Parliamentary Caucuses

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Though often less formal in nature, caucuses of women parliamentarians have proven to be useful mechanisms for building consensus among women representatives across party lines on a variety of issues. These forums provide a space for women to exchange ideas, to form collective platforms on particular policies and to support one another in the traditionally male-dominated parliamentary environment.

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Assessing Legislation - A manual for legislators

It aims at providing the legislators with the necessary tools that would help them in assessing legislations and proposing them to promote social and democratic change in their countries. The guide highlights and discusses several important topics such as the role of the legislator in facilitating socio-political and economic change, the legislative theory, and the methodology for problem solving, in addition to assessing the technical sufficiency for the proposed law.

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Enhancing Women’s Political Participation: A Policy Note for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States

This Policy Note presents a set of pragmatic recommendations that will enable policy makers to enhance women’s political participation in the region. These measures are the product of six national roundtable discussions organized in 2008 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine as well as a regional conference in Turkey in December 2008. This Policy Note also presents the current status of, and opportunities for women’s participation in leadership and decision-making processes in the region. Based on the evidence and regional data collected and analysed, this Policy Note is for parliamentarians, government officials, legislators, political party members, civil society organizations working on enhancing women’s political participation and media with the recommended policy and action options in the following three areas:

1) Legal and institutional frameworks to promote women’s political participation;

2) Mechanisms and strategies to promote women’s political participation; and

3) Partnerships for women’s political participation: civil society organizations and the media.

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Women in Politics 2010 (Poster)

This poster-sized map is a "snapshot" of the presence of women in executive and legislative branches of government as of January 2010. The poster provides information on the percentage of women in ministerial ranks, women in parliaments and women in the highest decision-making bodies, as well as information on the ministerial portfolios held by women throughout the world.

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MENA: Gap Lingers Between Women's Political and Legal Rights

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-03-03 11:58
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The 591-page study released by Freedom House on Wednesday, supported through grants by the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), contends that while women in the region suffer from greater inequality than women elsewhere, they now enjoy greater economic opportunities, access to education, and increased participation in the political process than in years before.
"There are more women entrepreneurs, more women doctors, more women PhDs, and more women in universities, than ever before," said Jennifer Windsor, executive director of Freedom House. "However, substantial roadblocks remain for women pursuing careers. These findings remind us of the complexities of women's status in the Middle East."

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To read the complete news story please visit IPS News.


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Chile: First Woman President Scores Points on Gender Front

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2010-03-02 08:36
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At the end of her term on Mar. 11, Michelle Bachelet will be stepping down with a tremendous level of popularity: 83 percent, a record in her country, and almost unheard of in the rest of the world.

The inauguration of rightwing President-elect Sebastián Piñera that day will close a chapter in the history of this South American country of 17 million people, governed by the centre-left coalition Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia since the return to democracy in 1990.

As a result of the gender equity policies implemented by the Bachelet administration, Chile will be the Latin American country with the most gains to show at the Mar. 1-12 meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, in which governments will gather in New York for the 15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in the Chinese capital.

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To read the complete story please visit IPS News.


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Sri Lanka: Milinda says change the political culture by getting more women in politics

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2010-03-01 16:10
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Women could play a vital role in bringing about a positive change in the political culture which prevails in Sri Lanka. However, unfortunately the number of women entering politics remains abysmally low. This was one of the views expressed by Leader of the Sri Lanka National Congress and UPFA candidate for Colombo District, Milinda Moragoda, at a neighborhood meeting with a group of residents from Kirulapona recently.

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To read the complete story please visit Lanka Web.


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Canada: Councillors hold seminar for women

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Fri, 2010-02-26 14:17
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Councillors Jan Harder and Marianne Wilkinson are teaming up to offer encouragement and advice by hosting a Women in Politics Campaign School on Feb. 27, aimed at providing information on how to budget, develop a platform and deliver a strong campaign message.

"I was thinking back to when I first ran for election in 1997 and I knew nothing about campaigns, the rules and asking for money," said Coun. Harder. "Women are still challenged today with being the main caretaker of the family and have also been involved extensively in the community and want to make a difference. We want to reach out to them with information that allows them to make that giant leap."

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To read the complete news story please visit EMC Ottawa South.


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Kenya: Minister hails women seats

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-02-24 12:47
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Ms Murugi who was speaking in Nairobi during the opening of a meeting for Gender Affairs Ministers of East Africa on Wednesday also said women should contest for the other available seats in order to increase women representation to 30 percent.

“With the harmonised draft we are hoping to get the 47 seats that we have been promised but we are saying that is not even enough because it only translates to 13 percent. We are hoping that (number) can be the starting point and we want to sensitise women so that they can also vie for other seats,” she said.

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To read the complete story please visit Capital News.


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Indonesia: DPD Optimistic About Becoming Senate by 2014

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2010-02-23 20:50
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“The caucus will continue fighting for the proposed 30 percent quota for legislative candidates for women in the next legislative elections,” said GKR Hemas, DPD Deputy Speaker, citing an example.

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To read the complete story please visit The Jakarta Post.


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Indonesia: Women Legislators Eye Role in Global Forums

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2010-02-22 23:58
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Indonesia's women legislators are aiming to get more involved in international forums in their bid to become the best female parliamentarians in Asia. "The Indonesian Parliamentary Caucus for Women (KPPRI) must improve its relationship and cooperate with all parties, the government, NGOs and international institutions," said A.P. Andi Timo Pangerang, the chairwoman.

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To read the complete story please visit The Jakarta Post.


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