Dr. Jill Lepore, Professor of American History at Harvard University, has published an article in The New Yorker, entitled ‘The Sovereignty of Women’. The article deals with the historical difficulties of women to be fully recognized as political subjects, and how this historical tension is affecting modern American politics and, in particular, the presidential candidacy of Hillary Clinton. Dr. Lepore explains how the political empowerment of women was historically contested, both from philosophers such as John Locke, and from politicians.

The past week marked positive changes for women in Viet Nam’s political landscape. On March 31, Viet Nam's National Assembly (NA) elected Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan as its Chairwoman, making her the first woman to lead the country’s parliament. At 61, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan won 95.5 percent of the votes.

Following her appointment as Deputy Leader of Samoa’s Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), Fiame Mataafa was named Deputy Prime Minister, the first Samoan woman to hold that position. She is also the minister for natural resources and environment.