Women empowerment

Six female members of the Vermont House of Representatives flanked former Democratic Gov. Madeleine Kunin Monday as she announced the launch of Emerge Vermont, an organization that will recruit, train and mentor Democratic women to run for political office.

Kunin said Vermont could be proud that 41 percent of the Vermont Legislature is female and half the 96 Democratic seats in the House are held by women. 

We invite our users to read the complete article published September 23 2013

Vermont’s political “old boys’ club” could have more competition as a national effort to recruit and train female Democratic office-seekers comes to the state.

Former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin announced the formation of Emerge Vermont, a new group that will support women who seek political office in a press conference at City Hall on Monday.

Since the foundation of the United States, of the thousands upon thousands of citizens who have served in elected office, just 23 are Native Americans; this is at every level of government outside tribal lands. 

And of those active politicians, not one currently serves at the federal level. Native Americans in the federal judiciary is even more dismal. 

About 80 young women from Tucson High Magnet School participated in the Running and Winning Political Workshop Thursday.

The workshop, in its 11th year, introduces high school students to politics and encourages them to run for political office in the future by talking with elected officials. It is held at different schools each year for high school juniors and seniors.

The teens planned mock Senate campaigns, discussing topics that included immigration reform, climate change and the death penalty.

It may not have occurred to you, but 85 per cent of Canadians now have a woman as premier. Only five smaller provinces -- the three Maritimes plus Manitoba and Saskatchewan -- don't.

The latest round of national head-scratching about why there aren't more women in politics makes me want to poke out my own eyes with a rusty toasting fork.

For the first time in Habitat Toronto history, over 35 female politicians, from all levels of government, will set aside their political differences and come together to help build six Habitat homes in support of the 2013 Women Build. Dubbed Women in Politics Build Day, this milestone event will provide City Councillors, MPs and MPPs the opportunity to cross party lines and swing hammers alongside each other to show their common support and belief that affordable homeownership helps break the cycle of poverty.

Analysts say a spate of attacks on high-profile Afghan women has heightened fears that the limited gains for women’s rights will be reversed after NATO forces withdraw next year.

Fariba Ahmadi Kakar, who represents the southern province of Kandahar in the Afghan parliament, was freed by Taleban kidnappers on September 8 in exchange for a number of insurgent prisoners and their relatives.