The Americas and the Caribbean

In 1967, Shirley Temple Black ran for Congress in California, attempting to become the first woman in the Golden State’s congressional delegation.

“I think men are fine and here to stay but I have a hunch that it wouldn’t hurt to have a woman’s viewpoint expressed in that delegation of 38 men,” she said, according to an Associated Press dispatch of her press conference. “One congresswoman among 38 congressmen is not unfair, fellows.”

Today’s Cape Cod Times noted the imminent retirement of Senate President Therese Murray and listed two of the leading candidates for her seat, Plymouth state representative Vinnie deMacedo and former Falmouth state representative Matt Patrick.

deMacedo, a Republican, said that “I would like to think that the district wants balance, and I think this is an opportunity to bring some balance to the Senate.”

Jenny Pierce's recent piece about El Salvador on the Inter-American Development Bank's blog, Sin Miedos, questioned where women's voices fit into discussions surrounding the (in)famous gang truce brokered in 2012.

Women’s rights advocates gathered at the Capitol today to renew their call for state legislators to pass the Women’s Equality Act.

Family Planning Advocates of NYS, Planned Parenthood Advocates of NY, along with state legislators spoke about the importance of passing the 10-point Women’s Equality Act, including the provision that strengthens abortion rights in New York, Gannett’s Ashley Hupfl reported today.

In an effort to provide equality and justice for all New York state citizens, Assemblyman David Buchwald announced passage of the full 10-point Women's Equality Act (WEA).

The legislation addresses pay inequity, sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination in the workplace, human trafficking, domestic violence and family status discrimination, and strengthens women's health and reproductive rights.

Municipal governments across Ontario need more elected representatives who are women, say some local politicians and women’s groups.

Fifty per cent of the province’s population is female, but that statistic is not reflected on municipal councils, they maintain.

 “Women make up less than one-third of municipal politicians in Ontario,” said Jane Mitchell, Waterloo’s representative on regional council and a long-time politician.