CAPE TOWN : (18 September 2026): Advancing equality before the law and addressing discriminatory legislation were the focus of discussions at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in South Africa.
The session was jointly organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), UN Women, the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights and Equality Now on behalf of the Equality in Law for Women and Girls by 2030 Coalition and examined practical strategies for achieving gender-just legal reform across Commonwealth jurisdictions.
The discussion highlighted the vital role of Parliamentarians in advancing legal equality through legislative reform, oversight and advocacy. Participants explored how Parliaments can help remove discriminatory laws, build support for change and ensure that legal reforms translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of women and girls.
Opening the discussion, Maureen Shonge of UN Women highlighted the importance of equality before the law in advancing the rights and opportunities of women and girls. The presentation emphasised the need for sustained parliamentary action, inclusive legal frameworks and strong partnerships to address discriminatory legislation and promote gender equality across the Commonwealth.
The Regional Representative for Southern Africa at Equality Now, Sally Ncube shared insights on advancing legal reform and tackling barriers that continue to prevent women and girls from fully enjoying equal rights under the law.
Representing the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, Nokuthula Mamba highlighted efforts to address discriminatory nationality laws and emphasised the importance of collaboration between Parliamentarians, civil society organisations and international partners in achieving lasting reform.
Delegates were then introduced to practical tools that can support legislative reform efforts, including the handbook Understanding, Assessing and Achieving Equality Before the Law in the Commonwealth, developed by UN Women, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the CPA and the World Bank Group. The resource provides guidance for assessing legislation and identifying opportunities to strengthen equality before the law across Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Through interactive discussions and group exercises, delegates considered approaches to addressing discriminatory laws, overcoming resistance to reform and strengthening collaboration between Parliamentarians, civil society organisations and international partners to advance the rights of women and girls.
During the interactive session, delegates worked together to consider practical reform strategies for addressing discriminatory laws and policy challenges. Contributions from Parliamentarians highlighted both the progress made in different jurisdictions and the shared challenges involved in translating legal commitments into meaningful outcomes for women and girls.
The session concluded with a call for continued collaboration between Parliamentarians, international organisations and civil society partners to advance equality before the law and strengthen the rights of women and girls throughout the Commonwealth. Participants emphasised that lasting reform requires both legislative action and sustained commitment to implementation, accountability and inclusive governance.
