, leadership, and decision-making. He made these remarks during the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Forum of Women Parliamentarians held in Arusha, Tanzania. Zungu stressed that empowering women to participate fully and equally in political affairs will strengthen democratic institutions and contribute to more representative and responsive governance.
The IPU Forum of Women Parliamentarians, which has been in existence for four decades, provides a global platform for women MPs to contribute to international parliamentary decision-making. The forum meets during every IPU Assembly and focuses on addressing gender imbalances in national parliaments, IPU bodies, and assemblies. It also promotes democracy through action on gender parity and ensures that a gender perspective is incorporated into decisions adopted by IPU members.
According to Speaker Zungu, although progress in increasing women's representation in parliaments is encouraging, representation alone is not sufficient to achieve meaningful gender equality. He noted that women's representation in Tanzania's Parliament stands at 39.5 percent, but urged continued efforts to address barriers affecting women's effective participation, leadership, and influence in political and parliamentary processes.
The theme of the 153rd IPU Assembly, "Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust, and opportunities for all," underscores the importance of ensuring that women are fully represented and empowered to contribute to decision-making at every level. Speaker Zungu emphasized that good governance requires the equal participation of women, as their involvement strengthens democracy and contributes to more responsive policies.
Speaker Zungu encouraged participants to use the gathering to share experiences openly, build partnerships, and identify concrete actions that could be implemented in their respective parliaments and countries. He said the forum provided an important platform for parliamentarians from different countries to exchange experiences and discuss measures to advance women's participation in decision-making.
Zungu stated that good governance cannot be achieved through exclusion, while communities cannot be fully empowered if half of their population is left behind. He emphasized that by breaking down structural barriers and ensuring women have equal access to decision-making, institutional trust is built, and shared opportunities necessary to shape a more just and inclusive world are unlocked.
Tanzania's Speaker of the National Assembly expressed his sincere appreciation for the continued commitment to advancing the meaningful participation and leadership of women in parliamentary and public affairs. He also reiterated Tanzania's commitment to supporting efforts aimed at promoting women's participation and leadership in political and public affairs.
Key points
- Empowering women to participate fully and equally in political affairs will strengthen democratic institutions.
- Women's representation in Tanzania's Parliament stands at 39.5 percent.
- The IPU Forum of Women Parliamentarians promotes democracy through action on gender parity.
