Call for Abstracts - African Women in Power/Politics

Call for Abstracts
The African Women's Journal Issue 8
"African Women in Power/Politics: Are we Rising?"

While Africa presents some impressive statistics, what are the deeper individual and collective experiences of past, aspiring or current office holders? How do we ensure the numbers translate into effective, gender-responsive, socially just and equitable policies? Is there a defining or ideal model of female leadership by which we evaluate their performance? What are some of the persistent and structural as well as emerging obstacles and challenges women face as they engage in the political arena? How do we engage and transform existing political structures and systems (electoral commissions, political parties etc)? What is a possible forward-looking strategy for ensuring visionary, transformative leadership?

Africa is currently home to three of the world's twelve female heads of state. The only place in the world where parliament is dominated by women is an African country; Rwanda. Uganda boasts the youngest parliamentarian in the world, who became an MP at the age of 19. Several African countries have surpassed the 30% Beijing benchmark of women's representation in legislatures. Additionally, the premier continental body; the African Union Commission is headed for the first time by a woman and has consistently implemented its gender parity policy at the level of Commissioners. These gains have been the result of a number of initiatives, policies, and legal instruments aimed at increasing the number and/or quality of women's representation.

Although much progress has been made, there is still a long way to go in ensuring meaningful and equitable representation of women in the political arena. In some cases, the gains have been reversed. In what context can these reversals in certain countries and at various levels be understood?

While Africa presents some impressive statistics, what are the deeper individual and collective experiences of past, aspiring or current office holders? How do we ensure the numbers translate into effective, gender-responsive, socially just and equitable policies? Is there a defining or ideal model of female leadership by which we evaluate their performance? What are some of the persistent and structural as well as emerging obstacles and challenges women face as they engage in the political arena? How do we engage and transform existing political structures and systems (electoral commissions, political parties etc)? What is a possible forward-looking strategy for ensuring visionary, transformative leadership?The eighth edition of the African Women's Journal seeks to dissect political leadership by African women at all levels. Submissions may wish to focus on stock taking, personal journeys and reflections, comparative analysis, thinking and approaches to political participation and leadership of women, mapping and assessment of existing initiatives to enhance women's leadership in politics and policy impacts/outcomes of women's leadership. Submissions are particularly encouraged from women in or previously in power/politics, those who aspire to positions of political leadership and those who work closely in this area.

For those interested to submit articles, kindly send an ABSTRACT of your article by Friday, May 9th, 2014 to communication@femnet.or.ke copying library@femnet.or.ke. The abstract should be written in English or French and must not be more than 200 words.

You will be notified if your abstract has been selected. Only writers with selected abstracts will be asked to submit a full article, which must be written in English or French and should be between 1,000 to 1,500 words. The article needs to be well researched with clear referencing. Deadline for submission of FULL ARTICLE will be Friday, May 30th 2014. A few of the selected articles will have an opportunity to present at the Women in Political Leadership Convening taking place in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire from November 10-12, 2014.

Please note the following key deadlines:
Abstract should be submitted by 9th May, 2014
Full Article should be submitted by 30th May, 2014

Access previous editions of the African Women's Journal here –our latest ones:

Pan-Africanism & the Women's Movement (Issue 6)
Shaping our Collective Futures: The Africa We Want (Issue 7)