Advocacy & Lobbying
Many advocates, gender activists, development agencies and civil society organisations have been making a strong case for the inclusion of women in high level politics and empowering them economically. A clear case is ongoing advocacy for political parties in Ghana to nominate women as the running mates of the former President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Last week John Mahama retained Prof Naana Opoku Agyeman as part of the affirmative action to give voice to women in politics. The electorate is now waiting for Dr. Bawumia to announce his running mate. So far, the discussions in the media space suggest that the Vice President may opt for a male candidate. But in politics anything can change. In the 2020 elections, John Mahama settled for Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyeman, the first female to become Vice Chancellor of a university in Ghana. Whether the female professor’s inclusion provided any gains for John Mahama’s bid to become president again remains debatable. However, there is enough evidence to demonstrate that when women are empowered political and economically, they become a voice for the vulnerable. Therefore, investing in agriculture and supporting women to thrive in agriculture value chain. This is an agenda for the African Union members to implement.
Click here to read the full article published by the Business & Financial Times on 18 March 2024.
Image source: Business & Financial Times
The German government in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation, Hope for Family Development Initiative (HFDI) is set to train 300 women in three Southwest states on campaign strategies, leadership skills, and political engagement.
The project, tagged ‘Advancing Women’s Political Participation through Female Elected Candidates in South West Nigeria’, would be held in Osun, Oyo, and Ekiti states.
Speaking during a media parley held at NUJ Press Center, Osogbo, HFDI Program Manager, Adeola Falana, said the region still faces significant disparities in political representation despite the increase in the number of women holding political positions in the country.
Falana said the NGO would be implementing capacity-building training for women aspirants, town halls meeting with community stakeholders, consultative meetings with stakeholders, and sensitization workshops for young girls on the importance of women’s involvement in politics.
She called on stakeholders to work collectively to support women’s leadership and ensure women have an equal voice in shaping the future of our communities and nation.
Read here the full article published by the Nigerian Tribune on 12 March 2024.
Image source: Nigerian Tribune
Russian singer Monetochka (Liza Gyrdymova), who lives in exile after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, released a song in honor of the International Women's Day titled “Mom Has a Secret.”
All of the women featured in the video for the song, as well as Monetochka herself, are mothers but also high profile and vocal activists who oppose the war and the current Russian regime.
The released video features journalists Katerina Gordeeva, who has her own popular opposition YouTube video channel and currently lives in exile, Anna Mongait, a journalist for Russia TV Rain, banned in Russia, TV host Tatiana Lazareva who had also, as other women from the list, expressed her firm anti-war stance and lives in exile, and Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova who spent several years in prison and is strongly against war and Putin's regime. It shows very popular actresses Chulpan Khamatova who features in a lot of anti-war videos and plays, currently in exile, Varvara Shmykova, who also has anti-war stance and had to leave her career and country because of it, and Maria Shalaeva who was detained at the opposition rally together with her son and had to leave Russia. The video includes politician Yekaterina Duntsova, who tried to run against Putin in the upcoming elections and has an anti-war stance (she is still in Russia), lawyer Mari Davtyan, who fights against domestic violence in Russia, and Yulia Vanalnaya, the widow of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
Read here the full article published by Global Voices on 11 March 2024.
Image source: Global Voices
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024, 8 March, Congress Thematic Spokesperson on Gender Equality Eirini Dourou (Greece, SOC/G/PD) has made the following statement:
“On this year’s International Women’s Day, we echo the words of the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy and call for full, equal and meaningful participation in political and public life for all, in particular for women and girls. We cannot “inspire inclusion” if women and girls are not fully represented in our democratic institutions. This is a shared battle to be embraced by all.
“As local and regional authorities, we have a key role to play in accelerating women’s political careers. Helping them to develop their capacities and bolster their representation and visibility at regional and national level is a sure way to see their numbers increase in our parliaments and governments.
Read here the full article published by The Council of Europe on 7 March 2024.
Image source: Council of Europe
Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa, has one of the world’s fastest growing populations. The country houses more than nine million women, yet the state of women’s health remains a critical issue. Women in Mali face significant challenges. A lack of awareness and respect for human rights, especially for women and children, continues to drive disparities in education, governance, economic independence, and security. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranks Mali in a low human development category, placing it 186th out of 191 countries and territories globally.
Gender-based violence and female genital mutilation persist as major issues for women in Mali, further undermining women’s health and well-being. Legal avenues for justice are often inaccessible to women due to social pressures and a lack of awareness of their rights. Moreover, Mali’s political landscape has become very unstable in recent years, leading to a humanitarian crisis and the displacement of more than 470,000 people in the country.
Click here to read the full article published by The Borgen Project on 19 February 2024.
Image source: the Borgen Project
With Victorian council elections to be held in October, the state government’s target of reaching 50-50 gender representation at the local level is under threat.
While the state achieved a record 43.8% of women elected to councils in 2020, outperforming most federal and state parliaments, and succeeded in achieving gender parity in 47 out of 76 councils, the overall 50-50 gender representation target by 2025 will still be difficult to reach.
Globally, gender quotas have been a tried and tested way of lifting women’s political representation. But research also shows quotas can divide public opinion, and they work better in some contexts than others. With this in mind, we wanted to test alternative measures to support women in politics, which also attract public support.
Click here to read the full article published by The Conversation on 8 February 2024.
Image source: The Conversation