Athens, 19 January 2021

Issues women currently face presented by Women's Network of Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie

The Women's Network of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF) met today via teleconference, in the framework of the regular work of the Assembly, with more than 60 delegations participating from the member states.

The Chairwoman of the Women's Network, Mrs. Maryse Gaudreault, presented the Network's Activities Report for the second semester of 2020.

Thereupon, participants watched a video featuring Mrs. Djaili Amadou Amal, the writer of the book “Les Impatientes”, which received the Prix Goncourt  des lycéens 2020. She spoke about the tragic circumstances that women faced in the Sahel, the region of Africa to the south of the Sahara, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea and underlined the need to fight against any form of violence against women.

Then the rapporteurs presented their respective reports on: 

- combating harassment of women in parliaments,

- the position of women in the extractive industries,

- women's financial autonomy,

- the selection of direction in girls education, 

- cyberviolence against women and children. 

The participants also selected a question for the Women's Network to submit to the General Assembly of the Francophonie next week, during the pertinent procedure in the Plenary. Furthermore, a draft resolution was approved that will be submitted to a vote in the Plenary, regarding combating online violence against women and children. 

​The Hellenic Parliament was represented by Mrs. Paraskevi Vryzidou, MP and member of the Greek delegation to the APF. Coming herself from a heavily extractive region, the MP referred to the problems women face there, especially with employment. She underlined that in recent years, due to the energy transition to Renewable Energy Sources and the steady reduction of lignite extraction, the region is having a hard time producing new jobs, which in turn leads to an overall rise in unemployment, especially among women. Furthermore, she pointed out the need to seek the proper solutions, at an EU and global level, for the regions affected by the contraction in extractive activities due to the energy transition. 

The meeting was concluded with the announcement of the next meeting of the Women's Network at the beginning of June.

 

 

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