P20 Leaders Emphasize Parliamentary Cooperation and Gender Equality
BY BEATRIZ REY
A total of 344 participants, including 127 legislators from various countries, attended the 10th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) in Brasília in November. The discussions centered on strategies to promote sustainable development and address hunger. Tulia Ackson, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and a member of Tanzania’s National Assembly, emphasized the critical role of parliaments in these efforts:
“Parliaments bridge the global and the local, creating a critical link between people and governments. Our role is not limited to national boundaries. Parliamentary diplomacy and international cooperation are more important now than ever.”
Ackson also underscored the significance of gender equality in achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development:
“Parliaments can enact policies that guarantee women’s equal access to education, employment, and leadership roles, strengthening economies and communities alike.”
At the conclusion of the summit, parliamentarians released a final document reaffirming their commitment to combating hunger and poverty, advancing sustainable development, and reforming global governance. Ackson called for greater parliamentary accountability, urging her peers to translate commitments into action:
“It is time to bring this joint declaration home and ensure our words are supported by concrete actions.”
The P20 was established in 2010 to engage parliamentarians in G20 discussions, foster global collaboration, and support the implementation of international agreements. Under Brazil’s presidency, assumed in December 2023, preparations for the G20 and P20 meetings included 130 events aimed at shaping the agenda for 2024.
This year’s P20 meeting in Brasília focused on the theme “Parliaments for a Just World and a Sustainable Planet.” Brazil’s leadership also prioritized initiatives to form an alliance against poverty and hunger and to reform global governance. In the lead-up to the summit, Brazil hosted the inaugural P20 Women Parliamentarians Meeting in Maceió, Alagoas, further emphasizing the role of gender equity in global policymaking. The meeting culminated in a report (in Portuguese) outlining the key topics discussed.
