(Tokyo, 27 June)—In the lead up to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+25) and UN Women’s ground-breaking campaign commemorating the anniversary, “Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights for an equal future”, UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, today called upon global parliamentarians to build on the experiences and best practices from Member States on how to achieve a gender equal world via legislation and parliamentary work.

The new-look European Parliament includes the youngest person ever to sit as an MEP.

Kira Peter-Hansen, from Denmark, is just 21 and was still studying at university when she was elected.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live's Up All Night "even the interns are at least two years older than me".

Women represent 20 percent of Congress, 25 percent of state legislature seats and 12 percent of governorships. They hold 24 percent of statewide elected offices, such as attorney general and lieutenant governor. While women have proven that they can raise money and win elections at comparable, if not higher, rates than men, too few women run for office at all.

“The opportunities for the next president are enormous. We can show worldwide leadership.”

— Senator Elizabeth Warren, on whether it’s possible for the next president to help stop climate change.

This week’s Democratic debates were historic: They mark the first time ever that more than one woman candidate was onstage at a US presidential debate.

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom has said that Nigeria currently ranked 181 out of 193 countries polled in terms women’s participation in politics.

Dr Joy Onyesoh, Country Director, WILPF Nigeria, said this on Thursday in Abuja.

The lack of female federal MPs could be due in part to women being held back from climbing the political staffer career ladder, says the author of a study that reveals women start lower in the staffer hierarchy and progress at a slower rate than men.

The Australian National University study looked at staff phone directories from 1979 to 2010 - which list employees' job titles - to track the career progression of men and women in government political offices.