BENGALURU: Bengaluru will host the first standalone Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) India Region Conference in the country on November 17 and 18, bringing together around 150 women legislators from across India and representatives from 15-20 countries to deliberate on women's political leadership, cyber safety and capacity building.
Announcing the event at a press conference at Vidhana Soudha on Monday, Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker G S Patil and Legislative Council Chairman Saleem Ahmed said the two-day event would provide a platform for women parliamentarians and legislators to discuss the challenges they face in public life and explore ways to strengthen their participation in legislative and decision-making processes.
"This is a matter of pride for Karnataka. It is the first time that a standalone Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians conference of this nature is being organised in India, and Bengaluru has been chosen to host it," Patil said.
The conference will be inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and CWP India Region Chairperson D Purandeswari will also participate in the inaugural session.
Around 150 delegates, including women MPs, MLAs, Members of Legislative Councils, Speakers and Deputy Speakers from various States and Union Territories, are expected to attend. Four women legislators from each State are expected to be represented. Representatives from 15-20 countries are also likely to participate.
The conference will focus on two major themes — women's safety in the digital and cyberspace environment and strengthening the legislative skills and leadership capabilities of women representatives.
The deliberations will cover cybercrimes against women, online harassment, digital abuse, misuse of artificial intelligence, deepfake technology, and protection of personal information and digital privacy. The discussions will also examine the challenges faced by women elected representatives in the digital environment.
The second theme will focus on capacity building, including legislative procedures, lawmaking, policymaking, parliamentary debates, leadership development and the effective use of technology in legislative functioning.
"Women's representation in legislative institutions is important, but it is equally necessary to strengthen their capabilities and ensure that they have a meaningful role in policymaking and governance. The conference will provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by women legislators and share experiences," Saleem Ahmed said.
He said the Karnataka Legislature had been asked to host the conference and the detailed agenda was being worked out in consultation with the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the CWP leadership.
Purandeswari has constituted a committee of around 27-28 MPs, which has already held preliminary meetings in connection with the conference preparations, he said.
The event will begin with the inaugural session at 11 am on November 17, at Banquet Hall in Vidhana Soudha, followed by deliberations after lunch. The valedictory session will be held at noon on November 18, with Governor Sudha Yadav participating.
A curtain-raiser programme will be organised on November 14, with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and CWP India Region Chairperson D Purandeswari unveiling the conference poster and outlining the preparations.
Patil said Karnataka had accorded prominence to women's participation in public life and the conference would send a strong message on women's empowerment across the country.
When asked about the absence of women in the State Cabinet, Patil said there were two vacancies at present and women would be accommodated.
As part of the conference-related programme, delegates will also be taken on a visit to Mysuru on November 19, including to Chamundi Hills.
The conference is expected to provide a national and international platform to discuss ways of making legislative institutions more inclusive and strengthening women's leadership in democratic governance.
