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    "id": 32291,
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    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, whenever the issue of gender comes on board, particularly the two-thirds principle, it generates a lot of debate in the society, and among lawyers in this country. Personally I had a lot of respect for--- Just the other day some lawyers told me in a public forum that the two-thirds principle is progressive. They said it is aspirational. I want to disagree totally with those lawyers. I am a lay woman but I understand. I have stayed long enough in the constitution-making process to understand what it means for something to be either progressive or mandatory. I can read for you Article 54(2) of the Constitution. It says: “The State shall ensure the progressive implementation of the principle that at least five per cent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies are persons with disabilities”. That is progressive. The framers of this Constitution have indicated where they wanted progressive issues. The issue of the two-thirds principle is compulsory and something that should be achieved. Our eyes are open. We will watch and monitor and any office that is going to violate the two-thirds principle, we will challenge it, because the Constitution demands that. Let me tell the women of this Parliament and the very good friends, the men who have supported women on issues in this House; thank you so much. We are talking about women because of historical injustices that have taken place. Women have been discriminated against for a long time. We have the capacity and the knowledge. We can do what a man can do, but the issue is we have a society that has given different roles to the women, men, boys and the girls. These different roles are reflected in our national representation, be it in Parliament, or in any office, because that is how the society dictates to us to behave. Since the society dictates it that way and it was wrong for the society to do that, this Constitution has corrected that. Thanks be to God. I do not want to take too long on this Bill, because it has already been communicated to my committee. We are looking at it. We had some few amendments that were brought by men and women of this country. We are looking at them; if they are viable and very important, we will forward them to this House and debate them. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to conclude by saying, “ Hongera Minister”. Thank you so much."
}