Parliaments and Representatives

Sexism, harassment and violence against women are rife in parliaments across the Asia-Pacific region, according to a damning report published on Tuesday that lays bare the scale of abuse faced by women in politics.

Women in dozens of parliaments across the Asia-Pacific are experiencing significant levels of abuse, violence and harassment, a new report has found, with online abuse a key issue.

A female Japanese politician has received about 8,000 emails containing death threats after proposing free sanitary pads in public toilets – a wave of online abuse that experts say reflects a deeper pattern of gender-based harassment aiming to silence outspoken women.

Virginia will likely elect its first woman governor this year.

Why it matters: The Commonwealth's gubernatorial race, which has long been eyed as an early political test after a presidential election, is set to be one of the most historic elections in state history.

Despite progress towards gender equality in Australian elections, women remain underrepresented among candidates vying for office on May 3.

When women enter the voting booth, what matters more—policy or identity? The debate over whether female voters prioritize gender representation or political substance has fueled political discourse for years. Some argue that women rally behind female candidates for symbolic progress, while others insist that ideology and policy take precedence. But do women truly vote based on identity, or is there more at play?

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is pleased to announce its new gender campaign for 2025, Achieving gender equality, action by action.

This initiative marks a pivotal year, in which the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the global blueprint for gender equality, is marking its 30th anniversary.