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.
Only four women were elected to Parliament in Malta’s general election, down from the eight female MPs elected in 2017.
A new government team named by Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has women in nine of the 17 cabinet positions.
Despite repeated warnings, Australia’s two major political parties continue to make one big mistake – and one MP has issued a scathing rebuke.
Despite repeated warnings, Australia’s two major political parties continue to make one big mistake – and one MP has issued a scathing rebuke.
Relatives of opposition members imprisoned by the regime addressed the panel, decrying the poor treatment and different types of torture the female prisoners suffer.
Global trends indicate the slow-paced progress in closing gender gaps across major dimensions of human development in different countries.
Global trends indicate the slow-paced progress in closing gender gaps across major dimensions of human development in different countries.
The National Women Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Louisa Hannah Bissiw, has called on the women leadership of political parties to mentor young ladies in and out of tertiary education to partake in active politics.
Female politicians still face numerous obstacles despite momentum for change.
On a sunny afternoon near a busy motorway in Beirut, former Lebanese MP Paula Yacoubian sits in the headquarters of her charitable organisation.
Recent conversations prompted by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have put issues of workplace sexism, sexual harassment and sexual assault into the global spotlight.
Recent conversations prompted by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have put issues of workplace sexism, sexual harassment and sexual assault into the global spotlight.
Al-Shabaab claim responsibility for attacks, including that which killed Amina Mohamed Abdi in run-up to elections this week.