Political Parties

Four decades after the election that shattered the glass ceiling for women in the Minnesota Legislature, gender equality is still elusive at the state Capitol.

Women hold 34 percent of the 201 seats in the Legislature, giving Minnesota the fourth-highest share of female state lawmakers in the nation.

But as the candidate recruiting season intensifies a year before the 2014 election, more men than women step forward to run, and female candidates still face more barriers than their male counterparts.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Mary Clara Makungwa has called on the media in the country to promote women aspirants in politics in order to achieve the 50-50 women representation campaign.

The newly appointed Minister said this in Blantyre on Friday during a media conversation for 50-50 campaign and conflict sensitive reporting with the editor's forum.

Makungwa said government recognizes how media shapes the views of the masses and as such the media should create a space for women to express their views.

For the fourth year, a campaign school to encourage women to consider a role in municipal politics will be run in Brantford.

The event — which generally attracts up to 100 women — is aimed at getting more women to run for public office or to support the campaigns of other women running for office.

“We want to provide information and enlightenment about the demands of the role,” said Helen Mulligan, one of the organizers.

Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill will host town hall meetings this month to examine barriers that face women as they struggle to reach professional goals.

The meetings stem from LR295, introduced by McGill to study the income gap between men and women.

The town halls will give women a chance to share their experiences on wage disparity; balancing work and family; the lack of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields; and roadblocks to self-confidence.