Women make up only 23.5% of Members of Parliament according to the latest available data of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. While significant strides in women’s political participation have been made since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, which set Member States’ target of achieving gender balance in political decision-making, women are still underrepresented in political decision-making at all levels and gender balance remains an aspirational goal. Gains in women’s participation have been notable in countries that have taken proactive steps to support women’s political participation, including reforming or amending discriminatory laws, taking concrete action to address violence against women in politics and gender discrimination within parliaments, addressing gender-specific barriers, and supporting women in all forms of decision-making including at local level and in executive government.
Women are questioning their role in politics as online abuse, including death, rape and violence threats, continue to escalate.
This publication, Addressing violence against women in politics: Institutional responses and good practices by parliaments, offers practical evidence and guidance on how parliaments address violence against women in politics.
The Democratic Association of Moroccan Women (ADFM) announced on Tuesday the launch of a «barometer of women’s political representation», designed to assess parties’ commitment to genuine equality.
As South Sudan prepares for a defining moment in its democratic transition, another transformation is unfolding – not in campaign rallies or political negotiations, but inside the Parliament.
I have lost count of the number of women I have met, telling me they wanted to run for political office. Good women, with real ideas about the leadership their counties or wards were missing. Each of them spoke of her plans with real conviction.
As women gain political ground around the world, there is hope that the election of more women might also mean cleaner government. But is this the case?
As women gain political ground around the world, there is hope that the election of more women might also mean cleaner government. But is this the case?
After three consecutive electoral cycles in which the double-quota system (the mechanism guaranteeing a minimum of 40% gender representation on candidate lists) brought a record number of women into Parliament and local councils, the political representation of other vulnerable groups r