Two women are in contention to become prime minister of Japan for the first time in its history — a potential turning point for a country that ranks below Saudi Arabia in terms of female political representation.

HERMOSILLO, Mexico — When Claudia Pavlovich ran for governor of Sonora, a vast swath of cowboy country south of Arizona, not a single Mexican state was led by a woman. Fewer than 10 percent of the nation’s mayors were female. And the hot issue of that 2015 campaign wasn’t Pavlovich’s political platform. It was her lack of wrinkles.

India ranks 148th in a list of 193 countries based on the percentage of elected women representatives in their national parliaments.

New Delhi, India – “This is a special day in the history of our country…”

These were the opening remarks of a debate that took place on September 12, 1996, in the Lok Sabha, the Indian parliament’s lower house.

It's no coincidence that a wave of Indigenous women have won leadership roles previously held only by men, say leaders and advocates.

Federal MPs have told a women’s leadership summit a "legacy of misogyny" and "sexist underbelly" continues to plague Australian politics and must be addressed.

Women from across the political spectrum have called for greater representation in parliament and a code of conduct to create a safer and more equal workplace.