The key issues of women's access to parliament and to internal parliamentary structures kicked off an engaged and lively debate at the 7th IPU Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament in New Delhi on 3rd October.

Women speakers of parliament from around the world have committed to doing more to increase women’s representation in parliament and its formal decision-making bodies.

Concluding a two-day IPU meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi, focusing on making parliaments more gender sensitive, the group of 13 women speakers adopted the New Delhi Initiative for Gender Sensitive Parliaments.

“Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best system so far,” said Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese activist, member of parliament and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate at a Sept. 19 dinner co-hosted by NDI and the International Republican Institute (IRI). “The best thing about democracy is that it allows for non-violent change in power, without hurt to the country.”