Pan-African Parliament (PAP)

Last Updated on Monday, 10 September 2012 15:19 Written by Communications Intern Monday, 14 June 2010 13:15

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Political Coordinator

Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet (Belgium)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), formally inaugurated on 18 March 2004, serves as a consultative body to the African Union Commission.  National delegations, made up of five parliamentarians each, represent every African Union Member state. The PAP provides a common platform for African people and their grassroots organisations to participate in discussions and decision-making on problems and challenges facing the continent.  In addition, the parliament’s committees strive to harmonise policies and laws across Africa. The ultimate aim of PAP is to become an institution with full legislative powers, with members elected by universal adult suffrage.

Objective

The purpose of the AWEPA PAP Capacity Building Support Programme is to support the Parliament to effectively hold the governing institutions of the African Union accountable in the implementation of policies and programmes, as well as in the allocation and use of public resources. The project objectives are to enhance the capacity of the PAP Member and staff in terms of knowledge, legislation, oversight and advocacy tools on urgent socio-economic and humanitarian issues; furthermore, the project aims to promote the principles of gender parity and women’s rights.

The programme focuses on the following objectives:

  • Enhance the oversight capacity of PAP by supporting and improving the functioning of PAP Committees
  • Continue to support activities aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of the PAP Bureau leadership and PAP Members
  • Promote the principles of gender parity and women’s rights by supporting the activities of PAP Women’s Caucus; in particular, its activities on abolishing harmful cultural practices against women in Africa and on ensuring harmonized legislation on equal participation of women and men in all aspects of decision-making in Africa
  • To enhance the capacity of the Committee support staff and researchers to further improve the functioning of the Committees
  • To support the production of PAP handbooks and guides
     

Impacts

  • The Parliament continued with its focus on the transformation of the Parliament into a legislative body.  This is a requirement of the Protocol establishing the PAP that requires the revision of the Protocol, the transformation of the AU governance architecture and in line with AU Decision passed in 2009 to transform the PAP into a legislative body.  As part of this process of review, it is required that all the regional caucuses are consulted on the revisions.  In line with this, several meetings focusing on this review have been held.  As part of this process, AWEPA continued with its support.
  • The PAP continued with the campaign “11 before 2011” focusing on the ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. The Charter aims to reinforce and consolidate the gains in deepening democracy on the African continent, fast track the record of democratisation in a way that no other continent has been able to, and support the principles of good governance at a continental level with the aim of ensuring that such ambitions ultimately percolate to the regional and national levels.
  • The Parliament held successful planning retreats for the leadership of the Parliament, made up of Bureau of the PAP, Bureau of permanent committees, Chairpersons of the Regional Caucuses and senior staff.  These retreats resulted in the development of a new Strategic Plan for the Parliament.
  • Members of the Bureau and Committees continued to participate in various activities focusing on aid effectiveness and involved themselves in the preparations for the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.  The Parliament sent a delegation to the meeting in Busan, Korea at the end of 2011.
  • The 2011 Women’s Platform for Action in Africa was organised at the Parliament in September 2011 with the theme of “Women, Peace and Security in Africa”.  It was attended by women from all over the continent.  At the end of the conference, the participants developed and adopted a Call to Action, outlining various strategies for the promotion of peace across the continent.
  • A handbook “Abandoning Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Guidelines for Parliamentarians” was launched in September 2011.  This handbook was the result of the PAP Women’s Caucus programme on FGM/C that included a fact finding mission to Ethiopia in 2009.

Example Activity

2011 Women’s Platform for Action in Africa on “Women, Peace and Security in Africa”, 29-30 September 2011

The conference was opened by the Second Vice President of PAP, Hon. Francoise Labelle who emphasised the importance of the Women’s Conference as an avenue to discuss and handle the problems faced by children and girls and those that affected their peaceful existence.  The main objectives of the Conference were to share experiences of progress made, good practices and challenges in promoting peace and security particularly for women and children in Africa; draw lessons from other countries in addressing gender- based violence in conflict situations; and to recommend the way forward. The conference was also addressed by Hon. Magda De Meyer, Member of the AWEPA Governing Council and Belgium Section, on the issue of “Women in Politics – Empowering Women to Address Gender-Based Violence in Conflict Situations”.

The Conference developed and adopted a 21 point strategy for the promotion of peace and security of women in Africa. Some of the points referred to in this strategy are as follows:

  • Harmonise and coordinate women’s associations and networks for peace at various levels of society: rural and urban community, professional, among others (ex: Women in politics, former Ministers and Parliamentarians, former combatants, associations for victims of violence, of rape, etc.);
  • Develop the capacity of women in conflict zones through educational programmes to eliminate feelings of inferiority and ignorance, as well as the implementation of self defence programmes and effective access to justice;
  • Call on Parliamentarians to exercise their oversight role in the implementation of the conventions on conflicts, in particular those on security and the physical and mental health, including mental health of women and children living in conflict zones by calling on the accountability of governments.

 

For more information on the full strategy, please get in touch with the AWEPA South Africa Office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Donors

Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

 

 

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