March 11, 2013
President calls for more women in politics, Ireland
President Michael D Higgins said last night that the low level of women in the political world was of serious concern.
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
March 8, 2013
Women in the driver’s seat of democratic politics
Gender equality in politics is not about the system allowing women in. It is not about politics giving something to women. It is about women actively taking their rightful place as equals with men in political decision-making. It is about women being agents of change.
March 8, 2013
Increased Women’s Political Participation Still Dependent on Quotas, 2012 Elections Show
Releasing its annual analysis on the statistics on women MPs ahead of International Women’s Day (8th March), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) found 2012 represented a year of higher than usual level of progress on women’s political participation.
March 8, 2013
Our voices: Women's political participation, Burundi
Film: Burundi has one of the highest allocations of seats in parliament for women, numbering 36% of all MPs. There is also a 30% quota policy for women's political participation at lower levels of the administration.
March 7, 2013
India's 10 most powerful female politicians
Politics for long has been a bastion of males and it’s not very easy for any woman to make her presence felt in Indian political arena.
In a country like India, it becomes even more difficult for a female politician as caste, creed and religion play decisive role in Indian politics.
March 7, 2013
Gambia: Women and Politics
In The Gambia, the many and varied reports have over and over highlighted the low participation of women in politics. This is of great concern despite the fact that, here in The Gambia, women have over the years contributed, and continue to do so, in key decision-making processes.
March 7, 2013
Failing to get the vote: Liberian women and political participation
This paper discusses Liberian women’s access to formal political influence and representation in the bicameral legislature.
March 6, 2013
Southeast Asia: Women politicians call for increased participation
As many as 14 women politicians from Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines and Timor Leste called for bigger and better female political representation and participation in Southeast Asia.
March 6, 2013
More Women Needed in Chinese Politics
Despite the fact that Fu Ying, vice minister of foreign affairs, recently became China's first female spokesperson for the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), Chinese women’s political participation still lags behind.