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The Women in Politics Map 2014 launched by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women today shows that while progress on women’s political participation continues to be largely positive across the world, glass ceilings remain firmly in place for women at the highest levels.

The Map, which presents the latest data on women in executive government and in parliament, reveals similar regional trends in women’s representation in both spheres with the Americas, Europe and Africa outperforming the Arab, Asia and Pacific regions.

As we are approaching the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and negotiating the Post-2015 Agenda, there is no other sub-region that better confirms that gender equality and women’s empowerment are a prerequisite, a means, and an objective of inclusive and sustainable development than Sub-Saharan Africa.   

Women account for over 52 per cent of the total population of Haiti and are very active in the economic and social sectors. Yet their political participation and representation in Parliament is very limited. Only seven of the 144 political parties are headed by women. Women represent less than five per cent of the Haitian parliament, and there are no women at all in the current Senate. Now that the gender quota is included in the amended constitution, what are the best strategies to ensure its effectiveness?

On the occasion of the 2014 International Women’s Day, International IDEA joins the rest of the world in awareness raising and celebrating women with the theme Empowering change and action. For International IDEA this presents an opportunity to salute all women across the world for defending the rights of women in all spheres of life and the implementation of empowering change and actions. Though yet again we celebrate women of the world in the context of unmet Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - and in particular MDG 3 on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme – Equality for Women is Progress for All – states a simple truth.  No country will reach its full potential if its female citizens do not enjoy full equality.  As the 2015 end date of the Millennium Development Goals nears, and as discussion on the next global development agenda intensifies, there is strong momentum for achieving development with equity, including by eradicating gender inequality and empowering women and girls.

A one point five percentage point (1.5) increase in 2013 of the global average of women members of parliament (MPs) marks a significant and encouraging trend that could lead to gender parity within 20 years if fully capitalized upon, says the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).