Gender Equality

PETALING JAYA: The statistics department reported better gender equality overall in 2022, but noted a clear challenge faced in women’s political empowerment, which remains alarmingly low.

Chief Statistician Uzir Mahidin said the women’s political empowerment subindex scored the lowest at 10.2%, emphasising the urgent need for increased female participation in political spheres.

In a live event discussing the impact of women’s power, or Nari Shakti, in politics, female representatives from various political parties, including Sunita Duggal, Amee Yajnik, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Sushmita Dev, express their perspectives on the changing political landscape. The conversation revolves around women’s leadership and their inherently transformative roles in politics.

Gender Equality and the Role of Men

IT’S the responsibility of political parties to ensure that more women take part in local and national elections, says Assistant Foreign Minister and Deputy Speaker Lenora Qereqeretabua.

Additionally, Ms Qereqeretabua said making political life safer for women was crucial.

The Standing Committee on State Structure of the Parliament, in cooperation with the UN Promoting Gender Equality and Women's Participation in Decision-making project, organized the First Conference of Women Parliamentarians on September 7, 2022.

The Conference of Women Parliamentarians 2023 is to be organized in Chinggis Khaan Hall at the State Palace on December 12, 2023, Montsame notes.

Executive director of Baobab for Women Human Rights, Bunmi Dipo-Salami, said the violence against women in politics is rarely reported.

While stressing that the society needs to understand that women are not second-class citizens, she expressed regret that there are still impediments on the paths of women in politics.

In a significant development, representatives from major political parties have unequivocally expressed their commitment to advancing women’s political participation.

As the world marks the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the resilient voices of women in Mt Elgon and Trans Nzoia have exposed the harsh realities they encounter within the challenging realm of politics.

Jane Chebet, a two-term Cheptais ward representative who vied for the Mt Elgon MP seat and lost, passionately expresses the uphill battle women face in achieving the two-thirds gender rule, attributing it to entrenched male chauvinism.

As Serbia gears up for the upcoming elections, the visibility of female candidates is not as strong as in the previous 2020 campaign, as representation in the Serbian Assembly has only slightly increased over the past decade, according to the Academy in Women’s Leadership.