Gender equality requires dismantling stereotypes, says Inter-Parliamentary Union chief

The pursuit of gender equality hinges on confronting and dismantling deeply ingrained stereotypes and negative social norms, according to the president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Tulia Akson, speaking at the close of a two-day Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians in Belgrade, stated that the momentum from last year's conference in Mexico has been sustained.

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We cannot achieve gender equality while leaving stereotypes untouched.

Akson highlighted that the Belgrade conference delved deeper, identifying the forces that hinder the achievement of gender equality. The event specifically addressed gender sensitivity within parliaments and the advancement of women's roles in politics. "The message from Belgrade is very clear: we cannot achieve gender equality while leaving stereotypes untouched," Akson declared.

She urged a practical approach, questioning what institutional changes are necessary, which roles need revision, and which practices should be challenged. Akson, also a Member of Parliament in Tanzania, conveyed a message of hope from Belgrade: "the conviction that what has been normalized can be changed, what has been used to exclude can be replaced by institutions that include and protect."

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The conviction that what has been normalized can be changed, what has been used to exclude can be replaced by institutions that include and protect.

Marina Raguš, Deputy Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, echoed these sentiments, asserting that societies where women participate equally in decision-making are "fairer, stronger, and more successful." She stressed that gender equality is not merely an aspirational value but a democratic and institutional necessity demanding systematic policies to eliminate barriers and discrimination.

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Societies in which women participate equally in decision-making are fairer, stronger, and more successful.

The conference, which drew 400 participants from over 60 countries, including around 200 parliamentarians, adopted an action plan for equal gender representation in parliaments. It built upon the framework established at the 2025 conference in Mexico. Tanzania is set to host the 153rd IPU Assembly from October 9th.

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Equal participation of women in political and social life has become a defining issue for democratic development, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights.