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The Office of International IDEA to the European Union organized on 7 December 2018, a Roundtable discussion on ”Political empowerment of women through ICTs”, with the support of the Canadian Mission to the European Union. The aim of the event was to share experiences and views on the availability and use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) tools to advance the political empowerment of women. Challenges related to online and digital activities in the field, opportunities for the gendering of ICT tools and the role of social media and digital service as regards the fostering of women’s access to and effective political leadership were among the discussed aspects.

“We can make real progress on women’s empowerment and equal rights when it becomes the centerpiece of all our work.” H.E. Daniel Costello, Canadian Ambassador to the European Union, referring to the Canadian feminist international agenda

After welcoming participants, H.E. Mr Daniel Costello (Ambassador of Canada to the European Union) provided some highlights of Canada’s feminist international policy[1], and the need for increased efforts towards equal representation, gender budgeting, and addressing online violence against women. Andrew Bradley (Director and Head of the Office of International IDEA to the EU) referred to challenges to democracy impacting women and minorities, and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they provide guidance to promote inclusive democracy. He also raised the need for supporting policies to address the so-called ‘digital divide’ affecting women, and especially women in minority groups.

Barbara Hellfrich (European Consultant on Gender and Environment at GenderFivePlus) introduced the topic by presenting a Roundtable paper on the availability of ICTs for political empowerment of women, their use by political parties and the potential role of ICTs for stakeholders working on related objectives. The paper was commissioned with GenderFivePlus by the Office of International IDEA to the EU, in the framework of its programme on equality and the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Research in the framework of the project showed that while a large number of gender-neutral ICT tools are available and used for political campaigning and outreach to supporters and citizens, few of them have a gender dimension. It also revealed that strategies for the political empowerment of women, however, rarely target ICTs beyond a conventional use, due to a lack of resources, expertise or training. The study included several cases of successful political campaigns supported by ICT tools, to inspire actions and initiatives serving women’s political empowerment and draw a set of recommendations.

Ingeborg Van der Stighelen (Amazone Crossroads of Gender Equality) highlighted the historic role of the Belgian Vrouwenraad in lifting formal barriers for women on politics, and a recent major focus on lifting informal barriers. She explained that ICT tools could help to create awareness of important actors, to design and implement effective campaigns, and to reach the grassroots levels. Stakeholder organizations however often lack capacity to search for adequate supporting ICTs. Van der Stighelen therefore called on stakeholders to support ICT strategies and training. 

Juliana Santos Wahlgren (Senior Advocacy and Network Development Officer from ENAR European Network against Racism) pointed at the opportunities that ICTs can offer to connect with all minorities and shared a few examples of impactful online campaigns. She held that online violence against women should be a priority of policymakers, as women receive threatening or abusive email messages far more often than men. ENAR developed organizational approaches to gender alignment and intersectionality, to engage all groups of women and address multiple discriminations of women.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Alan Bowman (Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head of Canadian Mission to the European Union), who pointed at the need for gender-budgeting and invited participants to link the recommendations with various policy levels and to reflect on possible ways to address the challenges of online violence against women, such as the development of efficient algorithms and codes of conduct.

Participants emphasized the importance of education to address gender stereotypes and foster equal political participation, and of involving boys and men more actively in gender equality objectives. There was unanimous support for increased workshops on ICT threats and opportunities, online toolkits and trainings. ICTs were also described as playing an essential role in relaying, challenging and reshaping perceptions of women in politics. Some examples of ICT driven initiatives were mentioned, among which the EU-supported Get-Up initiative of ALDA (European Association for Local Democracy) and partners, focused on delivering Gender Equality Training to overcome unfair discrimination practices in education and labour market, and including an online game tool. Participants called on political leadership to take a more active and prominent role on gender equality, including female leaders. It was mentioned that setbacks can sometimes galvanize a new civil society engagement, like the election of the current President of the United States triggered reactions worldwide and impactful online campaigns fostering women’s rights. It was also discussed that at the EU level, many steps still need to be taken to achieve equal participation and representation of women. Many participants agreed on the need to increase the number of elected women in the European Parliament. Political parties were seen as “gatekeepers” with a key role in nurturing and ensuring women’s political empowerment. In this light, ALDE Party launched the European Women’s Academy some years ago focusing on training of female candidates.

Participants concluded that more research is needed on gendering ICTs in support of enhanced political participation of women. More research would be useful to reveal the ICT needs of women candidates and women’s organizations, and inspire the development of ICTs in support of a better access of women to political leadership. The use of ICT tools could also help to overcome cultural and social barriers, and reach groups that have never been involved with gender equality before. Decision-makers and service providers should combat online violence against women effectively and media reporting should be more gender bias free.

The Roundtable is derived from the programmatic activity on “Equality as a Vector for Accountable Governance” of the Office of International IDEA to the European Union, building on past projects related to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The Office would like to acknowledge the Canadian Mission to the EU and Ms Nadine Thwaites (Political Officer, Canadian Mission to the EU) for the support and input to the programme and report.

Source: International IDEA.

The Office of International IDEA to the European Union organized on 7 December 2018, a Roundtable discussion on ”Political empowerment of women through ICTs”, with the support of the Canadian Mission to the European Union. The aim of the event was to share experiences and views on the availability and use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) tools to advance the political empowerment of women. Challenges related to online and digital activities in the field, opportunities for the gendering of ICT tools and the role of social media and digital service as regards the fostering of women’s access to and effective political leadership were among the discussed aspects.

“We can make real progress on women’s empowerment and equal rights when it becomes the centerpiece of all our work.” H.E. Daniel Costello, Canadian Ambassador to the European Union, referring to the Canadian feminist international agenda

After welcoming participants, H.E. Mr Daniel Costello (Ambassador of Canada to the European Union) provided some highlights of Canada’s feminist international policy[1], and the need for increased efforts towards equal representation, gender budgeting, and addressing online violence against women. Andrew Bradley (Director and Head of the Office of International IDEA to the EU) referred to challenges to democracy impacting women and minorities, and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they provide guidance to promote inclusive democracy. He also raised the need for supporting policies to address the so-called ‘digital divide’ affecting women, and especially women in minority groups.

Barbara Hellfrich (European Consultant on Gender and Environment at GenderFivePlus) introduced the topic by presenting a Roundtable paper on the availability of ICTs for political empowerment of women, their use by political parties and the potential role of ICTs for stakeholders working on related objectives. The paper was commissioned with GenderFivePlus by the Office of International IDEA to the EU, in the framework of its programme on equality and the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Research in the framework of the project showed that while a large number of gender-neutral ICT tools are available and used for political campaigning and outreach to supporters and citizens, few of them have a gender dimension. It also revealed that strategies for the political empowerment of women, however, rarely target ICTs beyond a conventional use, due to a lack of resources, expertise or training. The study included several cases of successful political campaigns supported by ICT tools, to inspire actions and initiatives serving women’s political empowerment and draw a set of recommendations.

Ingeborg Van der Stighelen (Amazone Crossroads of Gender Equality) highlighted the historic role of the Belgian Vrouwenraad in lifting formal barriers for women on politics, and a recent major focus on lifting informal barriers. She explained that ICT tools could help to create awareness of important actors, to design and implement effective campaigns, and to reach the grassroots levels. Stakeholder organizations however often lack capacity to search for adequate supporting ICTs. Van der Stighelen therefore called on stakeholders to support ICT strategies and training. 

Juliana Santos Wahlgren (Senior Advocacy and Network Development Officer from ENAR European Network against Racism) pointed at the opportunities that ICTs can offer to connect with all minorities and shared a few examples of impactful online campaigns. She held that online violence against women should be a priority of policymakers, as women receive threatening or abusive email messages far more often than men. ENAR developed organizational approaches to gender alignment and intersectionality, to engage all groups of women and address multiple discriminations of women.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Alan Bowman (Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head of Canadian Mission to the European Union), who pointed at the need for gender-budgeting and invited participants to link the recommendations with various policy levels and to reflect on possible ways to address the challenges of online violence against women, such as the development of efficient algorithms and codes of conduct.

Participants emphasized the importance of education to address gender stereotypes and foster equal political participation, and of involving boys and men more actively in gender equality objectives. There was unanimous support for increased workshops on ICT threats and opportunities, online toolkits and trainings. ICTs were also described as playing an essential role in relaying, challenging and reshaping perceptions of women in politics. Some examples of ICT driven initiatives were mentioned, among which the EU-supported Get-Up initiative of ALDA (European Association for Local Democracy) and partners, focused on delivering Gender Equality Training to overcome unfair discrimination practices in education and labour market, and including an online game tool. Participants called on political leadership to take a more active and prominent role on gender equality, including female leaders. It was mentioned that setbacks can sometimes galvanize a new civil society engagement, like the election of the current President of the United States triggered reactions worldwide and impactful online campaigns fostering women’s rights. It was also discussed that at the EU level, many steps still need to be taken to achieve equal participation and representation of women. Many participants agreed on the need to increase the number of elected women in the European Parliament. Political parties were seen as “gatekeepers” with a key role in nurturing and ensuring women’s political empowerment. In this light, ALDE Party launched the European Women’s Academy some years ago focusing on training of female candidates.

Participants concluded that more research is needed on gendering ICTs in support of enhanced political participation of women. More research would be useful to reveal the ICT needs of women candidates and women’s organizations, and inspire the development of ICTs in support of a better access of women to political leadership. The use of ICT tools could also help to overcome cultural and social barriers, and reach groups that have never been involved with gender equality before. Decision-makers and service providers should combat online violence against women effectively and media reporting should be more gender bias free.

The Roundtable is derived from the programmatic activity on “Equality as a Vector for Accountable Governance” of the Office of International IDEA to the European Union, building on past projects related to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The Office would like to acknowledge the Canadian Mission to the EU and Ms Nadine Thwaites (Political Officer, Canadian Mission to the EU) for the support and input to the programme and report.

Source: International IDEA.

The Office of International IDEA to the European Union organized on 7 December 2018, a Roundtable discussion on ”Political empowerment of women through ICTs”, with the support of the Canadian Mission to the European Union. The aim of the event was to share experiences and views on the availability and use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) tools to advance the political empowerment of women. Challenges related to online and digital activities in the field, opportunities for the gendering of ICT tools and the role of social media and digital service as regards the fostering of women’s access to and effective political leadership were among the discussed aspects.

“We can make real progress on women’s empowerment and equal rights when it becomes the centerpiece of all our work.” H.E. Daniel Costello, Canadian Ambassador to the European Union, referring to the Canadian feminist international agenda

After welcoming participants, H.E. Mr Daniel Costello (Ambassador of Canada to the European Union) provided some highlights of Canada’s feminist international policy[1], and the need for increased efforts towards equal representation, gender budgeting, and addressing online violence against women. Andrew Bradley (Director and Head of the Office of International IDEA to the EU) referred to challenges to democracy impacting women and minorities, and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they provide guidance to promote inclusive democracy. He also raised the need for supporting policies to address the so-called ‘digital divide’ affecting women, and especially women in minority groups.

Barbara Hellfrich (European Consultant on Gender and Environment at GenderFivePlus) introduced the topic by presenting a Roundtable paper on the availability of ICTs for political empowerment of women, their use by political parties and the potential role of ICTs for stakeholders working on related objectives. The paper was commissioned with GenderFivePlus by the Office of International IDEA to the EU, in the framework of its programme on equality and the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Research in the framework of the project showed that while a large number of gender-neutral ICT tools are available and used for political campaigning and outreach to supporters and citizens, few of them have a gender dimension. It also revealed that strategies for the political empowerment of women, however, rarely target ICTs beyond a conventional use, due to a lack of resources, expertise or training. The study included several cases of successful political campaigns supported by ICT tools, to inspire actions and initiatives serving women’s political empowerment and draw a set of recommendations.

Ingeborg Van der Stighelen (Amazone Crossroads of Gender Equality) highlighted the historic role of the Belgian Vrouwenraad in lifting formal barriers for women on politics, and a recent major focus on lifting informal barriers. She explained that ICT tools could help to create awareness of important actors, to design and implement effective campaigns, and to reach the grassroots levels. Stakeholder organizations however often lack capacity to search for adequate supporting ICTs. Van der Stighelen therefore called on stakeholders to support ICT strategies and training. 

Juliana Santos Wahlgren (Senior Advocacy and Network Development Officer from ENAR European Network against Racism) pointed at the opportunities that ICTs can offer to connect with all minorities and shared a few examples of impactful online campaigns. She held that online violence against women should be a priority of policymakers, as women receive threatening or abusive email messages far more often than men. ENAR developed organizational approaches to gender alignment and intersectionality, to engage all groups of women and address multiple discriminations of women.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Alan Bowman (Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head of Canadian Mission to the European Union), who pointed at the need for gender-budgeting and invited participants to link the recommendations with various policy levels and to reflect on possible ways to address the challenges of online violence against women, such as the development of efficient algorithms and codes of conduct.

Participants emphasized the importance of education to address gender stereotypes and foster equal political participation, and of involving boys and men more actively in gender equality objectives. There was unanimous support for increased workshops on ICT threats and opportunities, online toolkits and trainings. ICTs were also described as playing an essential role in relaying, challenging and reshaping perceptions of women in politics. Some examples of ICT driven initiatives were mentioned, among which the EU-supported Get-Up initiative of ALDA (European Association for Local Democracy) and partners, focused on delivering Gender Equality Training to overcome unfair discrimination practices in education and labour market, and including an online game tool. Participants called on political leadership to take a more active and prominent role on gender equality, including female leaders. It was mentioned that setbacks can sometimes galvanize a new civil society engagement, like the election of the current President of the United States triggered reactions worldwide and impactful online campaigns fostering women’s rights. It was also discussed that at the EU level, many steps still need to be taken to achieve equal participation and representation of women. Many participants agreed on the need to increase the number of elected women in the European Parliament. Political parties were seen as “gatekeepers” with a key role in nurturing and ensuring women’s political empowerment. In this light, ALDE Party launched the European Women’s Academy some years ago focusing on training of female candidates.

Participants concluded that more research is needed on gendering ICTs in support of enhanced political participation of women. More research would be useful to reveal the ICT needs of women candidates and women’s organizations, and inspire the development of ICTs in support of a better access of women to political leadership. The use of ICT tools could also help to overcome cultural and social barriers, and reach groups that have never been involved with gender equality before. Decision-makers and service providers should combat online violence against women effectively and media reporting should be more gender bias free.

The Roundtable is derived from the programmatic activity on “Equality as a Vector for Accountable Governance” of the Office of International IDEA to the European Union, building on past projects related to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The Office would like to acknowledge the Canadian Mission to the EU and Ms Nadine Thwaites (Political Officer, Canadian Mission to the EU) for the support and input to the programme and report.

Source: International IDEA.

The Office of International IDEA to the European Union organized on 7 December 2018, a Roundtable discussion on ”Political empowerment of women through ICTs”, with the support of the Canadian Mission to the European Union. The aim of the event was to share experiences and views on the availability and use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) tools to advance the political empowerment of women. Challenges related to online and digital activities in the field, opportunities for the gendering of ICT tools and the role of social media and digital service as regards the fostering of women’s access to and effective political leadership were among the discussed aspects.

“We can make real progress on women’s empowerment and equal rights when it becomes the centerpiece of all our work.” H.E. Daniel Costello, Canadian Ambassador to the European Union, referring to the Canadian feminist international agenda

After welcoming participants, H.E. Mr Daniel Costello (Ambassador of Canada to the European Union) provided some highlights of Canada’s feminist international policy[1], and the need for increased efforts towards equal representation, gender budgeting, and addressing online violence against women. Andrew Bradley (Director and Head of the Office of International IDEA to the EU) referred to challenges to democracy impacting women and minorities, and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they provide guidance to promote inclusive democracy. He also raised the need for supporting policies to address the so-called ‘digital divide’ affecting women, and especially women in minority groups.

Barbara Hellfrich (European Consultant on Gender and Environment at GenderFivePlus) introduced the topic by presenting a Roundtable paper on the availability of ICTs for political empowerment of women, their use by political parties and the potential role of ICTs for stakeholders working on related objectives. The paper was commissioned with GenderFivePlus by the Office of International IDEA to the EU, in the framework of its programme on equality and the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Research in the framework of the project showed that while a large number of gender-neutral ICT tools are available and used for political campaigning and outreach to supporters and citizens, few of them have a gender dimension. It also revealed that strategies for the political empowerment of women, however, rarely target ICTs beyond a conventional use, due to a lack of resources, expertise or training. The study included several cases of successful political campaigns supported by ICT tools, to inspire actions and initiatives serving women’s political empowerment and draw a set of recommendations.

Ingeborg Van der Stighelen (Amazone Crossroads of Gender Equality) highlighted the historic role of the Belgian Vrouwenraad in lifting formal barriers for women on politics, and a recent major focus on lifting informal barriers. She explained that ICT tools could help to create awareness of important actors, to design and implement effective campaigns, and to reach the grassroots levels. Stakeholder organizations however often lack capacity to search for adequate supporting ICTs. Van der Stighelen therefore called on stakeholders to support ICT strategies and training. 

Juliana Santos Wahlgren (Senior Advocacy and Network Development Officer from ENAR European Network against Racism) pointed at the opportunities that ICTs can offer to connect with all minorities and shared a few examples of impactful online campaigns. She held that online violence against women should be a priority of policymakers, as women receive threatening or abusive email messages far more often than men. ENAR developed organizational approaches to gender alignment and intersectionality, to engage all groups of women and address multiple discriminations of women.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Alan Bowman (Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head of Canadian Mission to the European Union), who pointed at the need for gender-budgeting and invited participants to link the recommendations with various policy levels and to reflect on possible ways to address the challenges of online violence against women, such as the development of efficient algorithms and codes of conduct.

Participants emphasized the importance of education to address gender stereotypes and foster equal political participation, and of involving boys and men more actively in gender equality objectives. There was unanimous support for increased workshops on ICT threats and opportunities, online toolkits and trainings. ICTs were also described as playing an essential role in relaying, challenging and reshaping perceptions of women in politics. Some examples of ICT driven initiatives were mentioned, among which the EU-supported Get-Up initiative of ALDA (European Association for Local Democracy) and partners, focused on delivering Gender Equality Training to overcome unfair discrimination practices in education and labour market, and including an online game tool. Participants called on political leadership to take a more active and prominent role on gender equality, including female leaders. It was mentioned that setbacks can sometimes galvanize a new civil society engagement, like the election of the current President of the United States triggered reactions worldwide and impactful online campaigns fostering women’s rights. It was also discussed that at the EU level, many steps still need to be taken to achieve equal participation and representation of women. Many participants agreed on the need to increase the number of elected women in the European Parliament. Political parties were seen as “gatekeepers” with a key role in nurturing and ensuring women’s political empowerment. In this light, ALDE Party launched the European Women’s Academy some years ago focusing on training of female candidates.

Participants concluded that more research is needed on gendering ICTs in support of enhanced political participation of women. More research would be useful to reveal the ICT needs of women candidates and women’s organizations, and inspire the development of ICTs in support of a better access of women to political leadership. The use of ICT tools could also help to overcome cultural and social barriers, and reach groups that have never been involved with gender equality before. Decision-makers and service providers should combat online violence against women effectively and media reporting should be more gender bias free.

The Roundtable is derived from the programmatic activity on “Equality as a Vector for Accountable Governance” of the Office of International IDEA to the European Union, building on past projects related to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The Office would like to acknowledge the Canadian Mission to the EU and Ms Nadine Thwaites (Political Officer, Canadian Mission to the EU) for the support and input to the programme and report.

Source: International IDEA.

By Adam Taylor,

The United States has never had more women in Congress than it does now. As of last week, when the 116th Congress was sworn in, 23.7 percent of the 535 members of Congress are women — roughly a quarter of the Senate and 23.4 percent of the House of Representatives.

While that’s an all-time high for the United States, it’s still far from representative: The U.S. Census Bureau says that 51.6 percent of voting-age Americans are women. And on the world stage, many countries have much higher proportions of female lawmakers in their legislatures.

According to recent data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the country with the highest percentage of female lawmakers is Rwanda, where the lower house of parliament is currently 61.3 percent female. It is followed by two Latin American countries: Cuba, where the lower house is 53.2 percent female and Bolivia, where it’s 53.1 percent female. The United States' neighbor, Mexico, is next on the list with 48.2 percent.

The United States also lags behind most other major Western democracies, including France (39.6 percent), Britain (32 percent) and Germany (30.7 percent). It would sit in 74th place in the latest IPU rankings, sandwiched between Bulgaria and Cabo Verde.

Of course, these are all countries with different political systems. Cuba and China, for example, don’t meet many people’s definitions of a democracy. The United States, meanwhile, is quite unusual in that the two chambers of its national legislature are roughly equal in stature (and at this point, roughly equal in gender equality).

Click here to read the full article published by The Washington Post on 8 January 2019.

By Adam Taylor,

The United States has never had more women in Congress than it does now. As of last week, when the 116th Congress was sworn in, 23.7 percent of the 535 members of Congress are women — roughly a quarter of the Senate and 23.4 percent of the House of Representatives.

While that’s an all-time high for the United States, it’s still far from representative: The U.S. Census Bureau says that 51.6 percent of voting-age Americans are women. And on the world stage, many countries have much higher proportions of female lawmakers in their legislatures.

According to recent data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the country with the highest percentage of female lawmakers is Rwanda, where the lower house of parliament is currently 61.3 percent female. It is followed by two Latin American countries: Cuba, where the lower house is 53.2 percent female and Bolivia, where it’s 53.1 percent female. The United States' neighbor, Mexico, is next on the list with 48.2 percent.

The United States also lags behind most other major Western democracies, including France (39.6 percent), Britain (32 percent) and Germany (30.7 percent). It would sit in 74th place in the latest IPU rankings, sandwiched between Bulgaria and Cabo Verde.

Of course, these are all countries with different political systems. Cuba and China, for example, don’t meet many people’s definitions of a democracy. The United States, meanwhile, is quite unusual in that the two chambers of its national legislature are roughly equal in stature (and at this point, roughly equal in gender equality).

Click here to read the full article published by The Washington Post on 8 January 2019.

By Adam Taylor,

The United States has never had more women in Congress than it does now. As of last week, when the 116th Congress was sworn in, 23.7 percent of the 535 members of Congress are women — roughly a quarter of the Senate and 23.4 percent of the House of Representatives.

While that’s an all-time high for the United States, it’s still far from representative: The U.S. Census Bureau says that 51.6 percent of voting-age Americans are women. And on the world stage, many countries have much higher proportions of female lawmakers in their legislatures.

According to recent data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the country with the highest percentage of female lawmakers is Rwanda, where the lower house of parliament is currently 61.3 percent female. It is followed by two Latin American countries: Cuba, where the lower house is 53.2 percent female and Bolivia, where it’s 53.1 percent female. The United States' neighbor, Mexico, is next on the list with 48.2 percent.

The United States also lags behind most other major Western democracies, including France (39.6 percent), Britain (32 percent) and Germany (30.7 percent). It would sit in 74th place in the latest IPU rankings, sandwiched between Bulgaria and Cabo Verde.

Of course, these are all countries with different political systems. Cuba and China, for example, don’t meet many people’s definitions of a democracy. The United States, meanwhile, is quite unusual in that the two chambers of its national legislature are roughly equal in stature (and at this point, roughly equal in gender equality).

Click here to read the full article published by The Washington Post on 8 January 2019.

By Adam Taylor,

The United States has never had more women in Congress than it does now. As of last week, when the 116th Congress was sworn in, 23.7 percent of the 535 members of Congress are women — roughly a quarter of the Senate and 23.4 percent of the House of Representatives.

While that’s an all-time high for the United States, it’s still far from representative: The U.S. Census Bureau says that 51.6 percent of voting-age Americans are women. And on the world stage, many countries have much higher proportions of female lawmakers in their legislatures.

According to recent data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the country with the highest percentage of female lawmakers is Rwanda, where the lower house of parliament is currently 61.3 percent female. It is followed by two Latin American countries: Cuba, where the lower house is 53.2 percent female and Bolivia, where it’s 53.1 percent female. The United States' neighbor, Mexico, is next on the list with 48.2 percent.

The United States also lags behind most other major Western democracies, including France (39.6 percent), Britain (32 percent) and Germany (30.7 percent). It would sit in 74th place in the latest IPU rankings, sandwiched between Bulgaria and Cabo Verde.

Of course, these are all countries with different political systems. Cuba and China, for example, don’t meet many people’s definitions of a democracy. The United States, meanwhile, is quite unusual in that the two chambers of its national legislature are roughly equal in stature (and at this point, roughly equal in gender equality).

Click here to read the full article published by The Washington Post on 8 January 2019.

The UK Gender Sensitive Parliament Audit, published today, finds that steady progress has been made in increasing the representation of women in both Houses of Parliament, but there are still too many barriers to women standing as MPs or putting themselves forward to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The audit was facilitated by the IPU and supported by the British Group IPU. It was carried out according to the IPU’s Plan of Action for Gender-Sensitive Parliaments and toolkit to evaluate gender sensitivity in parliaments.

The audit found that the percentage of female MPs has risen from 18.2% to 32% since 1997 while the percentage of women in the House of Lords has gone from 7.1% to 26.1% in the same period.  It identified four barriers that may make it harder for women to become MPs or Members of the House of Lords:

• the culture of Parliament, as highlighted in recent reports of bullying and harassment, and sexual harassment;
• online threats and threats to physical security, in particular gender-based intimidation, harassment and violence against female Parliamentarians and female candidates;
• the challenges that working in Parliament poses for family life, including the unpredictability of business and potential long hours;
• the financial impact of standing for Parliament.

The audit also drew on the IPU’s recent report on Sexism, Harassment and Violence against Women in Parliaments in Europe, published in partnership with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

An action plan following the audit report is expected in February next year outlining the actions that Parliament authorities propose to take in response to the report’s findings and recommendations.

Source: IPU.

The UK Gender Sensitive Parliament Audit, published today, finds that steady progress has been made in increasing the representation of women in both Houses of Parliament, but there are still too many barriers to women standing as MPs or putting themselves forward to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The audit was facilitated by the IPU and supported by the British Group IPU. It was carried out according to the IPU’s Plan of Action for Gender-Sensitive Parliaments and toolkit to evaluate gender sensitivity in parliaments.

The audit found that the percentage of female MPs has risen from 18.2% to 32% since 1997 while the percentage of women in the House of Lords has gone from 7.1% to 26.1% in the same period.  It identified four barriers that may make it harder for women to become MPs or Members of the House of Lords:

• the culture of Parliament, as highlighted in recent reports of bullying and harassment, and sexual harassment;
• online threats and threats to physical security, in particular gender-based intimidation, harassment and violence against female Parliamentarians and female candidates;
• the challenges that working in Parliament poses for family life, including the unpredictability of business and potential long hours;
• the financial impact of standing for Parliament.

The audit also drew on the IPU’s recent report on Sexism, Harassment and Violence against Women in Parliaments in Europe, published in partnership with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

An action plan following the audit report is expected in February next year outlining the actions that Parliament authorities propose to take in response to the report’s findings and recommendations.

Source: IPU.

The UK Gender Sensitive Parliament Audit, published today, finds that steady progress has been made in increasing the representation of women in both Houses of Parliament, but there are still too many barriers to women standing as MPs or putting themselves forward to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The audit was facilitated by the IPU and supported by the British Group IPU. It was carried out according to the IPU’s Plan of Action for Gender-Sensitive Parliaments and toolkit to evaluate gender sensitivity in parliaments.

The audit found that the percentage of female MPs has risen from 18.2% to 32% since 1997 while the percentage of women in the House of Lords has gone from 7.1% to 26.1% in the same period.  It identified four barriers that may make it harder for women to become MPs or Members of the House of Lords:

• the culture of Parliament, as highlighted in recent reports of bullying and harassment, and sexual harassment;
• online threats and threats to physical security, in particular gender-based intimidation, harassment and violence against female Parliamentarians and female candidates;
• the challenges that working in Parliament poses for family life, including the unpredictability of business and potential long hours;
• the financial impact of standing for Parliament.

The audit also drew on the IPU’s recent report on Sexism, Harassment and Violence against Women in Parliaments in Europe, published in partnership with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

An action plan following the audit report is expected in February next year outlining the actions that Parliament authorities propose to take in response to the report’s findings and recommendations.

Source: IPU.

The UK Gender Sensitive Parliament Audit, published today, finds that steady progress has been made in increasing the representation of women in both Houses of Parliament, but there are still too many barriers to women standing as MPs or putting themselves forward to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The audit was facilitated by the IPU and supported by the British Group IPU. It was carried out according to the IPU’s Plan of Action for Gender-Sensitive Parliaments and toolkit to evaluate gender sensitivity in parliaments.

The audit found that the percentage of female MPs has risen from 18.2% to 32% since 1997 while the percentage of women in the House of Lords has gone from 7.1% to 26.1% in the same period.  It identified four barriers that may make it harder for women to become MPs or Members of the House of Lords:

• the culture of Parliament, as highlighted in recent reports of bullying and harassment, and sexual harassment;
• online threats and threats to physical security, in particular gender-based intimidation, harassment and violence against female Parliamentarians and female candidates;
• the challenges that working in Parliament poses for family life, including the unpredictability of business and potential long hours;
• the financial impact of standing for Parliament.

The audit also drew on the IPU’s recent report on Sexism, Harassment and Violence against Women in Parliaments in Europe, published in partnership with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

An action plan following the audit report is expected in February next year outlining the actions that Parliament authorities propose to take in response to the report’s findings and recommendations.

Source: IPU.

The UK Gender Sensitive Parliament Audit, published today, finds that steady progress has been made in increasing the representation of women in both Houses of Parliament, but there are still too many barriers to women standing as MPs or putting themselves forward to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The audit was facilitated by the IPU and supported by the British Group IPU. It was carried out according to the IPU’s Plan of Action for Gender-Sensitive Parliaments and toolkit to evaluate gender sensitivity in parliaments.

The audit found that the percentage of female MPs has risen from 18.2% to 32% since 1997 while the percentage of women in the House of Lords has gone from 7.1% to 26.1% in the same period.  It identified four barriers that may make it harder for women to become MPs or Members of the House of Lords:

• the culture of Parliament, as highlighted in recent reports of bullying and harassment, and sexual harassment;
• online threats and threats to physical security, in particular gender-based intimidation, harassment and violence against female Parliamentarians and female candidates;
• the challenges that working in Parliament poses for family life, including the unpredictability of business and potential long hours;
• the financial impact of standing for Parliament.

The audit also drew on the IPU’s recent report on Sexism, Harassment and Violence against Women in Parliaments in Europe, published in partnership with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

An action plan following the audit report is expected in February next year outlining the actions that Parliament authorities propose to take in response to the report’s findings and recommendations.

Source: IPU.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.

This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico -  is not a major world power.

She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.

Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives  promote the presence of women in the private sector.This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.

Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.

Click here to read the full article published by Gulf Times on 18 December 2018.