violence against women in politics

Two years after the murder of an outspoken female councillor ushered in new legislation outlawing political violence against women in Bolivia, campaigners say a culture of harassment remains, as Paula Dear reports from La Paz.

Juana Quispe's lifeless body was dumped near the Orkojahuira River, in La Paz region. She had been strangled.

Her murder - one of a series of violent attacks against elected female leaders across Bolivia - sparked nationwide protests and led to the adoption of a long-delayed law to tackle the issue.

Noorzia Atmar never wanted to leave Afghanistan. Not even after the beatings, knife attacks and bitter divorce; not even when her ex-husband turned up at her new workplace with a gun and sent thugs to the shelter where she had sought refuge. Only when the threats targeting her spread to include other women living in the shelter did she feel she had no choice but to flee.

Two people have pleaded guilty to sending "menacing" tweets to feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez.

Isabella Sorley, 23, of Newcastle, and John Nimmo, 25, of South Shields, admitted at Westminster Magistrates' Court sending the messages over a public communications network.

We invite you to read the full article published January 7, 2014

Kenyan member of parliament Alice Wahome spoke about the violent abuse, harassment and humiliation she has experienced as a female politician at the launch of a report about women's participation in the March 2013 elections.

Female candidates in Kenya face many barriers, including violent attacks, cultural and social stereotypes, lack of money and lack of political connections.

Wahome is one of 16 women who were elected as a constituency MP in 2013, compared to 274 men.

In March 2013, Sophia Abdi Noor was the only woman to stand for parliament in northern Kenya, a marginalised region where Islam has a lot of sway.

She spoke about the obstacles she has faced as a female politician at the launch of a report about women’s participation in the March 2013 elections. Female candidates in Kenya face many barriers, including violence, cultural and social stereotypes, lack of money and lack of political connections.

Fifteen years after the assassination of Russian MP and human rights activist Galina Starovoitova, those who masterminded her death are yet to be brought to justice. Starovoitova was shot to death in the lobby of her apartment in St. Petersburg on 20th November 1998. Four men have been serving jail sentences since 2005 as perpetrators and accomplices in the murder with progress on identifying those actually behind the killing remaining slow.

The court has also ordered the ECP to withhold the notification of results from these constituencies till re-polling is completed.

A woman leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), who was a candidate on reserved seats for women, was shot dead inside her house in Hayatabad on Friday night.

Najma Hanif Jadoon’s spouse and former Tehsil Nazim, Hanif Gul Jadoon, was killed along with a 16-year-old son and a gunman in a suicide attack on his car in Swabi on the Eid day in November 2011.