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East Asia and the Pacific

September 27, 2012
Bangladesh: Govt empowering women: Hasina

Women will account for 30 percent of parliamentary seats and half the country’s workforce by 2021, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told an international audience on Monday as she spelled out the steps taken by her government to boost women’s political, economic and social empowerment.

September 27, 2012
Solomon Islands: PM dislikes reserve seats

PRIME Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo prefers women entering Parliament through the normal electoral process and not by special consideration.

September 25, 2012
Nepal: 'One billion rising' launched

´One billion rising´, a global campaign for gender equality and justice was launched in the capital on Sunday amid a program attended by more than 50 noted women rights activists from south Asian nations, local civil society organizations, students, politicians, journalists and people from differ

September 25, 2012
Malaysia: Women issues overlooked due to low political presence, analysts say

The lack of female participation in Malaysian politics has likely caused the years of neglect over issues of concern to women although the gender makes up half the country’s 13 million-strong electorate, analysts have said.

September 25, 2012
India: Political empowerment of women in India poor: UNDP

India is far below these countries with 11 per cent women in the Lower House.
“Despite frequent attempts to introduce a similar policy of reserved seats for the Lower House (Lok Sabha) of the national Parliament , these initiatives have repeatedly failed.

September 25, 2012
Iran: Lift restrictions on women's education, rights group tells Iran

Human Rights Watch urged Iran on Saturday to lift restrictions on women attending university and enrolling in certain academic fields.

September 23, 2012
Momgolia: The Collective Action of Mongolia’s Women

The focus on a few specific men in the history of Mongolia can be attributed to the long focus on a monarchy-led country—with few leaders exercising great control over the majority.

September 23, 2012
Pacific: Too few women in Pacific politics: UN

The UN Development Program (UNDP) says women's presence in parliaments in Pacific Island states is the lowest in the world, lagging even behind Arab countries.