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Advocacy and Lobbying

Advocacy and lobbying are activities that represent and promote the needs of specific groups in political and social arenas. One such group is women, who can collectively pressure their leaders for legislative reforms to protect and promote women’s rights and concerns. It is the goal of advocacy groups and lobbyists to ensure that both the public and politicians understand and support their cause, so that it gains strength and credibility. Securing rights and gains for women requires coalition-building, funding, civic education, awareness-raising and individuals willing to lead the way.

While the goals of advocacy and lobbying are similar, the processes are distinctly different. Advocacy involves gaining and exercising power to influence a political action. Employing methods such as demonstrations, public campaigns and civic education, advocacy can be the primary mission of international agencies and civil society organizations seeking to influence global and national decision makers. Women worldwide frequently organize themselves for advocacy purposes, drawing on their collective power to affect legislation, official policies and governmental programs. Lobbying, however, refers to influencing the government and its leaders. Lobbyists attempt to sway policy makers and legislators to address specific issues, often by introducing or revising legislation and policy. Lobbying activities may include private meetings with decision makers, public campaigns and demonstrations.

World News

Bulgaria's Ex EU Commissioner Roots for More Women in Politics

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Bulgaria's Ex EU Commissioner Roots for More Women in Politics

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More women must take leadership positions in Bulgarian politics, argued former Bulgarian EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

In an interview for Darik Radio Saturday, Kuneva reiterated her calls for a thorough change of the very "model" of Bulgarian politics.

We invite you to read the fulll articlep published September 28, 2013

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More women must take leadership positions in Bulgarian politics, argued former Bulgarian EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

In an interview for Darik Radio Saturday, Kuneva reiterated her calls for a thorough change of the very "model" of Bulgarian politics.

We invite you to read the fulll articlep published September 28, 2013

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World News

Political involvement encouraged for high school women, USA

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Political involvement encouraged for high school women, USA

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About 80 young women from Tucson High Magnet School participated in the Running and Winning Political Workshop Thursday.

The workshop, in its 11th year, introduces high school students to politics and encourages them to run for political office in the future by talking with elected officials. It is held at different schools each year for high school juniors and seniors.

The teens planned mock Senate campaigns, discussing topics that included immigration reform, climate change and the death penalty.

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About 80 young women from Tucson High Magnet School participated in the Running and Winning Political Workshop Thursday.

The workshop, in its 11th year, introduces high school students to politics and encourages them to run for political office in the future by talking with elected officials. It is held at different schools each year for high school juniors and seniors.

The teens planned mock Senate campaigns, discussing topics that included immigration reform, climate change and the death penalty.

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World News

Women at Work: The Village Head, India

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Women at Work: The Village Head, India

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There have been quite a few woman sarpanches — elected heads villages — in India. But, arguably there have been few like Chhavi Rajawat, the current sarpanch of Soda village in Rajasthan, who left a corporate job to help her ancestral village develop. Ms. Rajawat, who has a management degree, quit her post at Airtel, one of the country’s biggest telecom providers, to bring safe water, power, toilets and education to the village in the western Indian state where she spent part of her childhood.

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There have been quite a few woman sarpanches — elected heads villages — in India. But, arguably there have been few like Chhavi Rajawat, the current sarpanch of Soda village in Rajasthan, who left a corporate job to help her ancestral village develop. Ms. Rajawat, who has a management degree, quit her post at Airtel, one of the country’s biggest telecom providers, to bring safe water, power, toilets and education to the village in the western Indian state where she spent part of her childhood.

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Fulfil agenda to promote women’s rights, Ghana

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Fulfil agenda to promote women’s rights, Ghana

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The Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC) has called on the government and gender rights organisations to take stock of what it described as “the unfulfilled agenda of promoting women’s rights.”
It said although it appreciated the progress that had been made in the area of gender equality in the country, “women’s enterprises require more critical and structured support initiatives than hitherto being advanced”.
We invite you to read the full article published September 16, 2013

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The Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC) has called on the government and gender rights organisations to take stock of what it described as “the unfulfilled agenda of promoting women’s rights.”
It said although it appreciated the progress that had been made in the area of gender equality in the country, “women’s enterprises require more critical and structured support initiatives than hitherto being advanced”.
We invite you to read the full article published September 16, 2013

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Malaysia praised on women

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Malaysia praised on women

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Malaysia came in for particular praise at the ongoing 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference here for instituting changes that allowed the participation of more women in the political process, at least within the Commonwealth grouping.

Commonwealth Sec-Gen Dr William Shija said it was affirmative action that indeed some political parties have put into the system to try to reach out to women candidate that have produced results.

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Malaysia came in for particular praise at the ongoing 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference here for instituting changes that allowed the participation of more women in the political process, at least within the Commonwealth grouping.

Commonwealth Sec-Gen Dr William Shija said it was affirmative action that indeed some political parties have put into the system to try to reach out to women candidate that have produced results.

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World News

As Malaysia turns 50, Nurul Izzah fights for inclusive politics

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As Malaysia turns 50, Nurul Izzah fights for inclusive politics

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Future Prime Minister of Malaysia. Mother. Wife. Friend. Daughter of the mercurial and charismatic Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Nurul Izzah is all these and more.

How she has grown up.  When she started out in politics, and started speaking publicly, she came off as shy.

We invite you to read the full article published September 3, 2013

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Future Prime Minister of Malaysia. Mother. Wife. Friend. Daughter of the mercurial and charismatic Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Nurul Izzah is all these and more.

How she has grown up.  When she started out in politics, and started speaking publicly, she came off as shy.

We invite you to read the full article published September 3, 2013

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The women of Greenham Common taught a generation how to protest, United Kingdom

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The women of Greenham Common taught a generation how to protest, United Kingdom

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It is often said that the protest at Greenham Common was ineffectual. The eventual closure of the US base at Newbury is deemed to have been an almost inadvertent side effect of much more important (ie male) political forces. In this version of history the bunch of women sitting near a fence in middle England 30 years ago are rendered pretty much irrelevant.

We invite our users to read the full article published September 2 2013

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It is often said that the protest at Greenham Common was ineffectual. The eventual closure of the US base at Newbury is deemed to have been an almost inadvertent side effect of much more important (ie male) political forces. In this version of history the bunch of women sitting near a fence in middle England 30 years ago are rendered pretty much irrelevant.

We invite our users to read the full article published September 2 2013

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New Executive Director for UN Women meets with civil society members in New York and pledges close collaboration

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New Executive Director for UN Women meets with civil society members in New York and pledges close collaboration

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Just seven days after having been sworn into office, the new Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, welcomed civil society representatives based in New York at UN Women Headquarters and pledged strong collaboration. She acknowledged the key role of civil society in making progress for human rights, in ensuring a successful outcome at the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, as witnessed in the agreement to end and prevent violence against women and girls, and in pushing for the creation of UN Women.

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Just seven days after having been sworn into office, the new Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, welcomed civil society representatives based in New York at UN Women Headquarters and pledged strong collaboration. She acknowledged the key role of civil society in making progress for human rights, in ensuring a successful outcome at the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, as witnessed in the agreement to end and prevent violence against women and girls, and in pushing for the creation of UN Women.

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Initiative Works to Enhance Women’s Political Leadership in Mexico

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Initiative Works to Enhance Women’s Political Leadership in Mexico

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This year marks Mexico’s 60th anniversary of women’s suffrage, and though the country has made progress in passing reforms to increase women’s political participation, women are still not well-represented in decision-making bodies.

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This year marks Mexico’s 60th anniversary of women’s suffrage, and though the country has made progress in passing reforms to increase women’s political participation, women are still not well-represented in decision-making bodies.

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