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More than five hundred women leaders from five continents participated in the Fifth Meeting of Spanish and African Women for a Better World, hosted by the Government of Spain in Valencia on 27-28 March, with support from UNIFEM.

In Bangladesh, traditional gender roles keep most women from gaining political power. A recent forum, "Celebrating Women's Leadership in Bangladesh," brought together female MPs and other Bangladeshi women with political aspirations to inspire and encourage them to run for office and to work together across party lines to increase women's political participation in the country.The Bangladesh Alliance for Women Leadership (BDAWL), an organization of prominent women leaders, hosted the November meeting, which was prompted by a visit to Bangladesh from Melanne Verveer, U.S.

Democratic and economic transitions and development in the UNDP Europe and CIS region have taken place in the post-Soviet era without the full participation of a major segment of the population—women. The lack of participation by women weakens their position in political life and their social and economic prospects says a new publication by the United Nations Development Programme, issued on International Women’s Day, March 8.

Madrid — The Government of Spain and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) today signed a three-year Strategic Partnership Framework for approximately EUR 32 million to promote gender equality worldwide. The agreement was signed by Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Inés Alberdi, UNIFEM’s Executive Director, at the Spanish Parliament. The ceremony was attended by high-level dignitaries including Bibiana Aído, Spain’s Minister for Equality.

Earlier this month, Timor-Leste approved its first domestic violence law, eight years after it was initially drafted. The legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor of the law, with 30 votes in favor and three abstentions. Domestic violence is widespread in TImor-Leste, but is severely underreported. Most cases of domestic violence are resolved through traditional practices like the perpetrator paying a fine to the victim's father.

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With one-third women in the Constituent Assembly (CA), the gender issues are likely to get prominence not only in the Constitution, but also in the state mechanism. However, women leaders still believe that their participation in the CA is only a foundation to build a gender equal society and that continuous efforts are required to keep this on the right track.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance— International IDEA is an intergovernmental organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide. Its objective is to strengthen democratic institutions and processes. IDEA is looking to hire an IT Manager based in Stockholm, Sweden. Application deadline: 11 July 2010. Please note that applications must be sent in English. To send the application please click here on or before 11 July 2010.

The Head of Strategic Planning and Results-Based Management is a position of very high significance to International IDEA’s strategy and its implementation. Established within the context of International IDEA’s new results-based management system, the Head of SP/RBM will, on behalf of the Secretary-General and with his authority, manage the execution of three out of the five RBM processes owned by the S-G (Strategy Development, Institutional Planning and Budgeting and System Administration Processes).

The Senior Advisor will be stationed at Headquarters, Stockholm Sweden  under the direct supervision of the Director of Global Programmes and work with the entire institute to address diversity issues and bring in the diversity perspective in global, regional and country programmes.

Application deadline 18 July 2010 

Location Stockholm, Sweden

Click here to Send application