20-24 March 2023, Buenos Aires, Argentina – On the occasion of the 3rd World Forum on Human Rights, organized by the CIPDH – UNESCO Secretary for Human Rights in Buenos Aires, PAM was represented by Hon. Joana Lima, President of the PAM Women Parliamentary Forum (PAM/WPF).
The Forum gathered a wide range of high-level speakers, and took the form of plenary sessions, debates and magisterial conferences on the topics of respect for differences, social participation, the reduction of inequalities, promoting equity and social inclusion. Civil society was associated to the Forum to discuss and exchange on a joint reflection regarding all spheres of human rights globally.
In her speech, Hon. Joana Lima expressed concern about existing threats against human rights in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions, namely the resurgence of violence in the Middle East, the criminal deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia or the risks of sexual exploitation for Ukrainian women and girls, as they are forced to leave their country.
Women and girls make up half the world’s population, however their rights are not guaranteed. Hon. Lima highlighted the need to make the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment an absolute priority. She called for inclusive and sustainable actions that States can take to break down the patriarchal structures that underpin gender inequality, in order to improve productivity and overall well-being in our societies.
PAM encourages a constant debate on gender issues. The Assembly established the Women Parliamentary Forum, a platform to promote transformative changes, in July 2022. The Forum’s priority thematic areas for this year include “women’s economic empowerment” and “the challenges faced by women in rural areas” in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions.//