On the heels of Laura Chinchilla's victory in the Costa Rican presidential election and Evo Morales's appointing women to half of his cabinet positions, the Christian Science Monitor has picked up on an interesting trend in South America, increased female participation in the halls of power. South and Central America have also been showing progress down-ballot. The most recent statistics show that, across the region, between 2000 and 2006, the percentage of women legislators increased 35 percent (from 14 to 19 percent). In the United States, women hold only 17 percent of Congressional seats. The world average sits around 18.6 percent. In South American appointed positions for women have like-wise increased, 150 percent from 2000 to 2006.
To read the complete story please visit UN Dispatch.
On the heels of Laura Chinchilla's victory in the Costa Rican presidential election and Evo Morales's appointing women to half of his cabinet positions, the Christian Science Monitor has picked up on an interesting trend in South America, increased female participation in the halls of power. South and Central America have also been showing progress down-ballot. The most recent statistics show that, across the region, between 2000 and 2006, the percentage of women legislators increased 35 percent (from 14 to 19 percent). In the United States, women hold only 17 percent of Congressional seats. The world average sits around 18.6 percent. In South American appointed positions for women have like-wise increased, 150 percent from 2000 to 2006.
To read the complete story please visit UN Dispatch.