Advocacy & Lobbying
The Royal Norwegian Embassy andthe Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, in collaboration with UN Women,hosted a high-level dialogue titled "Power Without Fear: Ending Digital and Gender-Based Violence Against Women in Politics" as part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV) campaign under the theme "UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls" in Dhaka on December 7, 2025. The event convened political party representatives, young women leaders, civil society, academics, journalists, gender experts, development partners, and diplomats to address the currentthreats women face in political life.
Held at the Norwegian Residence, the dialogue focused on how digital violence has emerged as a modern barrier to democratic participation. As Bangladesh approaches its national elections, women engaged in political activities find themselves increasingly targetsof online harassment, intimidation, gendered misinformation, and coordinated smear campaigns that often extend into real-world harm.
Opening the event, H.E. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, Ambassador of Norway, emphasized that digital spaces are now central to political engagement and must be safe for women's participation. As the Ambassador stated, "women's political participation is essential for inclusive democracy, sustainable development, and lasting peace. When women are silenced - whether through digital harassment, character attacks, threats, or physical violence - entire societies lose out. Today,let us explore how we can strengthen legal protections, promote digital safety, hold perpetrators accountable, and empower women to participate in politics without fear."
The Ministry for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights (MCFDF) officially launched, this Friday at the La Cretonne Hotel in Les Cayes, the General Assembly on “women’s political participation and electoral violence,” under the evocative theme: “There is no democracy or elections without women, zero violence.
The Ministry for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights (MCFDF) officially launched, this Friday at the La Cretonne Hotel in Les Cayes, the General Assembly on “women’s political participation and electoral violence,” under the evocative theme: “There is no democracy or elections without women, zero violence.”
A two-day national conference on Women’s Political Participation and Representation opened Monday at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (SDKJ) Conference Centre.
The conference is being organized by The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and its partners.
The conference aims to assess progress made and identify gaps in women’s political participation since the country’s democratic transition in 2016.
Opening the forum, International IDEA Secretary-General Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora says nine years after the transition, The Gambia has significant achievements to celebrate, particularly its vibrant civic space and strengthened democratic institutions.
However, he notes that women’s political representation remains critically low.
“Women make up more than half of the population, yet they occupy only 8.6 percent of elected seats in the National Assembly. This is far below the 30 percent benchmark recommended by the Beijing Platform for Action,” Dr. Casas-Zamora said.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union Ambassador, Enya Braun says the theme of the conference highlights a persistent imbalance in decision-making spaces.
“While women are active in society, they are too often absent from formal decision-making structures. This must change,” she said, questioning how a society can claim to be democratic when more than half of its population remains underrepresented.
She reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to gender equality and inclusivity, stressing that political representation is not a privilege but a fundamental right and a proven asset for democratic governance.
Representing the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Abdoulie Ceesay says The Gambia stands at a critical stage in consolidating its democracy.
He pointed out that women constitute about 57 percent of registered voters and play a central role in political mobilization, yet their presence in executive positions, local councils and the national assembly does not reflect this reality.
“As the People’s House, Parliament must be inclusive. Political parties must dismantle gatekeeping barriers and move beyond using women solely as mobilisers to investing in them as candidates,” he said.
The conference is expected to consolidate stakeholder efforts to address systemic barriers, develop a unified strategy, and produce policy recommendations and capacity-building initiatives aimed at inspiring a new generation of women leaders in Gambian politics.
Stakeholders, women leaders and development partners have called for increased participation of women in leadership and governance
They made the call during the Southern Kaduna Trailblazing Women Association (SOKATWA) Summit and Fundraising, held in Kafanchan, Southern Kaduna.
Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Jerry Adams, emphasized that getting it right with women is key to getting society right, noting that women play a critical role in moulding character at home and within communities.
He commended the organisers for bringing together a high calibre of women at the summit and urged participants not to despise little beginnings but to remain focused and determined.
Earlier, the President of SOKATWA, Mrs. Belinda Augustine Istifanus, described the summit as a defining moment and a mission-driven gathering aimed at repositioning women as central actors in leadership and governance.
YAMBIO – The Speaker of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, Ann Tunna Richard, has urged women to actively participate in politics ahead of South Sudan’s December 2026 general elections.
She made the call on Sunday, while addressing journalists at Yambio Airstrip upon return from an official trip to Juba.
While in Juba, she attended a national conference on women’s equal participation in governance.
Ann Tunna said women in Western Equatoria State and across the country should take advantage of the political space to engage fully in leadership and decision-making processes.
“We demand the full implementation of the 35 percent affirmative action for women, and any political parties that fail to respect the provision may not be registered to contest in the upcoming elections,” Tunna said.
The Speaker highlighted key challenges facing women in politics, including economic hardship, insecurity, and gender-based violence.
“We call on political parties, government institutions, and communities to provide protection, support, and equal opportunities for women candidates,” she said.
Tunna demanded appointment of more women to strategic ministries such as Finance and Defence, saying women have proven to be effective managers, strong peacebuilders, and critical actors in the fight against corruption.
She commended the SPLM leadership in Western Equatoria State, led by Chairperson Barrister James Al-Taib Jazz Berapal, for appointing women to leadership positions within the party.
Three decades after the Beijing Platform for Action, the groundbreaking UN declaration that affirmed that women’s rights are human rights, the global movement for gender equality and women’s empowerment is under strain. Adopted in 1995 and signed by 189 governments, the ambitious framework spurred a generation of legal reforms, gains in political representation, and consolidation of norms around gender equality. Today, however, that momentum is faltering. Although some countries continue to make steady progress, a UN report released in March 2025 found that one in four countries is experiencing a backlash against gender equality. Around the world, 270 million women lack access
Full article here.
Publication date: 16 October 2025
Twenty-five years after the United Nations adopted Resolution 1325, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda is both a landmark in diplomacy and a study in unfulfilled promise. Its most profound achievement has been to force open a conversation about the gendered power structures that fuel conflict. But that opening is narrowing. Escalating wars, a backlash against gender justice and a collapse in funding now threaten to strip the agenda of its transformative edge. The WPS agenda remains an essential tool for women peacebuilders. Whether it survives as a force for justice depends on whether the global community backs its principles with the resources and political will to make them real. Without that, the resolution’s 25th anniversary will mark the start of its decline, not its maturity.
This report was written by researchers from the Organization for Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa (OJAH) and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR).
The report benefited from reviews by members of PHR staff, the PHR Advisory Council, and the PHR Board of Directors, as well as members of the OJAH Board of Directors.
The research team would like to recognize the strength and resilience of the survivors whose experiences and stories are reflected in this data, as well as the dedication of the health professionals who provided services and documented these violations—often at grave risk to their personal safety.
About Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) uses medicine and science to document and draw attention to human rights violations. PHR was founded on the belief that physicians and other health professionals possess unique skills that lend significant credibility to the investigation and documentation of human rights abuses.
In response to the scourge of sexual violence, PHR launched its Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones in 2011. The program works to confront impunity for sexual violence in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Myanmar, and Ukraine.
PHR has conducted research to understand the scale and scope of conflict-related sexual violence in various conflicts and contexts, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Myanmar, and Sierra Leone.
About the Organization for Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa (OJAH)
The Organization for Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa (OJAH) is an independent and impartial organization dedicated to strengthening justice and accountability mechanisms in the Horn of Africa through evidence collection and preservation.
The organization’s mission is to deter war crimes, crimes against humanity, conflict-related sexual violence, and other severe human rights abuses across the Greater Horn of Africa. It pursues this mission by conducting documentation and investigations, advancing the environment for justice and accountability, preserving and analyzing materials, and supporting international justice and accountability actors and efforts.
Full report here.
This report advocates for thorough protection of human rights in the digital age, emphasizing the strength of constitutional safeguards over ordinary legislation. As digital technologies increasingly influence civil and political rights, online as well as offline, robust constitutional frameworks are essential to address new challenges such as unwarranted surveillance, censorship and data monopolies. Ensuring adequate constitutional protection helps anchor fundamental rights in an evolving digital landscape.
Click here to read the full report.
It’s been six months since the latest spark ignited mass protests in Iran — the death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa (Jina) Amini in morality police custody after she was arrested for allegedly failing to wear her hijab properly.
The outrage over her killing resulted in women-led protests. Their slogan “woman, life, freedom,” originally a Kurdish manifesto, has helped fuel the Iranian protesters’ demands for radical change.
Read more: Iranian women keep up the pressure for real change – but will broad public support continue?
The perseverance, bravery and determination of the Iranian protesters, particularly women and girls, have been heroic. Despite risks to their lives and freedoms due to a brutal government crackdown, many remain active in publicly articulating their grievances in a variety of ways.
In recent months, while some street presence has continued in Iran — for example, in response to the poisonings of schoolgirls in cities across the country — protesters are also organizing strikes, sit-ins, boycotts and publicizing their demands in the form of manifestos, charters and bills of rights.
In fact, a key distinguishing factor between the recent protests and the previous ones is that Iranians have been forming coalitions to advocate for important structural and institutional changes in support of equality, human rights, democracy and freedom.
Over the past two decades, the structures of social communication and public discourse have undergone profound transformations. The digital sphere has become a contested arena and a central space where identities are produced and symbolic and social meanings are shaped. It has also become a place where new subcultures emerge and existing hierarchies are often reinforced. Within this landscape, feminist and political movements have created counter-public spheres that enabled women and marginalized groups to break the monopoly of power over meaning, expose patriarchal violence, and build transnational networks of solidarity.
Such networks helped dismantle the ideological structures that sustained violence and victim-blaming for decades. The broader shifts in societal values unfolded alongside a surge of revolutionary consciousness across the Global South, which exposed the colonial and capitalist structures underpinning political and social life. This awakening was met, however, with intensified surveillance, repression, and the mobilization of power to resist change.
Digital surveillance cannot be understood simply as the use of technology by those in power. It reflects the transformation of the digital sphere itself into a disciplinary apparatus that reproduces colonial and neo-fascist modes of control. Once absorbed into a capitalist ownership structure monopolized by transnational corporations, the internet ceased to be a neutral space for knowledge or communication. It became an infrastructure of domination, where data and algorithms are deployed to sort, control, and exclude.
Algorithmic architectures reinforce hierarchies of language, gender, race, and class. Through mechanisms of digital moderation that reflect the logic of white, masculine, and capitalist privilege, feminist and anti-authoritarian content is systematically excluded. In this way, algorithms have become ideological tools that silence and erase voices deviating from the dominant norms enforced by structures of power.
Despite the progress made during decades of work by women’s rights organizations and democratic institutions, gender equality is still a long way off. There is a growing understanding that gender equality will only be achieved when men and women work together towards full gender equality and equal respect for the rights of all individuals and groups.
This paper presents nine policy and good practice recommendations to support diverse audiences in their work to include men in building a more gender-equal, peaceful, prosperous and democratic world.