World leaders and parliamentarians were Thursday urged to step up the fight against discriminatory practices limiting women's participation in social development at the Women in Parliaments Global Forum (WIP).
At the closing of the three-day forum held in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, participants pointed to Rwanda's commitment to empowering women for achieving "immense results" in improving social wellbeing and combating poverty.
The summit drew hundreds of female legislators from 51 countries across the world. Silvana Koch-Mehrin, the founder of WIP, noted that there were lessons to draw from Rwanda's gender policies.
"Coming to Rwanda was logical and fair enough, as we all wanted to have a firsthand experience on why Rwanda chose to have majority women in parliament. We are absolutely delighted of the outcomes of this summit," Koch-Mehrin told journalists.
Donatile Mukabalisa, Rwanda's parliament speaker, said the meeting gave them a platform to share their experiences while reaffirming their commitment to national development.
President of Rwanda's Senate Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo urged participants to act as ambassadors of peace wherever they go.
The summit meanwhile demanded the immediate release of the more than 200 Nigerian school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram militia in April.
"As we show solidarity to our sisters in Nigeria, let us continue to say that we shall not remain passive victims of war, but become active instruments of peace," Koch-Mehrin said.P
The WIP, established with the purpose of advancing society by building a network between women in parliaments, is the only global forum reaching out to all female parliamentarians on a national level, with more than 9,000 members.