Women's Leadership

In 2024, 1.5 billion people are expected to vote in national elections in what will be a record year for democracy, with elections happening in at least 64 countries and the European Union. 

So what will that mean for women in leadership at a time when men still overwhelmingly dominate on the world stage?

In November 2023, an online video showed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Medina, Saudi Arabia, being greeted with slogans of "Bhua, bhua." The original footage of the prime minister's Medina visit had no such sounds in the background, and the audio was found to have been added from a different, unrelated incident.

More African women are joining and rising up the ranks of the world’s 100 most powerful women, according to Forbes, as they grow their influence in shaping the policies, products and political fights defining the globe.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Minister of Finance in Nigeria, has moved the highest on the continent by four places from position 91 in 2022 to 87 in this year’s Forbes "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" rankings.

The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, last month committed to a revitalised gender equality declaration. This declaration, spearheaded by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, was subject to extensive consultation across the region.

Following President Megawati Soekarnoputri's term, Indonesia, the largest nation in Southeast Asia, has yet to witness a woman at its helm.

It has been 20 years since the country had a female leader. This situation will persist through the upcoming Presidential 2024 election, as female candidates have yet to emerge on the political horizon.

Amidst the global struggle against gender-based violence, the plight of women in politics battling this pervasive issue remains alarmingly prevalent in Liberia. In a bold initiative led by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) tagged “Breaking the Silence,” emerging as a beacon of hope, dedicated to unearthing the concealed narratives of physical violence endured by women in politics who defiantly challenge societal norms and tirelessly advocate for substantive change.

This is despite guarantees of equality as provided for in the constitution of Zimbabwe, chapter 4 part 3 section (80) (1), which states: “Every woman has the full and equal dignity of the person with men and this includes equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.”

In chapter 5 part 3 section (104) (4) the constitution states: “In appointing Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the President must be guided by considerations of regional and gender balance.”

Although two women — Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia — served as prime ministers of Bangladesh for 31 out of 33 years since 1991, the representation of women in national politics is still negligible.

The low rate of participation of Bangla women in politics is clear when looking at the number of women candidates contesting the upcoming 12th general election. According to the Election Commission, 92 contestants out of 1,891 vying for 300 seats are women. That's 4.86%.