gender equality

Women in public/leaderships position in the Toledo district have begun a series of workshops on capacity building.

Project coordinator Sheena Gentle explains that the during the course of the training, which is expected to last eight days, the women will be taught about leadership, community mobilization, strategic planning, political campaigns among others.

The objective of the training is to empower women by helping them to confront many of the issues they face on a daily basis whether it be in the home, on the job or working in the community.

The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), on Thursday urged more women to contest the forthcoming district assemblies’ elections to enable them to participate actively in policy formulation and decision-making processes.

Mrs Theodora Williams Anti, FOSDA Programme Officer said the participation of more women in politics and the decision-making process with their male counter parts would provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society and is needed in order to strengthen democracy and promote its proper functioning.

Somali women leaders met in Mogadishu on Sunday (July 20th) to demand greater representation in national politics and clear constitutional provisions protecting their participation, Somalia's Hiiraan Online reported.

Chair of the Somali National Women's Association Batulo Sheikh Ahmed Gaballe and several of Somalia's women lawmakers attended the meeting.

From time being, sex stereotyping has always been an issue in contemporary setting. It assumes that masculine and feminine traits are intertwined with leadership. Due to the aggressive and competitive nature of politics, the belief is that participation in elected office requires masculine traits.

United Nations assistant secretary general Lakshmi Puri , who is also the deputy executive director, UN Women—an organization that espouses gender equality and women’s empowerment—says reservations for women in legislature, judiciary and the police force will help break gender-based stereotyping of division of work.

Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls says Australia can help Pacific nations improve poor levels of female leadership.

Natasha Stott-Despoja is the head of an Australian delegation to Tonga to meet about 30 women in politics from around the region.

Female representation in Pacific parliaments is around five per cent compared to the global average of almost 22 per cent.

Susan Wismer, challenger of incumbent Gov. Dennis Daugaard, is the first woman to be nominated by a major party for the state's high office.

Wismer says that had nothing to do with her decision to run, but she knows it matters to some of the women who support her. "I'm understanding more and more how much it means to women across the state," said Wismer, a state representative from Britton.

A recent study found black women are underrepresented at all levels of politics — federal, state and local government.

Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics and Higher Heights for America, a national nonprofit that seeks to elevate the voice of black women in politics, conducted the study. The group argues black women face distinct challenges when running for political office and are more like to be discouraged from running than their white counterparts or black men.