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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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A conversation with...Sara Falaknaz, MP, United Arab Emirates

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August 12, 2022

A conversation with...Sara Falaknaz, MP, United Arab Emirates

As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Sara Falaknaz, a parliamentarian from the United Arab Emirates.

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As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Sara Falaknaz, a parliamentarian from the United Arab Emirates.

A conversation with… Iqra Khalid, MP, Canada

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August 12, 2022

A conversation with… Iqra Khalid, MP, Canada

As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Iqra Khalid, a parliamentarian from Canada.

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As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Iqra Khalid, a parliamentarian from Canada.

CWP gender-sensitising parliaments

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August 12, 2022

CWP gender-sensitising parliaments

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Gender Sensitising Parliamentary Guidelines: A Seven-Step Field Guide (‘Field Guide’) provides a blueprint for Commonwealth parliaments interested in undertaking a Gender Sensitive Parliament (GSP) review of their instituti

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The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Gender Sensitising Parliamentary Guidelines: A Seven-Step Field Guide (‘Field Guide’) provides a blueprint for Commonwealth parliaments interested in undertaking a Gender Sensitive Parliament (GSP) review of their instituti

Between Westminster and Brussels: Putting the “Parliament” in parliamentary ethnography

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August 12, 2022

Between Westminster and Brussels: Putting the “Parliament” in parliamentary ethnography

Gender and politics scholars are increasingly making appeals to ethnographic methodology to bring important contributions to understand the reproduction of gender, gender hierarchies, gendered relations, and their redress in parliamentary settings.

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Gender and politics scholars are increasingly making appeals to ethnographic methodology to bring important contributions to understand the reproduction of gender, gender hierarchies, gendered relations, and their redress in parliamentary settings.

World News

Ugandan women legislators trained in effective communication and parliamentary oversight

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Ugandan women legislators trained in effective communication and parliamentary oversight

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Honorable Rose Obigah is a politician from Uganda and a newcomer to the legislature. During the just completed 2021 Uganda general elections, she was chosen to serve as a woman member representing Terego district.

Rose had worked as a social worker and government official, and her desire to join the Ugandan parliament was pushed by the struggles that the women in her region experienced and how they overcame them.

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Honorable Rose Obigah is a politician from Uganda and a newcomer to the legislature. During the just completed 2021 Uganda general elections, she was chosen to serve as a woman member representing Terego district.

Rose had worked as a social worker and government official, and her desire to join the Ugandan parliament was pushed by the struggles that the women in her region experienced and how they overcame them.

World News

Shouldering the weight of four million women: PNG elects its first female MP in a decade

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Shouldering the weight of four million women: PNG elects its first female MP in a decade

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Rufina Peter is just the eighth woman elected in Papua New Guinea. But the economist has been battling for her place in society since she was a child.

The celebrations when news broke that Rufina Peter had been elected governor of Papua New Guinea’s Central Province had a particular sweetness.

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Rufina Peter is just the eighth woman elected in Papua New Guinea. But the economist has been battling for her place in society since she was a child.

The celebrations when news broke that Rufina Peter had been elected governor of Papua New Guinea’s Central Province had a particular sweetness.

World News

Australia: New First Nations female parliamentarians deliver powerful maiden speeches

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Australia: New First Nations female parliamentarians deliver powerful maiden speeches

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Labor Senator for Victoria Jana Stewart made history by becoming the youngest First Nations woman elected to the Parliament, while Marion Scrymgour and Jacinta Price spoke of issues facing Territory communities.

Three Aboriginal women made their Parliament debut making their maiden speeches on Wednesday.

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Labor Senator for Victoria Jana Stewart made history by becoming the youngest First Nations woman elected to the Parliament, while Marion Scrymgour and Jacinta Price spoke of issues facing Territory communities.

Three Aboriginal women made their Parliament debut making their maiden speeches on Wednesday.

Combatting sexual harassment in Canada’s legislative assemblies

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August 4, 2022

Combatting sexual harassment in Canada’s legislative assemblies

This report highlights the key findings from research conducted by Equal Voice on sexual harassment in Canada’s legislative Assemblies.

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This report highlights the key findings from research conducted by Equal Voice on sexual harassment in Canada’s legislative Assemblies.

Malaysia: Why is it so difficult to root out sexism in Parliament?

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August 4, 2022

Malaysia: Why is it so difficult to root out sexism in Parliament?

If it is so difficult to root out sexism in Parliament, then how on earth does anyone expect the general population to treat problems relating to sexism with the seriousness it deserves?

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If it is so difficult to root out sexism in Parliament, then how on earth does anyone expect the general population to treat problems relating to sexism with the seriousness it deserves?

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