At a seminar on the way forward for an enforceable gender quota and strategies for implementing Elections Law 4.5 b and c, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor stressed that without a good financial backing, women will find it difficult to remain in politics.

Motoralivoa Hilda Lini stands at the front door of Vanuatu’s parliament, wearing an elegant pink dress and customary pig tusks on her wrists, signifying her chiefly status. When the Guardian apologises for being late, because we had been waiting on the street unaware it was possible to simply walk into Parliament House, she replies: “Hemia ples blong yumi evriwan” – this place is for everyone.

Except it isn’t. At least not at the moment.

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, a group of civil society organizations, led by women’s rights groups and networks assembled outside the National Elections Commission (NEC’s) headquarters in Sinkor and released a communique calling for reform on New Elections Law Section 4.5 (b) and (c).

In October 2020, Brazilians will head to the polls to elect new mayors and city counselors in thousands of municipalities across the country. For the first time in history, Brazil’s thirty-five individual political parties will be required by law to allocate at least 30 percent of their campaign funding toward the election of women candidates.

Press Release

Geneva, Switzerland and New York City, USA – 10 March 15:00 CET/10:00 ET

In 2018, several feminist groups in Pakistan organized marches under the banner of ‘Hum Auratien’ or simply Aurat (‘We Women’ in Urdu) in time for International Women’s Day on 8 March.

“Gender in this race?” Senator Elizabeth Warren said outside her home on Thursday. “You know that is the trap question for every woman. If you say, ‘Yeah! There was sexism in this race,’ everyone says, ‘Whiner!’ And if you say, ‘No, there was no sexism, about a bazillion women think, ‘What planet do you live on?’”

She added: “I promise you this. I will have a lot more to say on that subject later on.”

To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, there will be worldwide marches, parades, protests and public awareness activities on the contributions of women and the barriers and discrimination they still face.

Almost 90% of people are biased against women, according to a new index that highlights the “shocking” extent of the global backlash towards gender equality.

Despite progress in closing the equality gap, 91% of men and 86% of women hold at least one bias against women in relation to politics, economics, education, violence or reproductive rights.