Gender Equality

The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) chose Tomoko Tamura as its first-ever female leader Thursday, apparently in the hope of broadening its support base and attracting a wider array of voters.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 120 million people were pushed into vulnerable situations and we witnessed a great need for more community engagement and participation across the board. Coupled with domestic economic instability, political upheaval, countries in transitional democracies have borne disproportionate burdens. Over the years, there has been a conversation that has been missing from the development space, and especially in women’s development, that has the potential to bridge the gap between scholars and practitioners.

More African women are joining and rising up the ranks of the world’s 100 most powerful women, according to Forbes, as they grow their influence in shaping the policies, products and political fights defining the globe.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Minister of Finance in Nigeria, has moved the highest on the continent by four places from position 91 in 2022 to 87 in this year’s Forbes "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" rankings.

The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, last month committed to a revitalised gender equality declaration. This declaration, spearheaded by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, was subject to extensive consultation across the region.

Following President Megawati Soekarnoputri's term, Indonesia, the largest nation in Southeast Asia, has yet to witness a woman at its helm.

It has been 20 years since the country had a female leader. This situation will persist through the upcoming Presidential 2024 election, as female candidates have yet to emerge on the political horizon.

Amidst the global struggle against gender-based violence, the plight of women in politics battling this pervasive issue remains alarmingly prevalent in Liberia. In a bold initiative led by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) tagged “Breaking the Silence,” emerging as a beacon of hope, dedicated to unearthing the concealed narratives of physical violence endured by women in politics who defiantly challenge societal norms and tirelessly advocate for substantive change.

This is despite guarantees of equality as provided for in the constitution of Zimbabwe, chapter 4 part 3 section (80) (1), which states: “Every woman has the full and equal dignity of the person with men and this includes equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.”

In chapter 5 part 3 section (104) (4) the constitution states: “In appointing Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the President must be guided by considerations of regional and gender balance.”