#16Days started on 25th November and goes on until 10th December. 

Ending Gender-Based Violence is important to us at CPA UK. 

It is estimated that one in three women and girls around the world experience some form of violence in their lifetime.

This statistic comes from the Commonwealth Secretariat's 2022 report called Measuring the Economic Costs of Violence Against Women and Girls.

Part of our work is supporting parliaments across the Commonwealth to strengthen legislation about gender-based violence. 

This autumn and winter we have hosted delegations from Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan. Whilst with us in Westminster, all three have engaged with a wide range of GBV issues as well as the challenge of online abuse and violence that women parliamentarians face.  

Kenyan Delegation: 21-23 October

The Kenya Women’s Caucus visited us in October. A significant theme that ran throughout their visit was the gap between legal provisions for addressing violence against women and girls and on-the-ground implementation.

Kenyan parliamentarians met based in staff in London who work in this area. In Westminster, they met staff who support the Domestic Abuse Commissioner in the UK; staff at ElectHer, which is an organisation that helps women stand for office in the UK; the Women’s Budget Group, and the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Service Team at the London Borough of Waltham Forest.  

On a visit to the constituency of Vauxhall and Camberwell Green which Florence Eshalomi MP represents, London Councillor Naimah Ali gave a powerful speech. Councillor Ali, who is of Somali descent, is also Mayor of Southwark. She shared her experiences of being a survivor of FGM.

Nigerian Delegation: 11-13 November

Our Nigerian guests from the Nigerian National Assembly arrived in mid-November. Their visit coincided with the 25^th anniversary of ‘UN Resolution 1325’ on women, peace and security. Senator Ireti Kingibe gave a strong speech to mark the day.

The Nigerian delegation also met Baroness Harriet Harman, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and a parliamentarian for over 40 years. Until recently she was Mother of the House of Commons. Our parliamentarians  signed a joint communique with her.

Take a look at this press release from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

The communique pledges to advance the rights and equality of women and girls, and for the UK and Nigeria to work more closely towards that aim. 

Pakistan Delegation: 25-27 November

Our delegation from Pakistan arrived two weeks  after Kenya. The Pakistani parliamentarians signed the same communique with Baroness Harman as Nigeria. 

Here’s the press release from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office marking the communique signing.

During their time with us, the Pakistan Women’s Parliamentary Caucus also looked at what it means to be a newly elected woman parliamentarian; the role and importance of women’s caucuses, and gender-responsive budgeting.  

The Pakistani delegation met a number of UK parliamentarians including Emily Darlington MP, Harriett Baldwin MP and Baroness Sheehan who is the Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee in the House of Lords.  

We encourage you to support the UN's 16 Days of Activism Against GBV and promote any campaigns in your region which are linking into #16 Days.

That is one small way we can move towards a safer Commonwealth for women and girls. 

The Kenya Parliamentary delegation with Florence Eshalomi MP

The Nigerian National Assembly visiting Waltham Forest Council

Members of the Pakistan Women's Parliamentary Caucus