Member of Parliament in the National Council, Emma Veikko has stressed the importance for women's representation in politics to move beyond numerical targets towards meaningful participation, influence and decision-making power.

Veikko said this during her motivation of the report on Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, African region, Gender Sensitization workshop which took place last month.

During the three-day workshop, participants engaged on issues relating to gender equality and women's empowerment in Africa, with particular emphasis on gender transformation, legislation and institutional mechanisms.

The key topics discussed included integrating gender-based violence prevention, sexual and reproductive health and rights, climate action and equipping women to lead through skills development.

“Number one, climate change, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health rights are deeply interconnected challenges that disproportionately affect women and girls, particularly in vulnerable communities. Two, women's representation in politics requires moving beyond numerical targets towards ensuring meaningful participation, influence and decision-making power. Three, political parties, legislators, and the governments take greater responsibility for removing structural barriers addressing violence against women in politics and creating supportive environments for women leaders. Four, AI presents significant opportunities for development, service delivery and democratic participation, but also carries substantial risks for women and girls if left inadequately valid.”

She recommended that parliament strengthen youth-focused leadership, mentorship and skills-development initiatives that increase the participation of young women in political and parliamentary processes.