Elections

Within the context of the ongoing Constitutional Review Process and the background of extremely low participation and representation of women in Nigerian politics, the Government of Canada in partnership with UN Women signed a grant agreement of $8 Million Canadian Dollars (CAD) to implement a programme titled ‘The ADVANCE: Women’s Political Participation in Nigeria’. 

Acting Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Kevin Tokar who made the declaration at the launch, said this programme seeks to promote women's participation towards the 2023 general elections and beyond. It will span a period of four years starting from March 2022 and will be implemented in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna State, Kwara State, Borno State, Ekiti State, Ebonyi State and Cross River State. 

Click here to read the full article published by UN Women on 4 April 2022.

BEIRUT  — When the March 15 filing deadline for candidates to register in May's parliamentary elections had passed, 157 women* had signed up to run making up some 15 percent of the 1,043 total candidates, compared to 11 percent in the 2018 polls.

They included both new and old faces, members of establishment political parties and of a range of opposition groups.

Who are they, where are they running, and what are their chances of making it to the halls of Parliament?

Click here to read the full article published by L’Orient Today on 24 March 2022.

The March 26 by elections ended on a high note, amid reports that there were no reported cases of violence at all polling stations across Zimbabwe.

Celebrations broke out among the winners, while those who lost took time off from both the media and public glare to introspect on their performance.

However, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) aggregated results of the participants paint a grim picture on the participation of women and the percentage of those who won in the just-ended by-elections.

According to the statistics availed by ZEC, only 21,4 percent females won National Assembly seats compared to 78,6 males in polls held on March 26, both parliamentary and council.

Click here to read the full article published by The Herald on 31 March 2022.

Only four women were elected to Parliament in Malta’s general election, down from the eight female MPs elected in 2017.

If, once the casual elections are held to replace candidates who were elected on two districts, the number of women does not make up 40% of the total number of seats, the gender mechanism approved in the past legislature will be triggered to appoint up to a total of 12 women to complete the line-up of both sides of the House.

Three women MPs from the Labour party were elected, whilst only one candidate from the PN’s side. Alison Zerafa Civelli (District 2), Miriam Dalli (District 5 and 11), Julia Farrugia Portelli (District 7) and Graziella Galea (District 12), were all elected to parliament.

Click here to read the full article published by The Malta Independent on 28 March 2022.

Despite repeated warnings, Australia’s two major political parties continue to make one big mistake – and one MP has issued a scathing rebuke.

The women chosen by Australia’s two major political parties to run in the upcoming federal election are predominantly chosen for seats they are unlikely to win.

Shocking statistics gathered by news.com.au reveal a huge disparity in the chances of women entering parliament compared to their male counterparts, with men more likely to be chosen to run for a seat already held by their party.

Click here to read the full article published by News.com.au on 23 March 2022.

Want to see drama? Take an interest in Nigeria’s elections. From seemingly true-intentioned motives to the ‘aspire to perspire’ speeches and the comical jumps across party lines, election season is an interesting period here. Never mind that it is a country where four in ten persons live on less than $2 a day (according to the World Bank).

From consortiums to amalgamations, associations, progressives, ‘Hang Out’ (whatever that means), and movements, groups of all sorts appear to have suddenly emerged from a four-year limbo as the country sails into the 2023 elections.

Several women groups and youth associations have conducted visits to aspirants and, in some cases, held ‘world press conferences’ (one hopes at least 20 of the 195 countries worldwide will suspend their immediate concerns and show interest) to declare support for aspirants – whether the person in question has expressed interest or not.

Click here to read the full article published by The Cable on 26 March 2022.