Constitution and Legislative Reform

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In transitional states, the creation of a new constitution and legislative framework can be a concrete first step towards establishing democratic governance. A constitution, the highest legal authority of a state, outlines the fundamental principles and framework of government and enshrines the basic rights of individuals.

In the post-conflict environment, the process of drafting constitutions has become increasingly transparent and often includes civic education and public participation through roundtable meetings, constitutional commissions and referenda. Women’s presence in these structures and their participation in such consultations are vital to create constitutions that not only facilitate a sustainable peace, but also guarantee gender equality.

Women’s participation in official capacities as legislators is equally important to promoting their rights and addressing their needs. Experts attribute the increasing number of women in post-conflict legislatures to mechanisms established in the transitional period — quotas, reserved seats, political party lists, indirect elections and other tools — and to the fact that women were present from the outset of the reconstruction process in these countries.

From the Library

Gender Equality and Good Governance : Improving Services for Women

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2010-03-11 13:57
2010-03-11 00:00
2010-03-11 18:01
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City & Province/State: 
New York
Country: 
USA
Venue: 
Knightsbridge Room, Tudor Hotel New York, 304 East 42nd Street, New York City, New York 10017
Description: 

To see details of the event please see the attached flyer.


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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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A Parliamentarians’ Handbook on the Small Arms Issue

In a landmark step, parliamentarians from countries in Central, East and the Horn of Africa, gathering at a conference organised by UNDP and AWEPA on 26-28 November 2003, reached an agreement on a Plan of Action for parliamentarians, aimed at reducing the illicit distribution of small arms and light weapons. In this Mombasa Plan of Action, parliamentarians agreed to urge their governments to adjust national legislation to create more efficient control on small arms. This booklet is earmarked to be a practical handbook. It seeks to serve parliamentarians during their efforts to make further progress on the issue of small arms and light weapons. The booklet contains information on what has been achieved in Mombasa, introduces parliamentarians who are new to the issue to what it entails, and elaborates on what the problem of small arms means for African countries in Central, East- and the Horn of Africa. It also seeks to assess what these countries might contribute to solve the problem, in particular with regard to legislation.

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United Nations: We Can't Continue to Pay Lip Service to Gender Equality

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2010-03-01 02:39
Summary: 

When the 45-member U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) holds a two-week session beginning Monday, one of the lingering issues that will come up is the success - or failure - in the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action on gender empowerment.

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To read the complete interview please visit IPS News.


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Zambia: Degree clause will disadvantage more women, says Inonge Wina

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Fri, 2010-02-05 09:40
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Commenting on the National Constitutional Conference's recommendation that a presidential candidate must be a holder of a first degree, Wina, who is former Nalolo member of parliament, explained that the recommendation was not feasible.

“The levels of literacy are very low and the levels of understanding and acceptance... The whole idea of confining the presidency to those who hold degrees is not possible,” said Wina. “I fear that more women will be disadvantaged because there are very few of them in universities particularly the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the other universities in the country.

“So at what point shall we have a woman president for this country if we had to base everything on university qualification? So that's why I consider this clause as discriminatory. It will definitely result in failure because it's discriminatory.”

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To read the complete news story please visit The Post Online.


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Occupied Palestinian Territory: Gender quota - A Palestinian woman enters politics

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Fri, 2010-02-05 08:43
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In May 2005 I was elected to be the first woman to join the Sinjel Municipality in the Ramallah district. At that time a new law had been passed which set a minimum quota for women's representation in local councils. The assumption underpinning the law was that women should take part in decision-making processes. So, despite the fact that the idea hadn't yet been widely accepted in many rural communities, women from different economic and cultural backgrounds suddenly found themselves taking part in political life.

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I have learned it is not easy for women to take part in political life. Traditionally, they have been chosen for their political affiliation, not their ability to serve their community. In general women's participation in formal politics has not been proactive. It was rare to find a woman who came forward and nominated herself, especially in the rural areas. To read the complete story please visit Global Arab Network.


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Botswana: BOCONGO urge government to give effect to CEDAW

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2010-02-04 09:26
Summary: 

Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO)prepared and presented a shadow report and an oral statement to the 45th Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women sitting in Geneva from January 18 to February 5, 2010.
Chigedzi Chinyepi, the BOCONGO Gender and Development Sector coordinator said government has in response to a list of issues and questions raised by the CEDAW committee, indicated that following the review in 1997 of all laws affecting the status of women in Botswana, some laws were not amended in line with the convention. The laws, which were not amended are Deserted Wives and Children Protection Act, Penal Code Amendment on Abortion, Law of Delicts and Customary Law.

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To read the complete news story please visit MMegi.BW.


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Uganda: Bans Female Genital Mutilation

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2010-02-02 15:12
Summary: 

The Ugandan parliament has banned the controversial practice known as female genital mutilation, or FGM. Different levels of punishment are codified in the act for those who violate the ban. Anyone caught doing FGM on a girl will be sent to jail for 10 years - but if the girl dies during the act, a life sentence is to be imposed.
Nalule Safia Juuko, vice chair of the Ugandan Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities, cautioned that the passage of this law was only a first step.

"But of course we realize as Parliament that an act alone can not do so much, given the fact that the practice has been an issue with that community for years and years," she said. "So what we also considered as Parliament yesterday, the Speaker asked the prime minister to tell us what the government is going to do in addition to passing the act," said Juuko.

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To read the complete story please visit VOA News.


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Afghanistan: Reintegrating the Taliban: where does it leave Afghan women?

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2010-01-28 11:08
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At Thursday’s London conference on Afghanistan, more than 50 countries will to try flesh out the details for a plan to gradually hand security to Afghans, which involved strengthening and expanding Afghan security forces, improving the way donor aid to Afghanistan is spent and reintegrating Taliban fighters. But where do women fit into these plans, especially if the Taliban are to be involved?

On Wednesday, groups representing Afghan women warned the international community against pursuing a peace deal with the Taliban. “I have great fears, and I am greatly confused … 2001 was a very clear signal that there is no more room for conservative elements to rule in Afghanistan,” Homa Sabri of the United Nation’s agency for women, UNIFEM, told Reuters in London.

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To read the complete story please visit Reuters.com.


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Iraq: Iraqi parliament approves new election law

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2009-12-07 12:25
Summary: 

The Iraqi lawmakers unanimously agreed on Sunday on new version of the electoral law that would govern the country's parliamentary polls early next year.

The parliament held an extra-ordinary session late on Sunday night after a long day of haggling among the political blocs about the amendments needed to the electoral law in an attempt to avoid a second veto to the law by the Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi.

According to the approved version, the number of seats in the coming parliament will be 325 instead of the 275 in the current parliament. 310 of which will be allotted for the country's 18 provinces and the remaining 15 seats will go as eight seats reserved for the Iraqi minorities and seven for the blocs who garnered national support.

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To read the complete news story please visit China View.


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