Women's Leadership

On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, held every year on 25 November, the spokesperson for the Council of Europe Congress on Gender Equality, Ms Eirini Dourou (SOC, Greece), made the following statement:

“Inclusive societies start with inclusivity at decision-making levels. However, women still remain under-represented in politics. All too often, sexist attitudes and violence against women discourage them from making their voices heard and participating in political life. The Congress is therefore convinced that ending violence against women is key for the fulfillment of women rights and for promoting women’s involvement in local and regional public life.

Click here to read the full article published by The Council of Europe on 24 November 2022.

The CEO Women Radio, a non-governmental organization, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, has lamented that female politicians and leaders are not given the adequate media coverage as their male counterparts.

This was part of the submission at a two-day media training for political reporters organized by the Women Radio with support from United Nations Women and the Government of Canada held in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, Thursday. 

She therefore called for adequate and accurate publicity for women even at the instance of gender discrimination, religious bigotry, cultural and traditional factors among other factors militating against them in the society. da held in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, Thursday. 

Click here to read the full article published by Blueprint on 18 November 2022.

The former culture minister replaces Aníbal Torres, who resigned after losing the confidence of the Andean parliament.

The president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, he appointed Betsy Chavez as the new prime minister. Chavez, who until today had held the post of culture minister, replaces Aníbal Torres, who resigned after losing the confidence of the Andean parliament. The woman, who has already taken the oath in the hands of the head of state, will therefore be the fifth prime minister at the start of the Castillo administration, in July 2021. In the next few hours, the president of the republic will also indicate the new composition of the rest of the government, reset following Torres' resignation.

The premier's resignation came after Congress, Peru's unicameral parliament, rejected the confidence issue presented by Torres himself on the derogation from the law that limits citizens' direct participation in politics through referendums. "After this express refusal and after accepting the resignation of the Prime Minister, whom I thank for his concern and for his work, I will renew the Cabinet," Castillo said in an address to the nation.

Click here to read the full article published by Agenzia Nova on 26 November 2022.

'Far too little attention has been paid to either the obstacles women face once they achieve positions of political leadership or the reasons why they leave politics.'

Chonticha “Lookkate” Jangrew regularly experiences online abuse, intimidation, harassment, and name-calling. As a young political activist and one of the leaders of pro-democracy groups in Thailand, she has been constantly subjected to public humiliation and persecution. Lookkate faces more than 30 charges for her political activism. She stands accused of violating Article 112 of the Thai criminal code, which prohibits anyone from defaming members of the royal family, which, if she is convicted, could land her in prison for up to 15 years per count. She has already spent time in jail, been strip-searched, been sexually violated in detention, received multiple physical and death threats, and been the target of various “fake news” attacks. She has been called a drug addict, a ghost, a witch, a prostitute, a traitor — in attacks weaponizing personal characteristics such as her looks in addition to those against her political beliefs. Despite all this, Lookkate — as Jangrew is popularly known in Thailand — is contesting a seat in Thailand’s upcoming national election.

This situation is not exceptional. Lookkate is a modern-day female political leader.

Click here to read the full article published by Rappler on 24 November 2022.

Love it or loathe it, politics is a completely unavoidable part of life, especially living here in the UK, where politicians and their various flaws and virtues seem to fuel daily headlines. Even as a politics student, I’ve found the ever-changing carousel of names and faces being hurled at me via my BBC news app a little hard to comprehend. For this reason, I have compiled, in no particular order, a list of 10 women in British politics who I think it is important to know about, regardless of my own opinions on their political positions. Perhaps this will make reading the news a little bit less of a minefield for you, and help us all to feel better connected to, and more importantly, educated about, the various characters running our country from Westminster.

ANGELA RAYNER

Angela Rayner’s most important role, among many, is as Deputy Leader of the Opposition, meaning she serves under Keir Starmer in the Labour Party. Rayner’s rise is a remarkable story, with the politician having left school aged 16 because of pregnancy, and without any qualifications. She eventually began training to make a living as a care worker, before working her way into politics through a role as a trade union representative and later joining the Labour Party. She is well known for her strong and outright opinions towards the Conservative party, powerful representation of the working class, and is very much in the running to be Labour’s first female leader.

Click here to read the full article published by Her Campus on 21 November 2022.

“Around the world, we see stigmatization, harassment and outright attacks used to silence and discredit women who are outspoken as leaders, community workers, human rights defenders and politicians,” said Peggy Hicks, Director of the Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, during the annual discussion on gender integration at the Human Rights Council.

The discussion explored gender-based barriers to freedom of opinion and expression, and how theycan be dismantled in a comprehensive and sustainable manner, taking into consideration the intersecting forms of discrimination women, girls and people with diverse gender identities are subjected to.

Click here to read the full article published by OHCHR on 18 November 2022.