Sahanan thought her chance of being elected to the Lampung Provincial Parliament in Indonesia on last year’s parliamentary poll was next to none. 

Tina Chadarsi, jostling for a district parliamentary seat in Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, had similar misgivings.  They were running against at least dozens of other candidates from 12 political parties. “As a housewife, I was really pessimistic that could be elected,” Sahanan said.

Nicola Sturgeon has been in the job only three months but already she is eyeing her legacy. “Being the first woman First Minister is a big responsibility and I feel the weight of that acutely. I’m determined to use that position to help further the ability of other women to get on in their chosen field.”

She argues it is time to use force to get more women into politics and the boardroom: “Quotas are necessary. They’re a blunt tool. But if we had a real meritocracy now we’d have a gender balance.

The first-ever Israeli political party dedicated to ultra-Orthodox women, was unveiled Monday.

We have a woman who is First Minister if that’s not an example of us reaching gender equality, what is?

A new day for women dawned in Taiwan Thursday, with females winning seven of the 22 city and county council speaker positions throughout the country.

 The seven are Wu Pi-chu of Taipei, Kang Yu-cheng of Kaohsiung city, Jao Ching-ling of Taitung county, Liu Chen Chao-ling of Penghu county, Sung Wei-li of Keelung city, Hsiao Shu-li of Chiayi city and Hung Li-ping of Kinmen county.