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Political Parties

In a representative democracy, political parties function as a link between state institutions and local grassroots organizations. It is political parties that aggregate interests, present political alternatives and nominate candidates. As such, political parties play an essential role for the advancement of women and the promotion of equality. In this section, you will find information on the role of political parties in promoting women's political participation.

Dorji Choden, Minister for Works and Human Settlement, Bhutan, speaking at the COP20 climate conference in Lima
April 13, 2015
Bhutan's first female minister: engineer, equality warrior and former civil servant

Being a civil servant in this country is a unique challenge.

©labourlist
March 28, 2015
End of an era: 10 Labour women who changed the face of Westminster

When the 2010 parliament comes to an end on 30 March, 10 of the Labour party’s most high-achieving female MPs and former ministers will be standing down. Some of them began their parliamentary careers in 1987, and together they have clocked up 200 years in parliament.

Presidential aspirant, Professor Remi Sonaiya, has expressed her wish to change the face of politics in Nigeria
March 23, 2015
Nigeria's only female presidential candidate done with cheerleading

Lagos (AFP) - The two main candidates for the governorship of Nigeria's Lagos state took to the stage, making a flurry of promises to the all-female audience at the select Cosmopolitan Women's Club.

NDC supporter
March 16, 2015
Women in Ghana call for political party constitutional reforms

Women organisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) are advocating reforms to their party constitutions to allow for more women to seek political office.

Annastacia Palaszczuk-Photo /Official Website
February 14, 2015
A day of firsts for women in politics, and one in particular

It’s a historic day for politics and women in Australia – and even more remarkable for one woman minister, who is also Queensland’s first ever Indigenous woman MP.

Dourou holds the highest-elected office of any woman in Greece-Photo Rena Dourou Official website
February 3, 2015
Little room for women in Greek cabinet

Women are conspicuously absent from the cabinet of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. They have traditionally been underrepresented in Greek politics, but Syriza was different. Joanna Kakissis reports from Athens.

Rebuilding the Gates for Women in Politics

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on

By Ashwath komath

It is reasonable to assume that the best political system for a woman to get into politics is democracy. Of course, this is arguable given that most democracies, including Western democracies have not been able to provide women with an equitable political representation and that we usually consider western democracy to be the most advanced of all democracies.