While in recent years there have been some encouraging trends in women’s increased political participation, women continue to face innumerable obstacles in their efforts to attain leadership positions at national and sub-national levels. Women in politics and their supporters around the world are in need of a consolidated network where they can discuss potential best practices, locate examples and case studies from around the world, and participate in a platform for global and local advocacy to increase women’s political access and enhance the skills of women in political life. To address this need, five institutions have combined their resources and expertise to create an international network to support the participation of women in politics: The International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics, or iKNOW Politics.

More and more, women are reaching out through technology to mobilize action in times of crisis, participate in policy debates, build solidarity around critical issues, and voice new perspectives to find allies across communities, nations, and regions. Founded in partnership by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics, or iKNOW Politics will create a network of men and women in politics around the world with the goal of advancing the role and the number of women in politics.

iKNOW Politics is a virtual forum that will create and disseminate knowledge and resources to support elected officials, practitioners, candidates, and other stakeholders to promote gender-sensitive governance and women’s full political participation. Available initially in English, French, and Spanish and soon in Arabic, the online workspace will allow participants at the national, regional, and grassroots levels to engage in three fundamental ways by:

· Providing access to an online library with up-to-date materials and research as well as the expertise of scholars and practitioners made available directly to network members;

· Creating new knowledge through mediated discussion forums, information exchange, and the consolidation of expert responses to member queries; and

· Sharing information as members report their experiences, lessons learned, and best practices with each other and the global community committed to the advancement of women in politics.
As stated by the Honorable Syringa Marshall Burnett, the President of the Senate in Jamaica, “This is a very useful tool for women in leadership positions. iKNOW Politics offers a global platform where women politicians can reach beyond partisanship and borders to share experiences, offer support and enhance their capacity to lead. It provides a global resource center and highlights the important experiences, challenges and aspirations of women working on the front line.”