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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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https://msmagazine.com/2025/09/19/democracy-women-politics-nepal-mexico-ireland-elections-iraq-norway/
September 22, 2025
The Health of a Democracy Is Measured by Its Leaders: Celebrating Women’s Political Leadership in Mexico, Iraq, Nepal and More

Milestones for notable women this week include birthdays for: Lois Wessel

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/esponsored/20250916/calls-grow-womens-issues-receive-greater-attention
September 18, 2025
Calls grow for women’s issues to receive greater attention

Despite a slight increase in female representation in Parliament, gender advocates warn that Jamaica still falls short in addressing women’s issues at the national level.

https://www.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/4091953.html
September 18, 2025
Azerbaijani speaker addresses 2nd Forum of AIPA women political tops in Malaysia

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 17. Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, who is visiting the city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for the 46th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) of the Association of SoutheastAsian

https://letraslibres.com/politica/women-and-politics-in-mexico-conversation-with-ivabelle-arroyo-and-amneris-chaparro/15/09/2025/
September 18, 2025
Women and politics in Mexico: a conversation with Ivabelle Arroyo and Amneris Chaparro

Political scientist Ivabelle Arroyo and director of the Center for Gender Research (UNAM) Amneris Chaparro agree that the key issues in political and social debates, both within and outside feminism, focus more on women’s bodies (motherhood, sexuality, gender identity,

https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/silencing-women-in-public-life-is-harming-democracy
September 18, 2025
Silencing women in public life is harming democracy

Opening the annual conference of the Gender Equality Commission, the Deputy Secretary of the Council of Europe Bjørn Berge emphasised that “only 27 countries around the world have a woman serving as Head of State or Government and 103

https://www.newsonair.gov.in/bangladesh-womens-rights-forum-calls-for-electoral-reform-to-ensure-representation/
September 4, 2025
Bangladesh: Women’s Rights Forum calls for electoral reform to ensure representation

In Bangladesh, the Forum for Women’s Political Rights has called for comprehensive electoral reforms to ensure fair and inclusive representation of women in the political arena.

https://guardian.ng/news/womens-participation-in-governance-advocacy-shifting-the-tide-in-kano/
September 4, 2025
Women’s participation in governance: Advocacy shifting the tide in Kano

That women in Nigeria who have been the backbone of community building, peace processes, and national development have not been well represented in the decision making and governance of the country is no longer a tale as the evidence abound for all to see.