When Erin Schrode, then 24, decided to run for Congress in her California district in 2016, she expected to face grueling hours and numerous other challenges, but she never anticipated fending off thousands of abusive online messages.

“One of the first pieces I read was, ‘We're going to laugh with glee while we gang rape you and bash your bagel-eating brains in,’” says Schrode, who is Jewish, recalling the messages she received.

Hundreds of women aspiring for a career in politics will be gathering for a dynamic day at the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Saturday 7 September).

The event has been put together by Scotland's Women Stand, a movement to support and empower women of Scotland to stand for political office.

For the first time in 20 years a woman candidate has been named to contest at the upcoming Presidential Election. Environmentalist Dr. Ajantha Perera being nominated is largely seen as a positive sign for increased women representation in Sri Lankan politics, which remains largely male dominated. 

On July 29th, 2019, Brookings India hosted Sonia Bhalotra for a Development Seminar on Women’s Political Participation and Development. She presented two co-authored papers, “Women Legislators and Economic Performance” (2018)[1] and “Maternal Mortality and Women’s Political Participation” (2018)[2]. The two discussants for the event were Atishi, leader of Aam Aadmi Party and a noted figure in the education sector, and Mudit Kapoor, Associate Professor of Economics at Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi Centre.

The Group of Gender Equality Leaders established by UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces issued a set of recommendations on gender parity in education and access to health services, as well as promoting women’s “full and effective participation.” The Group held its second meeting on the margins of the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), and a summary was released in August.

Across the world, people are making efforts to increase the number of women in government in order to reduce gender disparities and help ensure that the voices and concerns of women are heard.