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Women's Leadership

While there have been important advances in women’s leadership in politics, as of November 1 2017, women make up only 7.2% of Heads of State and 6.2% Heads of Government. Data on women representatives in local government, including as mayors, heads of villages and towns, is not well collected and analyzed. The adoption of an SDG indicator on women’s representation in local government is a great step forward in tracking progress on gender balance, allowing for the systematic collection and analysis of data on women in local government. Women’s access to and continued role in leadership positions is challenged by a range of barriers, including discriminatory laws and practices, as well as social norms that prescribe traditional roles and attitudes towards women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles. Proactive gender-equality policies within political parties and local government structures, including quotas and special temporary measures, gender-sensitive approaches to electoral processes, support networks, mentoring, training, and engagement of male champions, can all help promote women’s role in political leadership. 

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World News

Why gender matters in the impact and recovery from Covid-19

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Why gender matters in the impact and recovery from Covid-19

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The Covid-19 outbreak has revealed the strengths and weaknesses in our collective global and national capacities to respond to this health emergency. Everything in our social world is gendered, and so it is with Covid-19.

The Covid-19 outbreak has revealed the strengths and weaknesses in our collective global and national capacities to respond to this health emergency. Everything in our social world is gendered, and so it is with Covid-19.

COVID-19: What does it mean for gender?

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March 30, 2020

COVID-19: What does it mean for gender?

By the Secretariat of the International Gender Champions (IGC) and Martin Chungong, Chair of the IGC Global Board and Secretary General of the IPU.

By the Secretariat of the International Gender Champions (IGC) and Martin Chungong, Chair of the IGC Global Board and Secretary General of the IPU.

Videos

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Gabriela Cuevas discuss women in politics

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March 30, 2020

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Gabriela Cuevas discuss women in politics

Videos

Video on Women, Peace and Security

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March 30, 2020

Video on Women, Peace and Security

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325).

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325).

Videos

Five things you can do to improve gender equality in leadership

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March 30, 2020

Five things you can do to improve gender equality in leadership

This video on SDG 5 "Gender Equality" looks at how you can take concrete actions to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportun

This video on SDG 5 "Gender Equality" looks at how you can take concrete actions to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportun

How many women are in your parliament?

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March 27, 2020

How many women are in your parliament?

Over the last 25 years, since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by the United Nations i

Over the last 25 years, since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by the United Nations i

World News

Numbers of women in parliament remain low in Caucasus and Central Asia

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Numbers of women in parliament remain low in Caucasus and Central Asia

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The presence of women in parliaments across the Caucasus and Central Asia has risen in the last 25 years, albeit slowly: in most countries in the region, between 15 and 25 percent of their MPs are women.

That is the conclusion of a newly released project by the United Nations Development Programme, Equal Future

The presence of women in parliaments across the Caucasus and Central Asia has risen in the last 25 years, albeit slowly: in most countries in the region, between 15 and 25 percent of their MPs are women.

That is the conclusion of a newly released project by the United Nations Development Programme, Equal Future

World News

How suffragists raced to secure women's right to vote ahead of the 1920 election

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How suffragists raced to secure women's right to vote ahead of the 1920 election

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The year 1917 was highly consequential for the suffrage movement. Having lost the chance to defeat the reelection of President Woodrow Wilson, who had initially been lukewarm toward suffrage, activists set their sights on securing voting rights for women by the 1920 presidential election.

The year 1917 was highly consequential for the suffrage movement. Having lost the chance to defeat the reelection of President Woodrow Wilson, who had initially been lukewarm toward suffrage, activists set their sights on securing voting rights for women by the 1920 presidential election.

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‘Opening a door that was closed too long’: the hunt for a female vice-president

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‘Opening a door that was closed too long’: the hunt for a female vice-president

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Hours after the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren ended her presidential campaign and all but assured the next American president would be a white man in his 70s, a group of influential Democratic women gathered for dinner at a Spanish restaurant in downtown Washington.

The timing was coincidental, but it underscored the urgency of their meeting.

Joe Biden's pledge to name a woman as running mate fires speculation.

Hours after the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren ended her presidential campaign and all but assured the next American president would be a white man in his 70s, a group of influential Democratic women gathered for dinner at a Spanish restaurant in downtown Washington.

The timing was coincidental, but it underscored the urgency of their meeting.

Joe Biden's pledge to name a woman as running mate fires speculation.