Pan-African Parliament seeks climate change action

THE PAN-AFRICAN Parliament (PAP) ended ten days of discussions in Midrand on Saturday with resolutions affirming the continent’s commitment to action on climate change, youth, gender-based violence and a continental passport.

The AU’s legislative body and the Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance jointly initiated a process to have AU members adopt integrated climate-related legislation.

PAP also agreed to domesticate the Paris Agreement on Climate Change adopted in 2015.

PAP Vice President Bernadette Lahai said that the body further agreed to ensure the role of youth in shaping the future of the continent.

The parliament also called on African countries to combat gender-based violence through education.

Hasna Houmed Bilil, chairperson of PAP’s Permanent Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and People with Disability, said some governments had not shown any political will to implement regulations to tackle abuse against women.

PAP called on its members to build capacity at the institutional level in order to champion gender issues.

The parliament also asked for a repeal of the laws that discriminate against women.

In addition, African parliamentarians resolved to promote greater regional and continental integration by stepping up the pace of introducing a common passport that will allow visa-free travel to member states.

The parliament also expressed concern at the slow pace of approval by AU member states of a protocol adopted by the continental body which is preventing the PAP from playing its expected pivotal role in promoting Africa’s integration and social, political and economic development.

The parliament needs 28 member states to ratify its protocol but only 14 out of the 54 AU members have done so.

The parliament will meet later this year to discuss issues including immigration, peace and security. – Xinhua