Europe and the CIS

On December 21, the presentation of the “Participation for Change” book and a roundtable on research findings were held, with representatives of political parties, NGOs, research and scientific centers and mass media attending.

Research revealed data which came to prove that the increase of number of female MPs in the would lead to a higher level of consideration and attention towards issues relating to women, children and vulnerable layers of population, social and healthcare problems, as well as to the humanization of politics and decision-making processes.

There would have been fewer fights in the Ukrainian parliament if more women were among the deputies. At least female parliamentarians were not seen taking part in the multiple brawls that marked the first working days of Ukraine’s newly elected legislature this week. 

France still lags behind other European countries when it comes to the number of women in political power. Just 27 percent of French MPs are female, and only 14 percent of France's 36 thousand mayors are women. The few women who make it into politics are helped by equal opportunity laws, but these can only go so far. A new organization, Women & Power, is attempting to bring female politicians together, to help each other.

Read more at rfi, published 10 December 2012.

Eighty-five women from across the country attended a special conference hosted by the Longford Women’s Manifesto and Longford Women’s Link in Backstage Theatre last week. The conference, Paths for Women into Politics and Decision Making, examined practical ways in which women can better participate in political life. Representatives from the main political parties were present on the day and they outlined ways for women to become involved in political life. Everything from the cost of joining a political party to the reality of how to get elected was discussed on the day.

Aygul Ozkan, the daughter of a Turkish tailor, is the new face of Germany's ruling conservatives.

Her election to the leadership board of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) represents a facelift for a party that has for decades been dominated by white, Christian, predominantly male politicians.

KA-DER (Female Electoral Candidates Support Association) released a statement today--on the 78th anniversary of Turkish women's acquisition of suffrage rights--urging the political parties to revise their quota system in their decision-making mechanisms.

"Current quota practices are not enough for the representation of women in decision-making processes. In election, women always show up at the button of lists. We don't want that. We want equal representation for equal political, social, cultural and economic equality in Turkey," the statement said.