Women's Leadership
In one of the biggest electoral years in recent history, 107 countries have never had a woman Head of State. In 2024, women held only 27 per cent of seats in national parliaments and 35.5 per cent of seats in local governments.
The United Nations promotes the principles that underly the ideal of democracy: peace, security, development, and human rights. In democratic systems, women and men have equal rights and are free from discrimination, and people have a say in decisions and can hold decision-makers accountable.
Women’s political participation is critical for a well-functioning democracy. Their inclusion is a matter of justice and a key factor in creating more effective governance. Having more women in policymaking has shown to help advance legislation on crucial issues, such as health, education, childcare, infrastructure and ending violence against women and serve as an inspiration for girls to pursue higher education and career opportunities.
Yet, women’s voices are missing from decision-making in every region of the world.
On the International Day of Democracy on 15 September, and in the run-up to the 30th anniversary of the visionary Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—the most comprehensive global agenda for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls—find out why there are so few women in decision-making and what can be done to close the gap.
Read here the full article published by UN Women on 10 September 2024.
September 4, 2024 (JUBA) – The Tumaini Initiative and its mediators should adopt an inclusive, transparent, and people-centered mediation process, women leaders resolved during a round table discussion.
The group, in a communique, extended to Sudan Tribune, urged the mediators to visit South Sudan to consult with conflict-affected communities, stakeholders, and the broader population to gather their views and experiences.
“After thorough reflection and thought-provoking discussions, we agree upon and put forward the following key priority areas, as well as corresponding recommendations that call for an inclusive and holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by South Sudanese women and girls,” it reads in part.
Represented by 16 different organizations, the coalition urged the government of South Sudan to expedite the adoption of the National Action Plan (NAP) 2020-2025 and allocate sufficient funding to the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare to support its implementation.
All political parties, it noted, should adhere to the 35% affirmative action policy for women by appointing more women to leadership positions and cease the practice of replacing women in decision-making roles with men.
“Prioritize the Tumaini Peace process and address any contradictions between the Tumaini Initiative and the R-ACRSS through political dialogue and national consensus that includes women and civil society organizations,” reads the communique.
Read here the full article published by the Sudan Tribune on 4 September 2024.
Image credits: Sudan Tribune
One of the most exciting features of Bangladesh’s “Monsoon Revolution” were the visuals of courageous young girls and women on the streets, their defiant chants animating fierce feminist organizing and the individual and collective acts of rebellion of women against a powerful fascist regime.
They appealed to our conscience as daughters, sisters, mothers, and citizens, enabling us to overcome our fear of the unknown and leave our “natural domain” of the home to engage with the outside world of politics and public debate.
Indeed, the student-led uprising would not have been successful if ordinary girls and women had not mobilized in the public and private sphere to inform and shape public debate and shift public opinion.
Yet, as we celebrate the one month anniversary of the incredible achievements of the student-led uprising, the absence of women from political spaces driving the reformation agenda and in leadership positions in public office is alarming.
From the scattered presence of women in the interim government’s meetings to their limited inclusion in leadership positions in the chief adviser’s office and cabinet, women have been strikingly relegated to the backseat of the reformation process.
How did the face of the students' platform on anti-discrimination post August 5 become largely male? The masculine nature of the leadership, debate, and deliberations that excludes or limits participation of women in all their diversity undermines the revolutionary promise of the uprising and limits the possibilities of imagining an inclusive future.
Read here the full article published by Dhaka Tribune.on 6 September 2024.
Image credits: Dhaka Tribune
True progress for women is not merely about breaking barriers but fundamentally transforming the structures that have long hindered their advancement. Nowhere is this transformation more critical than in the realm of electoral politics, where Indian women face significant under-representation and systemic obstacles. Despite some strides in recent years, India’s position in global rankings of female political representation remains dismal, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive reform and active measures to create a more inclusive and equitable political environment.
Current State of Women in Indian Politics: India, with its vast population and diverse demographics, ranks a troubling 143rd in the monthly ranking of women in Parliament compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Parline, out of approximately 180 countries. This places India alongside nations such as Congo, Botswana, and Jordan, underscoring a significant disparity between the potential and the reality of women’s political representation.
In recent general elections, female voter engagement has shown a steady increase. However, this has not translated into a proportional rise in successful female candidates. Out of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, only 74 women candidates emerged victorious in the latest elections, resulting in a strike rate of 9.3%. This figure is a decline from the 11.7% strike rate observed in 2019 and a stark contrast to the 48.6% strike rate in 1962, when 74 women contested and 36 won. Despite over 790 women contesting this year, the number of women hopefuls remains significantly lower across all parties and independent candidates, freezing the level of female representation for another five years. This stagnation will inevitably impact debates, policy-making, and the presence of women in crucial decision-making positions.
Read here the full article published by The Sentinel on 7 September 2024.
Image credits: The Sentinel
The political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir presents a unique set of challenges for women’s empowerment. Historically, the representation of women in political roles in the region has been limited. Before the 1972 elections, political arenas were predominantly male dominated, with no female candidates successfully securing seats. The 1972 elections marked the beginning of female political participation, though the success rate of female candidates remained minimal. Subsequent elections, including those in 1977, saw a slight increase in female candidates, but their success remained low. The 1983 elections showed a marginal rise in female candidates, yet their representation was still limited.
By 2002, women occupied just 8 per cent of the seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, highlighting only modest progress. The year 2011 saw a rise in female candidates for panchayats, but women’s representation in higher positions, such as sarpanchs, remains limited. The 2011 Panchayati Raj Act mandated the reservation of one-third of seats for women in panchayats leading to a notable increase in female panches. However, women’s representation in higher positions like sarpanchs remains limited. [...]
Cultural norms and traditional gender roles
Cultural norms and traditional gender roles significantly influence women’s political participation in Jammu and Kashmir. Traditional roles often confine women to domestic responsibilities, restricting their time and energy for political activities. A 2023 study by the Centre for Social Research found that societal expectations still place women in secondary roles, with many feeling that politics is not an appropriate field for them. The perception of politics as a corrupt and dangerous sphere further discourages women from participating, as revealed by a 2019 survey by the Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commission, where 60 per cent of women voters expressed disillusionment with the political process due to corruption and violence. Societal attitudes favouring male leadership contribute to women’s underrepresentation, with traditional norms often hindering their electoral success. Despite an increase in female candidates in the 2011 Panchayat elections, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions.
Read here the full article published by the First Post on 5 September 2024.
Image credits: First Post
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 29, 2024, the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman, expressed concern over the persistent harassment, discrimination, and violence directed at female politicians, candidates, and activists.
The Ministry noted that recent reports indicate that women in politics are subjected to high levels of verbal abuse, threats, and cyberbullying, impacting both their personal lives and professional reputations.
This hostile environment, she noted, discourages many women from engaging in public service.
The Ministry emphasised that despite the principle of equal representation requiring the participation of both men and women in decision-making processes, women remain underrepresented in Ghana’s political and economic sectors.
'In 2012, only 30 out of 275 Members of Parliament (MPs) were women, representing 10.9%. The 2016 elections saw this figure rise to 36 women MPs (13.1%), and the elections recorded 40 female MPs (14.5%)''. The ministry in a statement added.
''As a leading advocate for social justice and gender equality, the Ministry is committed to advancing practices and policies that are inclusive, through public education, advocacy and research.''
Read here the full article published by Graphic Online on 5 September 2024.
Credits: Graphic Online
In December 2020, Sustineo was engaged UN Women under the Women in Leadership in Samoa (WILS) Project to lead the design and implementation of Research on Leadership Pathways of Women in Samoa.
The purpose was to better understand the barriers that hinder Samoan women’s access to leadership roles across different levels of society and to identify innovative strategies to support women’s access to leadership.
The research had four objectives:
- To identify pathways of leadership for Samoan women.
- To identify factors that facilitate women’s access to leadership in Samoa and factors that create barriers.
- To identify strategies used by Samoan women leaders to gain access to leadership positions.
- To identify innovative strategies for development partners on how to support and encourage an increase in women’s access to leadership in Samoa.
These research objectives were investigated through a mixed-method approach, drawing primarily on qualitative data.
Click here to access the report.
This chapter surveys the literature on gender and politics in Portugal, focusing on explanations for gender differences in political participation and representation. We map trends in women’s inclusion in key areas of political life: from conventional to unconventional political participation, to the election of women to parliamentary parties (descriptive representation), and responsiveness to women’s policy demands (substantive representation). Examining Portugal in comparative perspective, we highlight the crucial roles of state feminism, women activists within parties, and strategic incentives for parties to advance gender equality. We propose several avenues for developing future research which leverages the Portuguese case, including the downstream impacts of political gender quotas, intersectional and non-binary analysis, and the symbolic impact of women’s inclusion in public life.
Click here to access the article.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Community Vision 2025 of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). They are also key to fostering a more sustainable and inclusive region. Providing women with equal access to decision-making power and leadership not only supports their well-being, but also enables their contribution towards regional progress and inclusiveness.
Data, however, shows that substantial progress is needed to empower a new generation of ASEAN women leaders. This factsheet explores, through available official statistics, the various leadership roles that women play in the ASEAN region, and sheds light on areas where improvement is needed.
Click here to access the report.
Latinas are serving in record numbers across levels of elective office, but we are still vastly underrepresented when compared to our numbers in the population.
Data from the 2020 U.S. Census shows that those identifying as Hispanic or Latino accounted for more than half of the country’s population growth in the previous decade, with the greatest increases in Texas, California, and Florida. Latinas are key to that rise. But has representation in elective office kept pace with that population growth? This report helps to answer that question. It provides a review of the current status of Latinas in elective office in the U.S. within a historical context and with attention to what is possible in the 2022 election
Click here to access the report.
This article presents the results of a randomized survey experiment demonstrating that the public evaluates women politicians more highly than men across multiple characteristic assessments. This finding is consistent with a recent wave of research indicating greater preference for women politicians. Which respondents rate women politicians more highly, and why? The survey found that women and younger voters do not account for the greater marks given to women politicians. Instead, respondent partisanship and the presumed partisanship of the politician account for a great deal of the findings, with gender playing a complicating role. Democratic and Republican respondents are apt to project their own partisanship onto politicians, and across both parties, the survey found higher assessments for co-partisan politicians and for women politicians. On the whole, women politicians are evaluated on par with of significantly higher than men politicians across six characteristics, scoring especially well relative to men when politicians are presumed to be members of the opposing party and when traditionally feminine characteristics are assessed.
Click here to access the article.
UNDP’s Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025, aligned with its Strategic Plan, guides UNDP in its efforts to assist countries in accelerating progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women over the next four years. It aims to move beyond piecemeal efforts and to instead help countries to shift power structures and the economic, social, and political systems that perpetuate discrimination.
Click here to access the document.
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