Civil Society

Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation now wants the government and political parties to recognise its members by ensuring that more women acquire elective positions ahead of the next General election.

The women’s organisation currently has more than four million members. The organisation's leadership wants the State to create an enabling environment for women eyeing elective posts.

Civil society activists have demanded political parties to award tickets to women aspirants for the local government elections to bring them into the national mainstream.

“If women are not given a leadership role, we cannot expect economic change in our lives and status,” Yasmin Bibi, a former tehsil councillor, told a women-only gathering organised by the Saibaan Development Organisation in Balakot on Friday.

Contrary to popular belief, the performance of Women legislators in both Houses remained remarkable and in Parliament’s history they presented a significant number of 133 bills for legislative business in just four years (2018 to 2021).

Present and former female Parliamentarians (House of Assembly and the Senate) from across the political spectrum, leaders of female Non-Governmental Organizations and advocacy groups – including representatives from the community of persons with disabilities – women in service, women in governance, and other partners and stakeholders, participated in the 2021 Women United in Politics Hybrid Forum held Friday (November 12).

It is important for citizens to be given enabling structures to enable civil organisation and participation. This will, in turn, aid the creation of progressive institutional structures. But then the enactment and promotion of harsh policies and the stifling of participation, amongst many other factors, have hindered this development, thereby repressing the civic space. Participation is key, especially for impact and policymakers, but the shrinking civic space has affected the involvement of key players, especially women.

A two-day forum in Somalia that brought together women, the youth, academics, women’s rights activists and political experts concluded deliberations on Wednesday with a call for 30 percent women quota in political representation to be guaranteed.

PETALING JAYA: A Young Women’s Parliament will be held next month, with 222 young delegates debating policies on women’s issues, gender equality, social issues and more in a bid to encourage more female participation in politics and policymaking.