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Elections

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

April 28, 2014
Stage Set for the Great Electoral Women's Day, India

With 59 winners of the total 556 contestants, women candidates seem to have had a dream run in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. May 16 will tell if their success story repeats this time too.

April 28, 2014
More women in Tamil Nadu turned out to vote than men, India

Women not only outnumber men on electoral rolls in the state, they also outscored them in casting votes. The Election Commission on Saturday said 2.03 crore women — 73.86% of the total women voters — cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections held on Thursday.

April 25, 2014
NEC Gender Section Begins Regional Seminars, Liberia

The Gender Section of the National Elections Commission (NEC) has begun the conduct of a string of regional Gender Seminars to encourage Women's Political participation in the ensuing Special Senatorial Election.

April 22, 2014
Is India on the cusp of a gender revolution?

In late March, Raveela Gangula rallied a dozen women to stop a drunken man from savagely beating his wife in Muthangi, a village in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Although they restrained him and called the police, he was released that evening without charges.

April 22, 2014
Senior UN official calls for women to remain engaged in Afghan political life

With the results still being counted from Afghanistan's recent presidential election, the top United Nations official in the country today urged efforts t

Event

Q&A: Malawi’s President Banda Confident ‘I Will Win this Election’

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April 15, 2014

Q&A: Malawi’s President Banda Confident ‘I Will Win this Election’

Malawi’s President Joyce Banda has vowed to get to the bottom of a corruption scandal where more than 100 million dollars were suspected to have been looted from the government since 2006. She is currently campaigning ahead of the country’s May tripartite elections.

Malawi’s President Joyce Banda has vowed to get to the bottom of a corruption scandal where more than 100 million dollars were suspected to have been looted from the government since 2006. She is currently campaigning ahead of the country’s May tripartite elections.

April 14, 2014
Tonga's future female politicians get a taste of parliament

It's been an historic few days in Tonga - with the country's first Practice Parliament for women being held.

April 12, 2014
India election 2014: The woman calling for Narendra Modi to take responsibility for mass murder

Minutes before he was hacked to death by a Hindu mob, veteran Muslim politician Ehsan Jafri reached for his phone and dialled one last number.