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The right to vote and the right to stand for election are two fundamental elements of democracy. Notably, many countries did not afford women the right to vote until the 20th Century. Even today, universal suffrage is not a given right in all countries, and women often face obstacles that undermine their participation in political and electoral processes. There are various ways to support women in overcoming these obstacles. Such methods include revising the electoral system used, applying affirmative action mechanisms such as quotas, improving voter education for women and training political candidates. These are a few of the modes available to strengthen women’s political participation .Photo©Jens Franssen

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Women gain ground in El Salvador’s politics

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Women gain ground in El Salvador’s politics

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Ana Luisa Rodríguez de González has already served four terms as the mayor of Atiquizaya. She won her first election in 2003. In that same year, of the 262 municipal councils holding elections, only 15 were led by women. "These first elections I contested were a two-fold challenge for me", she recalls. "First of all, I was concerned not to let down all those people who had placed their faith in me; but I also felt that if I were to fail, people would not see this merely as a personal failure on my part, but would say instead that women were not up to the task.

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Ana Luisa Rodríguez de González-Foto PNUD

Ana Luisa Rodríguez de González has already served four terms as the mayor of Atiquizaya. She won her first election in 2003. In that same year, of the 262 municipal councils holding elections, only 15 were led by women. "These first elections I contested were a two-fold challenge for me", she recalls. "First of all, I was concerned not to let down all those people who had placed their faith in me; but I also felt that if I were to fail, people would not see this merely as a personal failure on my part, but would say instead that women were not up to the task.

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Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party youth ready to rise in ranks

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Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party youth ready to rise in ranks

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Myanmar's younger opposition members urge elders to step aside for new generation as they aspire towards bigger roles and louder voice.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner's National League for Democracy (NLD), founded after a bloody crackdown on a failed popular uprising in 1988, is preparing for key parliamentary elections next year that could sweep it to power.

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Myanmar's younger opposition members urge elders to step aside for new generation as they aspire towards bigger roles and louder voice.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner's National League for Democracy (NLD), founded after a bloody crackdown on a failed popular uprising in 1988, is preparing for key parliamentary elections next year that could sweep it to power.

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Burundian Women Want a Greater Say in Running of Country

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Burundian Women Want a Greater Say in Running of Country

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As Burundi heads towards the 2015 general elections, and despite a quota of 30 percent women’s representation in parliament, women in this southeast African nation feel that they are yet to have a significant say in the management of their country.

Bernardine Sindakira, the chairwoman of Synergy of Partners for the Promotion of Women’s Rights (SPPDF), a Burundian coalition of women’s rights organisations, tells IPS that the country’s very traditional culture still considers women as “homemakers” as women are educated to play this role from young. 

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As Burundi heads towards the 2015 general elections, and despite a quota of 30 percent women’s representation in parliament, women in this southeast African nation feel that they are yet to have a significant say in the management of their country.

Bernardine Sindakira, the chairwoman of Synergy of Partners for the Promotion of Women’s Rights (SPPDF), a Burundian coalition of women’s rights organisations, tells IPS that the country’s very traditional culture still considers women as “homemakers” as women are educated to play this role from young. 

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More than quotas are needed for women in politics

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More than quotas are needed for women in politics

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While Lebanon suffers from a paucity of female politicians, establishing a quota is not the only way to bolster women’s participation in the political sphere, say members of UNDP’s Lebanese Electoral Assistance Program.

Parties from all across the political spectrum acknowledge the need to include more women in Lebanese politics, but agreeing what steps to take toward that end have proved more difficult said Richard Chambers, the Chief Technical Adviser at LEAP.

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While Lebanon suffers from a paucity of female politicians, establishing a quota is not the only way to bolster women’s participation in the political sphere, say members of UNDP’s Lebanese Electoral Assistance Program.

Parties from all across the political spectrum acknowledge the need to include more women in Lebanese politics, but agreeing what steps to take toward that end have proved more difficult said Richard Chambers, the Chief Technical Adviser at LEAP.

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Women miss out in NSW parliament (Australia)

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Women miss out in NSW parliament (Australia)

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The heady days when Sydney women looked up to a female prime minister, female premier, governor and governor-general are long gone.

There is just one female cabinet minister in Canberra. And now the NSW parliament is likely to emerge from the next election with its worst result for women’s representation in the upper house in decades.

NSW Labor has ignored Labor’s rule that 40 per cent of candidates pre-selected for winnable seats must be women. The Nationals and Liberals' merit-based promotion of female candidates has similarly failed.

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The heady days when Sydney women looked up to a female prime minister, female premier, governor and governor-general are long gone.

There is just one female cabinet minister in Canberra. And now the NSW parliament is likely to emerge from the next election with its worst result for women’s representation in the upper house in decades.

NSW Labor has ignored Labor’s rule that 40 per cent of candidates pre-selected for winnable seats must be women. The Nationals and Liberals' merit-based promotion of female candidates has similarly failed.

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Slovenia PM halts privatizations before election

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Slovenia PM halts privatizations before election

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Slovenia is halting all privatizations until a new government is formed after a snap election on July 13, outgoing Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said on Thursday, drawing a sharp response from the finance minister in her own government.

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Slovenia is halting all privatizations until a new government is formed after a snap election on July 13, outgoing Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said on Thursday, drawing a sharp response from the finance minister in her own government.

The incredibly poor gender diversity of elected state officials in the U.S., in 7 maps and charts

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July 2, 2014

The incredibly poor gender diversity of elected state officials in the U.S., in 7 maps and charts

South Carolina’s Senate is the nation’s least gender-diverse legislative chamber, with just 2 percent representation, according to data from theCenter for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics.

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South Carolina’s Senate is the nation’s least gender-diverse legislative chamber, with just 2 percent representation, according to data from theCenter for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Creating history is herstory: a local girl turns public leader, Bhutan

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July 2, 2014

Creating history is herstory: a local girl turns public leader, Bhutan

In the landlocked Himalayan nation of Bhutan, Namgay Peldon never thought she would make history, but she did. She was elected the first women Gup, the block leader, as the nation voted for the first time, transitioning from monarchy to democracy in 2008.

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In the landlocked Himalayan nation of Bhutan, Namgay Peldon never thought she would make history, but she did. She was elected the first women Gup, the block leader, as the nation voted for the first time, transitioning from monarchy to democracy in 2008.

She builds bridges, schools and delivers results, India

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July 2, 2014

She builds bridges, schools and delivers results, India

Mother of three children and a home-maker for more than a decade, few in her sleepy village would have imagined that she would be planning bridges and schools today.  But that is Vandana Bahadur Maida’s life in Khankhandvi, in the populous state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

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Mother of three children and a home-maker for more than a decade, few in her sleepy village would have imagined that she would be planning bridges and schools today.  But that is Vandana Bahadur Maida’s life in Khankhandvi, in the populous state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

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