Tukituki MP appointed Chair of cross-party group focused on championing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Pacific
Tukituki National Party MP Catherine Wedd has been elected chair of a Parliamentarian cross-party group focused on championing sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Pacific.
The New Zealand Parliamentarian’s Group on Population and Development (NZPPD) elected Wedd as new Chair last month with Lemauga Lydia Sosene, Labour MP for Māngere, the new deputy chair.
The refreshed leadership for NZPPD promises to bring a vibrant and dynamic energy to the group.
“Chairing NZPPD gives me the opportunity to provide a voice for women and girls on the global stage and to advocate for issues that have driven me to Parliament such as increasing support for parents and improving maternal health. As a mother of four children, including two daughters, I understand the challenges of raising teenage girls in today’s world,” Wedd said.
“New Zealand has always been an ally for the Pacific, and I will be using this platform to continue to advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights in the region and to support our Pacific neighbours.”
Sosene is eager to use her community service experience in the Pacific as part of NZPPD.
“Through NZPPD I will continue building and strengthening the relationships in the Pacific, as we advocate and provide leadership offering solutions dedicated to the challenges the region faces,” Sosene said.
So far both Wedd and Sosene have had a meeting with the Executive Director of the UNFPA, the organisation which provides support for the group.
Both members will also represent the group in international forums in April.
As chair for NZPPD, Wedd will be attending the 2024 International Parliamentarians' Conference on the Implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action in Norway in early April.
“This conference is the only setting specifically crafted to generate global political consensus around sexual and reproductive health and rights to then translate into tangible national outcomes in policy, funding, and accountability. I am pleased to help represent and boost the voices of the Pacific region on this important global stage”, Wedd said.
As progress on advancing sexual and reproductive rights continues to face challenges on a global scale, NZPPD’s role as an amplifier and advocate for the rights and wellbeing of the Pacific is even more important in 2024, and the new Chair and Deputy Chair are ready to lead this work.
