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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

Being a woman in politics shouldn’t come with death threats

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Being a woman in politics shouldn’t come with death threats

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Domestic extremists planned to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in October. State and local public health officers have received harassing messages and death threats, to the point where some required bodyguards.

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Domestic extremists planned to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in October. State and local public health officers have received harassing messages and death threats, to the point where some required bodyguards.

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Tackling online abuse and disinformation targeting women in politics

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Tackling online abuse and disinformation targeting women in politics

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In 2017, soon after then Ukrainian member of parliament Svitlana Zalishchuk gave a speech to the United Nations on the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on women, a fake tweet began to circulate on social media claiming that she had promised to run naked through the streets of Kiev if Russia-backed separatists won a critical battle. 

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In 2017, soon after then Ukrainian member of parliament Svitlana Zalishchuk gave a speech to the United Nations on the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on women, a fake tweet began to circulate on social media claiming that she had promised to run naked through the streets of Kiev if Russia-backed separatists won a critical battle. 

Monitoring women's political participation & elections in Africa

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November 27, 2020

Monitoring women's political participation & elections in Africa

Tool by Make Every Woman Count that monitors elections in Africa.

See it here.

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Tool by Make Every Woman Count that monitors elections in Africa.

See it here.

Men, power and politics

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November 27, 2020

Men, power and politics

The Men, Power and Politics program guidance is a tool to engage male political leaders as transformative agents of change for gender equality.

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The Men, Power and Politics program guidance is a tool to engage male political leaders as transformative agents of change for gender equality.

Interactive map of the latest cases of MPs in danger

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November 26, 2020

Interactive map of the latest cases of MPs in danger

MPs can sometimes be subject to human rights violations, ranging from arbitrary detention and exclusion from public life to even kidnapping and murder in the worst cases.

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MPs can sometimes be subject to human rights violations, ranging from arbitrary detention and exclusion from public life to even kidnapping and murder in the worst cases.

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How Ukraine’s gender quotas work in practice

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How Ukraine’s gender quotas work in practice

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A businesswoman from the southern city of Kherson, Eremenko has seen Ukraine’s local political system from the inside. After helping the Ukrainian army when war broke out in the east of the country in 2014, she ran for city council in a national political party - but didn’t get in. Three years later, when a council member died, it was Eremenko’s turn to join the Kherson council.

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A businesswoman from the southern city of Kherson, Eremenko has seen Ukraine’s local political system from the inside. After helping the Ukrainian army when war broke out in the east of the country in 2014, she ran for city council in a national political party - but didn’t get in. Three years later, when a council member died, it was Eremenko’s turn to join the Kherson council.

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Men's forum pushes for more women in politics

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Men's forum pushes for more women in politics

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Men’s Forum on Gender is pushing for the enactment of electoral laws that compel political parties to implement the 50/50 gender representation in their structures before being allowed to contest in an election.

Padare/Enkundleni is a men and boys’ organisation that seeks to achieve gender justice in society.

It is piloting a project for Enhancing Women Political Participation (EWPP) in Hwange, Bulawayo, Harare and Chipinge in partnership with International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (Idea).

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Men’s Forum on Gender is pushing for the enactment of electoral laws that compel political parties to implement the 50/50 gender representation in their structures before being allowed to contest in an election.

Padare/Enkundleni is a men and boys’ organisation that seeks to achieve gender justice in society.

It is piloting a project for Enhancing Women Political Participation (EWPP) in Hwange, Bulawayo, Harare and Chipinge in partnership with International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (Idea).

Eliminating violence against women in politics: What works and what doesn’t?

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November 25, 2020

Eliminating violence against women in politics: What works and what doesn’t?

Violence against women in politics is an intolerable violation of women’s rights which poses fundamental challenges to democratic values and electoral processes.

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Violence against women in politics is an intolerable violation of women’s rights which poses fundamental challenges to democratic values and electoral processes.

World News

Somalia: Groups explore ways to increase women's participation in politics

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Somalia: Groups explore ways to increase women's participation in politics

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Civil society and human rights activists, legal experts, politicians and youth representatives met in Mogadishu on Sunday to discuss ways to increase and strengthen women's participation in Somalia's politics.

The one-day symposium held in Mogadishu with support from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Political Affairs Unit, heard of proposals and initiatives meant to promote women's political participation.

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Civil society and human rights activists, legal experts, politicians and youth representatives met in Mogadishu on Sunday to discuss ways to increase and strengthen women's participation in Somalia's politics.

The one-day symposium held in Mogadishu with support from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Political Affairs Unit, heard of proposals and initiatives meant to promote women's political participation.

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