Singapore, February 20, 2025 – Women legislators from Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Thailand, Ukraine, and the Philippines convened to share their experiences in security, defence, and peace – where women’s leadership remains underrepresented yet vital.
Facilitated by the Parliamentary Centre, under the Women Legislators in Defence (WLID) Network, the exchange served as a dynamic platform for women MPs to share strategies, challenges, and successes in shaping policy, legislation, attitudes and practices —particularly in conflict settings and male-dominated political arenas.
Discussions delved into women’s leadership during armed conflict, their role in peace negotiations, the impact of disinformation targeting female MPs, and the push for gender equality in parliament. This in-person gathering fostered meaningful connections, international solidarity, and peer learning among women leaders dedicated to advancing peace and security.
Bravery takes many forms, not least of which is a woman parliamentarian.
Women Legislators in Wartime: The Ukrainian Experience
For many of the participants, the realities of legislating during armed conflict are deeply personal. Ukrainian MPs shared firsthand experiences of working under wartime conditions, detailing the constant security threats, efforts to protect their whereabouts, and the emotional toll of war.
Despite these challenges, Ukrainian women parliamentarians have played an expanding role in drafting defence and security legislation, advocating for international support, and leading diplomatic efforts on the global stage.
At the same time, Ukrainian female parliamentarians face distinct gendered challenges. While male MPs can send their families abroad with their wives, female MPs do not have the same option, as their husbands must remain in the country due to wartime restrictions.
Women as Agents of Peace: Lessons from Bangsamoro
Women from Bangsamoro are not only survivors of conflict but agents of peace and development.
Filipino parliamentarians shared their experiences with the armed conflict and the decades long peace negotiations between the Moros and the Philippine state, offering personal testimony of the toll of war.
The 2014 Bangsamoro Peace Agreement ended decades of conflict, granting autonomy to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Women played a pivotal role in this process, negotiating the peace agreement, shaping the recovery process, and securing reserved seats for women, Indigenous peoples, and youth in the Bangsamoro Parliament. It was clear – as a young parliament, Bangsamoro presents a promising model for women’s leadership in governance.
The event fostered a constructive exchange between a representative from the Philippines House of Representatives and the Bangsamoro Parliament. This dialogue provided a space for mutual learning and understanding, sharing ongoing challenges and strategies in maintaining peace and the importance of empathetic governance.
Disinformation and Digital Attacks: The New Frontline for Women in Politics
There are not enough women to push the needle due to the toxic environment in political spaces.
Beyond conflict zones, women in politics globally face a common and growing challenge – disinformation and digital harassment.
Women MPs from Ghana, Indonesia, Thailand, and Ukraine shared the devastating impact of disinformation campaigns which are aimed at discrediting, silencing, and deterring women from leadership roles. These campaigns include body-shaming, attacks on credibility, and even threats to their families.
The impact is profound, discouraging women—especially young and minority women—from entering politics, thereby reinforcing gender imbalances in leadership. In response, MPs have been actively advocating for stronger legislation on violence against women in politics and tech-facilitated gender based violence. Innovative solutions were also shared such as leveraging social media to combat disinformation and providing crisis communication training for parliamentarians.
Gender Equality in Parliament: Codes of Conduct and Quotas
A code of conduct is easy to put in place, but a culture is not easy to change.
Women MPs also face systemic barriers within their own parliaments, where gender-related legislation encounters significant resistance.
MPs from Malaysia and Kenya shared their experiences in breaking barriers in male-dominated parliaments. In Malaysia, where derogatory remarks in parliament were widely tolerated, a Women’s Caucus successfully advocated for the adoption of a parliamentary code of conduct against sexist language. Now they are working to enforce quotas and gender-responsive budgeting, initiatives that hinge on access to gender-disaggregated data and strong political will.
In Kenya, legislators continue to push for the implementation of the two-thirds gender quota, a constitutional requirement that still faces resistance. To navigate opposition to gender-focused policies, MPs have strategically incorporated gender-related provisions into broader legislative acts. For instance, using the Children’s Act to advance property and inheritance rights for women.
Key Takeaways and Strategies for Change
The conference underscored the urgent need for:
This event was made possible through the Parliamentary Centre’s GAC-funded PASS II and ILGRP projects, in collaboration with the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, with support from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
