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Parliaments & Representatives

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.

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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/08/japan/japan-assemblywomen-harassment-survey/
June 10, 2025
Over half of local assembly women suffer harassment, survey shows

Over 50% of female local assembly members in Japan have been troubled with harassment, more than double the proportion of such male members, according to a Cabinet Office report.

https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2025/06/03/southeast-asia-remains-unfriendly-for-women-in-politics.html
June 5, 2025
Southeast Asia remains unfriendly for women in politics
https://fortune.com/article/theresa-may-former-world-leaders-stop-commenting/
May 26, 2025
Former U.K. prime minister Theresa May says ex-world leaders need to stop commenting on everything: ‘be a measured voice’

Theresa May, Britain’s ex-prime minister, says that rather than reaching for social media the second major news breaks, former world leaders would be better off taking a step back and bringing

nbc
May 13, 2025
Child care in the Capitol: As more women run for office, some are bringing their kids

When Florida state Rep. Fiona McFarland's infant daughter, Grace Melton, crawled for the first time, the mom of four was right next door, hard at work with her legislative policy staff in the state Capitol.

nyt
May 8, 2025
The Only Female Minister in Syria’s New Government Wants to ‘Get Things Done’

Hind Kabawat, the only female minister in Syria’s new government, in her house, in Bab Touma, a majority Christian neighborhood of Damascus. Hind Kabawat hopes her long experience as a conflict mediator can help Syria’s next generation.