World News

WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — A woman who joined Namibia’s underground independence movement in the 1970s is a strong contender to become its first female leader as the country voted Wednesday in a presidential election.

As we approach the 2024 election, Women for Election is calling for a crucial shift in Ireland’s political landscape, urging voters in Wexford and Wicklow-Wexford to support the record number of female candidates standing for election.

With a long history of gender imbalance in the Dáil, this election presents a unique opportunity to address this inequality and ensure that women’s voices are more fully represented in the decisions that shape our future.

The Coordinator, Afikpo North East Development Center, Comrade Ibe Immaculata Nnenna has urged women to encourage/support fellow women in office rather than castigate or seek their downfall.

The female politician spoke at a one-day high level multi-stakeholder’s roundtable on improving women’s political participation in Nigeria.

The event was organised by a Civil Society Organisation, Women Aid Collective, in partnership with UN Women, with support from the Government of Canada.

Women are "grossly under-represented" in Irish politics and the political system is "stacked in men's favour", a seminar exploring female representation in local politics has heard. 

Ireland's political system is not female friendly — because it was designed by Victorian men for Victorian men. And it "doesn't suit dads either" it was pointed out at the discussion about the supports available to women in politics, ongoing challenges, and the gender barriers that exist in politics.

As more African nations seek to encourage gender parity in government positions, some African countries are struggling to fully integrate women into the political sphere.

Beyond the ballot box

The election results reflect broader societal patterns affecting advancement in politics and other spheres. Despite increasing representation in various fields, the path to executive positions remains complex. This reality resonates particularly with established professionals who have navigated similar dynamics throughout their careers.

South Sudan UN Women Country Representative Rukaiya Mohammed has underscored the importance of dialogue in empowering women.

Mohammed expressed the sentiments during the three-day inter-generational dialogue on women’s leadership and political participation from East Africa.

The workshop held in Juba created a platform on breaking barriers for women in leadership.