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Parliaments and Representatives

Democracy and the equal participation of men and women in the political arena are closely intertwined. No parliament or any decision-making body can claim to be representative without the participation of both men and women. As stated in the Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Member Parliaments in 1997, "The achievement of democracy presupposes a genuine partnership between men and women in the conduct of the affairs of society in which they work in equality and complementarity, drawing mutual enrichment from their differences."

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the number of women in parliament, though the world average of less than 22 percent remains far from the goal of parity between women and men. The election of women to the highest positions of state and government in several countries has also contributed to the changing face of politics.

While the road to election is a difficult one, the challenges for women do not stop there. Once women enter parliament or other bodies, they are faced with many new challenges. Parliament is traditionally a male-oriented domain where the rules and practices have been written by men. It is, therefore, an ongoing challenge to transform parliament into a gender-sensitive environment, to ensure that actions are gender-sensitive and to guarantee that gender is mainstreamed throughout the legislature.

Women and Democracy: Insights From Mexican Elections | International Election Series, Episode 1

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July 8, 2024

Women and Democracy: Insights From Mexican Elections | International Election Series, Episode 1

Welcome to the first installment of the new "International Election Series," where they explore the vital role women play in shaping democratic processes around the world.

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Welcome to the first installment of the new "International Election Series," where they explore the vital role women play in shaping democratic processes around the world.

What Labour’s election means for women: the good and the bad

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July 8, 2024

What Labour’s election means for women: the good and the bad

It’s a good day for women’s representation in politics. The proportion of women MPs has reached a record high of 40.6%. Women are expected to hold a number of prominent positions in the new government, including the UK’s first female chancellor.

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It’s a good day for women’s representation in politics. The proportion of women MPs has reached a record high of 40.6%. Women are expected to hold a number of prominent positions in the new government, including the UK’s first female chancellor.

Share of women in selected national parliaments (lower or single House) as of December 2023

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July 8, 2024

Share of women in selected national parliaments (lower or single House) as of December 2023

As of December 2023, women constituted 61.3 percent of the Rwandan parliament (lower or single house). This makes it the country with the highest share of women in parliament worldwide.

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As of December 2023, women constituted 61.3 percent of the Rwandan parliament (lower or single house). This makes it the country with the highest share of women in parliament worldwide.

World News

Corruption as bane of women in politics, economic leadership spaces

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Corruption as bane of women in politics, economic leadership spaces

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Mrs Abimbola Ojo, a hardworking confidential secretary, has remained stagnated for over 10 years, while others recruited after her, in a federal ministry, are forging ahead, getting juicy positions in the ministry.

Ojo was told to pay some money or engage in an illicit relationship to guarantee that her name was on the promotion list.

She refused. The consequence is that her career has stagnated. She was depressed and eventually resigned without financial compensation.

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News Agency of Nigeria

Mrs Abimbola Ojo, a hardworking confidential secretary, has remained stagnated for over 10 years, while others recruited after her, in a federal ministry, are forging ahead, getting juicy positions in the ministry.

Ojo was told to pay some money or engage in an illicit relationship to guarantee that her name was on the promotion list.

She refused. The consequence is that her career has stagnated. She was depressed and eventually resigned without financial compensation.

World News

Empowering Women in Politics: A Catalyst for Change

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Empowering Women in Politics: A Catalyst for Change

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Sri Lanka’s women are literate and well educated with a 92.3 percent literacy rate and 1.4 female students for every one male student enrolled in tertiary education.

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Ground Views

Sri Lanka’s women are literate and well educated with a 92.3 percent literacy rate and 1.4 female students for every one male student enrolled in tertiary education.

World News

A New Age of Women in Politics Policy Takeaways

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A New Age of Women in Politics Policy Takeaways

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The Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s Washington, D.C. office hosted a distinguished international delegation of twelve female professionals working in politics, from May 4th – May 11th, 2024 in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado. The group comprised of participants from: Argentina, Armenia, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Hungary, Jordan, Lithuania, Pakistan, Philippines, and Tanzania.

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Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s Washington, D.C. office hosted a distinguished international delegation of twelve female professionals working in politics, from May 4th – May 11th, 2024 in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado. The group comprised of participants from: Argentina, Armenia, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Hungary, Jordan, Lithuania, Pakistan, Philippines, and Tanzania.

Navigating underrepresentation and gendered barriers to women's political power: Narratives and experiences of women parliamentarians in Turkey

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July 4, 2024

Navigating underrepresentation and gendered barriers to women's political power: Narratives and experiences of women parliamentarians in Turkey

As women increasingly participate in political decision-making around the world, the research emphasizes the need to further understand how informal barriers shape women's political participation.

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As women increasingly participate in political decision-making around the world, the research emphasizes the need to further understand how informal barriers shape women's political participation.

World News

Female Representation in Bulgarian Politics Still Low after Latest Elections, Foundation Says

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Female Representation in Bulgarian Politics Still Low after Latest Elections, Foundation Says

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Women account for 27% of Bulgaria's new National Assembly (parliament), elected by a snap vote on June 9 and sworn in on June 19. After the European elections, which, in Bulgaria, coincided with the vote for the national legislature, the country sent only four women to the European Parliament, where it has been allocated 17 seats, the Ekaterina Karavelova Foundation says in an analysis published on its website.

The foundation's mission is to encourage women to spearhead the process of transformation in society.

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Bulgarian News Agency

Women account for 27% of Bulgaria's new National Assembly (parliament), elected by a snap vote on June 9 and sworn in on June 19. After the European elections, which, in Bulgaria, coincided with the vote for the national legislature, the country sent only four women to the European Parliament, where it has been allocated 17 seats, the Ekaterina Karavelova Foundation says in an analysis published on its website.

The foundation's mission is to encourage women to spearhead the process of transformation in society.

The backlash against women in politics

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June 12, 2024

The backlash against women in politics

I spent a good chunk of my academic career studying women in politics — the barriers that keep women from running for office and from winning party nominations, and the impact they might have once they are elected.

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I spent a good chunk of my academic career studying women in politics — the barriers that keep women from running for office and from winning party nominations, and the impact they might have once they are elected.

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