WILLEMSTAD – According to Member of the European Parliament Samira Rafaela, the Eurolat meetings held this week in the Dominican Republic were very productive. Eurolat is the parliamentary institution for Europe and Latin America. The committee meetings took place from October 30 to November 2.
Speaker of Parliament Charetti America-Francisca represented Curaçao at the Eurolat meetings. The focus of the meeting was on migration, digital and educational alliances, and the fight against climate change and its effects. There was also a 'Women's Forum' held under the supervision of Samira Rafaela.
Rafaela says that during the forum, discussions included topics like women and migration and female migrants in the Caribbean. Some female migrants are victims of discrimination and racism. The situation in Haiti was also addressed. "But we also discussed girls and women living in conflict regions or in a situation of war. As everyone knows, a lot is happening around the world. Our message during the forum is that we need to ensure that more female leaders and representatives are at the table during peace negotiations. They need to be more involved in the processes to end wars or conflicts."
Effective Leaders
Rafaela says, "When there are negotiations to achieve a state of peace between countries or groups, it is clear that women can play a much more important role. This was one of the key topics during the symposium."
Rafaela explains that "we should not generalize, but women are very good leaders." According to the European parliamentarian, the numbers of female participation in peace negotiations worldwide are very low. "The percentage of female participants in high-ranking positions in peace processes is very low. The number of women at the table when parties discuss peace is minimal."
Rafaela finds this regrettable because women can be very effective negotiators. The forum also discussed the situation of women and girls in Gaza. "The conflict between Israel and Hamas also has consequences for us in the Caribbean," says Rafaela. "During Eurolat, there was discussion about the deep concern regarding the situation of women in the Gaza conflict, especially those in need who cannot get the necessary medical help."