In this podcast, the IGC Secretariat talks to Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Chair of the IGC Global Board, about the new IGC Gender-based Violence Pledge, an issue that lies close to his heart. He explains recent evidence from the IPU about the prevalence and impact of violence on parliaments and democracy. Listen in for more.
Transcript
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
Hello everyone, I am Seraina Eldada from the International Gender Champions Secretariat in Geneva. Today I'm delighted to speak to Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union or IPU, and Chair of our IGC Global Board. Last year, Mr. Chungong was unanimously approved by fellow Board Members to renew his two year term as the chair of the IGC Global Board from January 2022 to December 2023. He also received the inaugural SDG5 Male Champion for Change Award for his outstanding work as Secretary General of the IPU and Chair of the International Gender Champions Global Board to gender sensitize Parliaments and advance SDG5. Welcome, Mr. Chungong, and thank you very much for taking the time to record this podcast.
Martin Chungong:
Thank you. Thank you very much, Seraina, it's a pleasure to have this conversation with you. And let me first of all thank sincerely my fellow members of the IGC Global Board for renewing their confidence in me, I will do my best to live up to their expectations and help our network grow from strength to strength. It is also very, I would say happening for me to talk with you at the beginning of 2022. It's an opportunity for us to start with renewed vigor. And I am doubly pleased because today we are celebrating the landmark of 300 Champions across our network, and I'm excited that we can now go full steam into the implementation of our network wide core pledge to stand for zero tolerance of gender-based violence and sexist attitudes and behavior, namely, the IGC GBV Pledge.
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
Thank you so much, Mr. Chungong. We certainly join you in this enthusiasm and celebration of the growth of our network. And I do understand that addressing gender-based violence is an issue close to your heart.
Martin Chungong:
Yes, let me say, first of all, that violence of any kind, should not be part of any societal architecture in the world. And when it comes to gender-based violence, I think that we have to be doubly vigilant and at the IPU, we have been paying serious attention to this phenomenon, which I can say, is a growing epidemic. And we have witnessed the devastating impact of gender-based violence on individuals and their safety, as well as their ability to participate in public life. Since 2016, we have been carrying out surveys and studies to assess the magnitude and consequences of gender-based violence in Parliaments and consistently we have seen very disconcerting findings coming out of the various studies that we've carried out, whether it be at the global, European or African level. And if you can give me one moment, I will quote some very disconcerting statistics for Africa, on the basis of the study that we carried out last year. And we see from this that there are some 80% of women parliamentarians who have experienced psychological violence in Parliament. 67% have been subjected to sexist behavior or remarks and 42% have received death threats, I mean, death threats, rape threats, or threats of beating or abduction, usually online, which is a growing and worrisome phenomenon. As I say, these trends cut across Parliaments in the world, whether we're talking of Europe, Africa, or other regions of the world. And we think that it is a major impediment to women's political aspirations, because the vast majority of the victims are women. And we are even worried, we are equally worried by the fact that parliamentarians are supposed to be part of the elite in society, and in that capacity, entitled to some protection. If they themselves are being victims of gender-based violence, what about the other, less fortunate members of society? So we think that we need to address this in terms of governance but also the impact that gender-based violence has on society as a whole, and we also know that it has a serious impact on the implementation of the SDGs as a whole. So I think that as leaders, it is within our power to stem this worrisome trend of violence against women.
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
Please, can you explain in that same thread why the Global Board has approved a new network-wide Gender-Based Violence Pledge and what it is that you hope to achieve with this pledge?
Martin Chungong:
Yeah, well, we started this network with our Panel Parity Pledge nd we saw the achievements that have been made in the implementation of this pledge. As you will remember, the pledge is intended to bring together a critical mass of leaders to collectively shift norms to make previously acceptable behavior unacceptable. And I can say that we have made great achievements in this particular area. So, on the basis of what we have achieved, we think that we can replicate this in the Gender-Based Violence Pledge, which is a commitment to speak up, stand up and take action. Secondly, we conceive of this pledge as a vehicle to open conversations and address some underlying causes to eliminate violence and sexist attitudes that on appeal them. Our organizations, our communities, our parliament – we all want these spaces to be safe. As leaders, we can set the tone, we can set the example and prioritize awareness and accountability. What we need to do is to put in place the necessary mechanisms to ensure safe environments for all, especially women. We know that will not achieve our goals overnight, but with consistent attention and work, we can make a difference within our global governance system. I invite all Champions and all leaders to join us.
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
Thank you so much, Mr. Chungong, these are really valuable not only statistics and illustrations of the undeniable need for action across the board and across global society, to start tackling the issue of gender-based violence, sexist attitudes and behavior, but it's also a great description of what the IGC as a network is doing in order to play its part in trying to contribute to putting an end to the gender-based violence pandemic. As a Secretariat at the IGC we have gathered insights from the network to put together a 10-point guide. Are there any aspects that you would like to speak to from this guide?
Martin Chungong:
Thank you, Seraina for that question. I think that in response to your question, I would like to refer to the survey that was carried out by one of my very illustrious predecessors, Michael Møller, IGC co-founder and former Chair. This survey was carried out in 2017 in the context of a staff perception survey. It revealed that almost twice the percentage of women to men perceived or had experienced sexism. This was an eye opener. And we think that the findings of this campaign opened a space that would allow for broader action to be taken when it comes to sexism. We also have members of the IGC who have run work barbershops where senior men have shared their personal experiences in gender equality, and work to change the discourse among men on gender equality. This is something we hope to do again this year. I feel particularly strongly that as men, we are responsible for being equally if not more engaged than women on this topic. From the IPU perspective, I would like to say that we have been preaching zero tolerance within parliamentary circles. And here, we have not stopped at deploring the worrisome phenomenon. What we have also done is to go ahead to offer assistance to Parliaments so that they can adopt guidelines, policies and practices that guarantee a safe environment for all, whether we are talking of parliamentarians or parliamentary staff. And we also want those mechanisms to include measures that are intended to reassure victims that they can report and seek redress for violence against them, without facing any reprisals from whatever quarters.
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
Thank you so much, Mr. Chungong, what I'm hearing from you is a strong call to action and a powerful illustration also of actions that have been taken, actions that will be taken, and initiatives that our fellow Champions can also take part in. And so our final question to you, Mr. Chungong, relates to this critical period we're in of Champions setting and renewing their personal commitments at the beginning of each calendar year. What have been some of your most impactful personal commitments? And do you have any advice for fellow Champions?
Martin Chungong:
Yeah, well, thank you very much. As you say, this is a very important opportunity for us to rededicate ourselves to our pledges, the Panel Parity Pledge, as well as the GBV Pledge, and make sure that we undertake specific commitments that we can now prosecute in a very dedicated fashion. And as I was saying at the beginning of this podcast, we have very successful experiences to fall back on. We have had many achievements, and if, as you asked me, I were able to offer some information on what I think have been the most impactful pledges that I have made, I will go back to our achievements in terms of making the IPU’s deliberative bodies increasingly gender balanced. We have moved from just under 30% of women's attendance in IPU assemblies to close to 45 now, and we're inching steadily towards the 50% targets that we have set ourselves. Also, we have been able to make our governing bodies more gender equal, where in many instances, we are now requiring that those bodies are 50-50% men and women, so I can say that we are very proud of our achievements over the past several years. Now, I could also mention some of the personal commitments from our fellow Champions, and this could help build inspiration for other Champions. For instance, in Nairobi, we have Joseph Mithika Mwenda of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). This alliance continues to ensure that the nationally determined contributions, review and implementation processes are inclusive of men and women as well as girls’ participation. This is critical to the Paris Agreement to help reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. I could also mention Piotr Hofmanski, the President of the International Criminal Court, who has committed to conducting extensive and comprehensive consultations in 2021-2022 on its first Strategy on Gender Equality and Workplace Culture. This is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the IGC GBV Pledge and incorporate zero tolerance of GBV and the creation of safe spaces. I could go on and on and mention, for instance, Ambassador Markova Concepcion of Panama, in New York, who continues to work critically for youth empowerment through professional and personal mentoring from an intergenerational perspective. So, we have a host of good practices out there, achievements that we can now build on as we move forward in a very stringent manner towards the implementation of the two core pledges that we have assigned to ourselves: the Panel Parity Pledge and the GBV Pledge.
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
I think, Mr. Chungong, that some of the most valuable takeaways that I'm bringing from this conversation is that there is a very clear need for action to deconstruct gender-based violence and you very helpfully laid out some disturbing statistics that illustrate this matter, and also illustrated the actions that the IGC as a network with strong support from the Global Board have been really implementing to try and tackle this issue. And you have illustrated some of the individual Champions’ commitments and concrete actions that are already being taken, and that are already having an impact. But I think what I will most remember from what you've just shared with us today is the powerful call to action, that even though a lot of good work is being done, much more is necessary. And so, I thank you so much Mr. Chungong for taking the time to speak with us today to share your valuable insights and knowledge of the issue, and also as the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Chair of the IGC Global Board, to really lend your voice to calling other Champions and all actors who can have an impact worldwide to mobilize and put an end to this global issue. Thank you very much, Mr. Chungong.
Martin Chungong:
Thank you. It's been a pleasure talking to you, Seraina. And you can be sure that we will continue to work in a dedicated and committed fashion to implementing the very lofty objectives that we have set for the IGC. I have no doubt that there are hosts of members out there, Champions who are equally dedicated, and together I think we can make a difference. We have previous experience to rely on. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
IGC Secretariat - Seraina Eldada:
Thank you.