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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 Members of the Constituent Assembly: A study on contribution of women in constitution making in Nepal

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February 8, 2012

Women Members of the Constituent Assembly: A study on contribution of women in constitution making in Nepal

Cover art by Chirag Bandel

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Cover art by Chirag Bandel

Event

Empowering rural women: what role for parliaments? Hosted by IPU and UN Women

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Empowering rural women: what role for parliaments? Hosted by IPU and UN Women

The annual parliamentary event on the occasion of the 56th session of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be held in New York on 29 February 2012.

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A Practical Guide to Constitution Building

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January 19, 2012

A Practical Guide to Constitution Building

A Practical Guide to Constitution Building provides an essential foundation for understanding constitutions and constitution building.

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A Practical Guide to Constitution Building provides an essential foundation for understanding constitutions and constitution building.

MPs Online: Connecting with Constituents

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September 13, 2011

MPs Online: Connecting with Constituents

The report provides recommendations for MPs, constituents and for Parliament.  Primary amongst these are that MPs need to develop a policy for the use of email and strategies for digital media that define the target audience and connect with their offline strategy.

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The report provides recommendations for MPs, constituents and for Parliament.  Primary amongst these are that MPs need to develop a policy for the use of email and strategies for digital media that define the target audience and connect with their offline strategy.

Parliamentary Oversight of Gender Equality Handbook

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September 13, 2011

Parliamentary Oversight of Gender Equality Handbook

This handbook is designed to assist parliamentarians in carrying out their oversight role on gender by developing a better understanding of the concept, providing a summary of the budget cycle process, discussing gender budgeting, and examining the gender dimensions of parliamentary committees,

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This handbook is designed to assist parliamentarians in carrying out their oversight role on gender by developing a better understanding of the concept, providing a summary of the budget cycle process, discussing gender budgeting, and examining the gender dimensions of parliamentary committees,

Parliaments: The Gender Dimension

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September 13, 2011

Parliaments: The Gender Dimension

This two-pager highlights UNDP's take on parliamentary development, discussing in particular the importance of the gender dimension and the need to get more women in parliaments.

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This two-pager highlights UNDP's take on parliamentary development, discussing in particular the importance of the gender dimension and the need to get more women in parliaments.

The Role of Parliamentary Committees in Mainstreaming Gender and Promoting the Status of Women

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September 12, 2011

The Role of Parliamentary Committees in Mainstreaming Gender and Promoting the Status of Women

As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacity of parliaments to promote gender equality, the IPU convened a seminar for members of parliamentary bodies that deal with gender matters.

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As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacity of parliaments to promote gender equality, the IPU convened a seminar for members of parliamentary bodies that deal with gender matters.

Participation in Constitution Making: Making Women Voices Heard

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September 12, 2011

Participation in Constitution Making: Making Women Voices Heard

Th e Women and Constitution Building Initiative in Nepal was initiated (June 2008) in the spirit of a newlyformed Constitution Assembly (CA) which saw the election of a high percentage of women.

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Th e Women and Constitution Building Initiative in Nepal was initiated (June 2008) in the spirit of a newlyformed Constitution Assembly (CA) which saw the election of a high percentage of women.

Electoral System and Quotas in Nepal

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September 12, 2011

Electoral System and Quotas in Nepal

The Women and Constitution Building Initiative in Nepal was initiated (June 2008) in the spirit of a newly formed Constitution Assembly (CA) which saw the election of a high percentage of women.

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The Women and Constitution Building Initiative in Nepal was initiated (June 2008) in the spirit of a newly formed Constitution Assembly (CA) which saw the election of a high percentage of women.

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