Sub Saharan Africa

The Commonwealth Observer Group has expressed concern about the low number of women contesting this year's general election in Ghana.

The group is in the country at the invitation of the Electoral Commission to observe Ghana's 6th elections since returning to constitutional rule for the fourth time in 1992.

One Hundred and thirty three women are running in 27 out of the 275 constituencies in Ghana’s Parliamentary race this year. This number is relatively small compared to their male counterparts who number up to one thousand three hundred and thirty two. But to some observers and gender advocates, this number, as low as it appears, represents a 30 percent improvement on previous figures.

Women hoping to take up positions of leadership in Namibia still face an uphill battle, judging by the results of the just-ended Swapo-Party congress, Namibia's Press Agency Nampa reported.

Quite a number of people, especially those who champion the cause of women aiming for decision-making positions, had high hopes that former Swapo-Party Secretary-General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana would succeed in becoming the party's first female vice-president, but this turned out not to be the case.

African women lawmakers on Wednesday robustly pushed for strategies that will see more women supported to assume leadership roles on the continent.

They also hailed Rwanda for being an African "miracle" and exemplary in promoting women representation in many spheres of leadership and decision making, especially in Parliament where women claim a world record majority (56 per cent) including the Speaker.

General Federation of Sudanese Women said it has immovable trust in the government and its institutions especially the highest legislative and monitoring power, the parliament.
The federation delivered a memorandum to the parliament regarding violence against women in line with the celebration of the national campaign to eliminate violence against women in the capital state and other states.

The three women sit around a table tackling their breakfast at a five-star city hotel. One in a black T-Shirt, a red skirt, white rubber shoes and with her hair held up in a bun by a red cloth.

The second sits in a black skirt and red T-Shirt and the third in a grey skirt suit and a red T-Shirt. Their T-Shirts read the same, 'use my ballot not my body' but that is not the only thing they have in common. All three are rape victims or as they prefer to be called, rape survivors; two of them having been raped in the violence the followed the last general elections.

The absence of specific initiatives such as affirmative action to implement global, continental and regional commitments that promote gender equality in participation and representation in decision-making processes is hindering women’s involvement in national processes for sustainable development in Ghana.

In the processes towards the 2012 elections, Ghanaian women are yet to see any definite action towards the full implementation of commitments on gender justice, in spite of all the guarantees under national laws and international instruments to which Ghana is a signatory.

Dr Michael Abu Sakara Foster, Presidential Candidate of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) on Wednesday said when elected his government would champion the cause of women in nation building.

He said "politicians must practice what they preach, and walk the talk..., as the CPP has demonstrated with its commitment to gender mainstreaming by electing a woman as the Chairperson of the party.