Speaker wants law enforced to stop violence against women

“It is our responsibility as parliamentarians to ensure that relevant legislation is in place to effectively curb the instances of violence against women and girls, as well as monitor the enforcement of existing laws,” Mark said in welcoming remarks at a regional parliamentary workshop held at the Hyatt Regency.

The Speaker’s remarks came one day after the observance of The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and amid a 16-day programme of activism on the topic which began on Sunday.

“We all need to constantly try to redress the status of women and girls around the world, who are unable to achieve their full potential as a result of violence that is so callously inflicted upon them,” Mark said. “Every day another mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, or niece, is subjected to violence in some form or fashion.”

Last week Friday, Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar said 12,106 domestic violence cases were filed in 2009/2010 and 12,106 cases were filed in 2010/2011. Sunday Newsday reported that incidents of inmate attacks on female prisons officers have also been on the rise in recent months. Yesterday’s parliamentary workshop, supported in part by the Government, was put on in collaboration with the Switzerland-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a global organisation which aims to make parliaments more responsive to populations.

According to the IPU’s first ever Global Parliamentary Report, TT is slightly above the world average in terms of the number of women in Parliament.

There are 19 women among the 71 members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, or a rate of about 27 percent. While this is far from the ideal of 50 percent, the rate is higher than the global average which is 19.25 percent. The Rwandan Chamber of Deputies has the highest percentage of women (56.25 percent) in the world. It is followed by the General Council of Andorra (53.57 percent).

Of 130 parliaments sampled, only 17 percent have chambers comprising over 30 percent women, a sign that there is still a long way to go.

According to the IPU, there are 8,716 woman parliamentarians in the world. The percentage of women in elected parliament chambers (as opposed to appointed chambers) was higher: 20 percent as opposed to 18 percent.

Mark did not speak on the issue of the number of women in Parliament, but noted the workshop — which will be conducted over two days — will examine questions of “representation” in Parliament. “There are five sessions, each detailing with different aspects of improving political representation and constituency work,” he said.

“The Global Parliamentary Report focuses on the evolving relationship between citizens and Parliaments, and aims to analyse how citizens’ expectations are changing, and how parliaments, politicians and parliamentary staff are responding to these changes,” Mark said.

“Legislatures need to be aware of the concerns, needs and general feelings of the citizenry, many of whom have become increasingly concerned with issues, rather than institutions.

IPU Secretary General Anders Johnson noted many parliaments in the world “trace their roots back to the Middle Ages”.