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.
Centrist politician Elisabeth Borne was appointed France’s new prime minister on Monday, becoming the second woman to hold the post in the country.
Japan's Lower House of the Diet plans a questionnaire on women's participation in politics as the country largely lags behind in female representation in national parliaments.
There are a few exceptions but Somali women hardly get into politics or hold top public office in what remains a deeply conservative society. Fowzia Yusuf, one of those, speaks to Al Jazeera on seeking another first.
(CNN) In 2015, I spent the summer protesting and getting tear-gassed. I wasn't protesting for anything grand.
Nepal has progressive laws and quotas for women’s representation in politics, but patriarchy and gender discrimination run deep and influence the decisions of parties.
Katalin Novak, the first female president of Hungary, took office here on Tuesday. Her predecessor, former head of state Janos Ader, greeted the new president at the entrance to the Sandor Palace, the residence of the Hungarian president.
Young people care – about our planet, our future and our political systems. In the last decade, young people have initiated social movements, tackling issues that impact their own lives and those of communities around the globe.
As the federal election date draws nearer, it’s almost impossible for Australians to avoid the policies, promises and paraphernalia of political parties and candidates contesting the election.
Democrat Nan Whaley broke a political glass ceiling Tuesday when she became the first woman in Ohio history to