VIENNA, 25 February 2011—In her first address to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as the Special Representative on Gender Issues, Dr. Hedy Fry (Canada) called for the election of more women to the Assembly’s leadership.

Dr. Fry, appointed in October by President Petros Efthymiou, laid out a plan for parliamentarians to consider the gender-based impact of proposed legislation and to increase co-operation between the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly on issues of gender, including political appointments.

“We can and should set the tone for collaboration and credibility by setting an example of gender balance here, within our own institutions of the OSCE PA,” Dr. Fry said in remarks to more than 240 parliamentarians from 53 countries at the Assembly’s Winter Meeting.

“As we nominate equally qualified and capable men and women in every area of this Assembly we will see the trickle-down effect on our own delegations,” she said.

Of the 21 PA leadership positions, men hold 17 and women hold four. “We can and should improve this imbalance,” she said, setting a target of electing seven women to the Bureau by 2012 or one-third of the positions. “Evidence suggests that the critical mass necessary to influence decision-making by a minority group is 33 percent.”

Dr. Fry expressed her intent to increase co-operation with the OSCE gender section in Vienna and Senior Advisor on Gender Issues Jamila Seftaoui. Dr. Fry met at the OSCE Summit in Astana with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office on Gender Issues, Wendy Patten. “Her recent appointment to this newly created position is a positive step by the Lithuanians and I applaud them for it,” Dr. Fry said.

Dr. Fry suggested convening an informal group of delegates with an interest in gender issues to create a network of gender advocates across the OSCE PA. This network could suggest topics to receive added parliamentary attention and identify candidates for vacant OSCE positions.

“The overall goal of gender equality is not just equality of representation, but also equality of opportunity for women to participate fully in the economic, social, political and cultural life of their communities,” Fry said, proposing to apply the process of Gender Based Analysis to the policy initiatives put forward at the 2011 Annual Session in Belgrade.

This would highlight the gender impact of the recommendations. “Where needed, I will submit amendments that will render them gender sensitive,” Dr. Fry said.

As the former Minister for Multiculturalism and Status of Women in the government of Canada from 1996 to 2002, Dr. Fry was actively involved with challenges of pay equity, immigrant and refugee women and discrimination based on sexual orientation.