Elections

The 1992 election is often referred to as "The Year of the Woman," as more women were elected to Congress than any year before. This year is set to be another record-breaking year by the same measure, and several women are poised to make history due to their race, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.

Ethiopian members of parliament have elected Sahle-Work Zewde as the country's first female president.

Ms Sahle-Work is an experienced diplomat who has now become Africa's only female head of state.

Her election to the ceremonial position comes a week after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed a cabinet with half the posts taken up by women.

President Paul Kagame yesterday reshuffled his cabinet, making broad changes in a trimmed cabinet, in which women comprise 50 per cent.

The members of cabinet have also reduced from 31 down to 26.

The changes were announced yesterday by the Prime Minister.

Dr Richard Sezibera replaces Louise Mushikiwabo as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

Japan’s prime minister, Shinzō Abe, has appointed just one woman to his new cabinet, raising questions about his commitment to “make women shine” in business and public life.

But he claimed that the regional revitalisation minister, Satsuki Katayama, had “the presence of two or three women”.

With just one week to go before Brazil’s Oct. 7 presidential elections, up to 10 percent of the country’s male voters remain undecided — and roughly 19 percent of female voters. Many voters and observers, both inside and outside Brazil, are worried about the current front-runner, far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who is expected to win enough votes to compete in the runoff slated for Oct. 28 — and women may be key to preventing his election.

By Oscar López,