élections

The German election is still more than two months away but for many the vote's final chapter has already been written.

Angela Merkel, it is widely assumed, is cruising to a third victory at the polls. When she wins, the thinking goes, there will be few, if any, major changes to German policy.

We invite you to read the full article published July 7 by Reuters

North American experiments are showing that women have an electoral advantage. In one study in which only the names of a candidate were changed, participants rated the candidate they thought was female as stronger, more honest, and more compassionate than the male candidate. After Premier Christy Clark suddenly won the B.C. election on May 14th, I don’t remember any of the shocked pundits talking about the female factor. What happened to the polls that had apparently shown B.C. women were less inclined than men to vote for Clark?

WITH the presidential elections just around the corner, provisionally set for 31 July, tensions are high with a recent swell of infighting as political parties draw up primary election guidelines and hold their internal polls. However, the conflict has been ongoing

especially since female politicians have criticisedpolitical parties’ hollow commitment to equal representation of women.The lack of quotas for women in local government has also become burning issue,not only for aspiring female politicians, but also for all Zimbabwean women.

On 3 July, the UNDP Lebanese Elections Assistance Programme (LEAP) organized the EU-funded workshop “Electoral Systems and Women’s Participation” in Beirut -where local candidates, activists and members from the international community came together to discuss how different electoral systems may facilitate greater participation by women in the upcoming Lebanese elections.

MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube has defended the inclusion of the party’s secretary-general Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga on the list of women’s quota under proportional representation in Matabeleland South province.

In an interview after the MDC Gwanda central district assembly in Gwanda town on Sunday, Prof Ncube said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga had every right to contest in Matabeleland South as she originated from the province. He said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga’s name was also brought forward by the provincial assembly.

The nomination court for the members of the House of Assembly, senatorial, women quarter and provincial councils has begun in different provinces of the country.

In Mashonaland East province the nomination court was officially opened by elections officer Collins Munetsi who is also presiding over the nomination process.

We invite you to read the article published June 28 by Zimbabwe Election

When Maude Taruvinga* votes in Zimbabwe’s elections later this year, she will be voting for her local female politician as she has placed her hopes for a better future on the presence of more women in this southern African nation’s legislature.

In January 2012, Taruvinga became a victim of Zimbabwe’s patriarchal traditions when her in-laws forced her out of her matrimonial home in Marondera, Mashonaland East Province, after her common-law husband passed away intestate.

A political lobby group is pushing for a female candidate to replace long-term Labor MP Martin Ferguson when he steps down from politics in September.

The 59-year-old announced that he would not contest his safe inner-Melbourne seat of Batman at the upcoming election on Wednesday, prompting calls from Emily’s List, a group pushing for greater representation of women in parliament.

National co-convenor Tanja Kovac told Fairfax Media it was important to have a woman step up for the role, which has been held by Ferguson since 1996.