The Pan-African Parliament’s standing committee held meeting September 13 through 20 in Midrand, South Africa.
The sessions addressed hot topics, including updates on peace and security across Africa, strategies to advance children’s rights in line with the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063, governance of natural resources, and efforts to bolster the resilience of African health systems in the face of future pandemics.
The meetings featured a workshop on results-based management designed for all parliamentarians and debates on several draft conventions and model laws, including the African Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, legislation on statelessness, and laws promoting gender equality and equity across the continent.
This year’s meetings were held under the AU’s 2024 theme, “Educating an Africa Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa.” The theme aims to address gaps in Africa’s education systems and encourage parliamentarians to advocate for improvements across the continent.
Established in 2004 under Article 5 of the AU Constitutive Act, the Pan-African Parliament serves as a platform to ensure African peoples’ participation in the development and economic integration of the continent. Currently, the body holds consultative and budgetary oversight roles within the AU.
The Pan-African Parliament consists of 11 standing committees that cover a broad range of issues and convenes twice a year for regular sessions.