Local governments are in a unique position to contribute to the global struggle for gender equality by improving the status of women around the world. Local Governments are the level of governance closest to the citizens and as service providers and employers have an important role in creating the conditions that encourage women’s political participation. In this special feature, we are collecting knowledge resources, case studies, stories and interviews from women active in local politics.
This Sourcebook aims at providing local governments with the tools to better understand the importance of gender in the decision-making process and to reach better solutions for the communities they serve.
This paper describes initiatives in Ghana to promote the participation of women in local governance and the role of European support.
While the number of women parliamentarians is understood to have increased by 75% since 19951, such trends are not as encouraging considering that women continue to be at the ‘bottom of the power pyramid’ and represent only 19.7% of parliamenta
UN in Action looks at a pilot project, supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), to increase the number of women leaders was launched in the remote village of Qing Xi.
In February and March 2001 the CPA, with the assistance of the CPA Malaysia Branch and the approval of the CPA Executive Committee, arranged a Study Group in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Gender-Sensitizing Commonwealth Parliaments. The aims of the Study Group were set out as:
The women of Nepal are strong, articulate and capable leaders. The constituent Assembly members selected and profiled in this book demonstrate to all women and men that leadership arises in all segments of society, all backgrounds, regions, ethnicities, castes and political parties.
More Asia Pacific countries than ever before have elected local governments and national parliaments. Despite the progress made in establishing democratic institutions in the Asia Pacifi c, women continue to participate unequally both as voters and as candidates.
In India’s rural e-governance initiative, 33% of local government seats are reserved for women.