Female speakers of parliament from around the world are meeting in the Swiss capital, Bern, to discuss equal rights and health issues for mothers and children.
Women in parliaments worldwide are still hindered by prejudices about persistent role models, said Erika Forster-Vannini, who currently chairs the Swiss Senate.
On average women make up less than 20 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide, according to Theo-Ben Gurirab, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Pascale Bruderer, speaker of Switzerland’s House of Representatives, said the two-day meeting, which began on Friday, would focus on measures to facilitate access to healthcare for mothers and their children.
Next week the IPU will hold an international conference of parliamentary speakers at its headquarters in the Swiss city of Geneva.
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Women descend on Bern
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