Women constituted only eight per cent of the total 2,823 candidates in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections, with political activists saying it reflects a deeper issue of gender bias and that talk of women's empowerment rings hollow.

There were 135 women candidates in the first phase of the elections and 100 in the second phase, bringing the combined total for the first two phases to 235.

Political party representatives were put in the hot seat during IOL’s Elections Panel Discussion on Wednesday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in uMhlanga when asked why there are fewer women in politics, especially in leadership positions.

Vientiane (VNA) – Vietnamese and Lao female lawmakers on April 25 shared their experience in politics at a workshop in the northern Lao province of Luang Prabang.

In her opening remarks, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA)’s Social Affairs Committee Nguyen Thuy Anh said the workshop offers an opportunity for them to tighten their bonds.

UN Women, on Wednesday tasked media practitioners and organisations to empower the female gender and promote its participation in politics.

They made the call at the 2024 UN Women Nigeria Media Forum on “Escalating Media Action for Women’s Empowerment” in Abuja.

Ms Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the call was necessary to reverse the poor representation of women in both elective and appointed positions in the country.

Gender-based violence has crept up in the digital era in the form of online violence against women and girls, especially affecting women with political ambitions. Part of this violence entails gendered disinformation. This form of disinformation uses gender stereotypes to attack women and influence debates by promoting certain political, social or economic goals.