PRESS RELEASE BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Maltese parliamentary delegation participates in a Gender-Sensitive Parliaments Review Workshop for National Parliaments from Europe and Central Asia

On 3 and 4 June, in Helsinki, Finland, a delegation comprising Abigail Camilleri and Janice Chetcuti participated in a workshop organised by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in collaboration with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliament of Finland as 2025 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,that discussed topics related to gender-sensitive parliaments.

The workshop discussed a number of issues, including the need for parliamentary bodies that lead gender equality advancement within parliaments; gender audits and parliamentary gender equality action plans; gender-sensitive lawmaking and parliamentary oversight; violence against women in politics; and the engagement of male parliamentarians as critical actors for gender equality.

The meeting brought together representatives from 15 parliaments across the OSCE region, as well as a number of organisations that work on gender-related issues. Participants discussed issues pertinent to their countries and shared experiences related to gender-sensitivity. They called for renewed commitment to the global gender-sensitive parliaments agenda and to gender parity as a norm.

At the end of the workshop, participants discussed and endorsed the Helsinki Pledges – a declaration containing a number of recommendations aimed at forging parliaments that embody equality, diversity and that strive for parity between men and women, with the aim of ensuring that all voices across generations and backgrounds are heard and represented.