women leaders

There are 1.9 million women in Los Angeles. The two senators from California are women, as is the state’s attorney general. ut this city, a bastion of progressive politics, has a curious distinction these days. Only one woman holds elective office in the entire government of Los Angeles, a member of the 15-person City Council from the San Fernando Valley who was sworn in only on Friday.

The women of the Middle East are offering a huge contribution to the ongoing fight to regain freedom and human rights, yet the mainstream media usually focuses only on negatives and violations.

In this series I will share facts, figures, and real life stories of historic women and of real, everyday women like you and me. Hopefully this will help us draw inspiration to change our world, one step at a time, each in their respective environment.

The adoption of a new bill, now before Cabinet, would help to fully emancipate South African women, said the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana.

"Within the 100 years, a lot has been achieved to attain the total emancipation of South African women of all races," she said in a speech prepared for delivery at the launch of Women's Month in Freedom Park, Tshwane.

Xingwana paid tribute to women who fought for liberation, including Charlotte Maxeke, Albertina Sisulu and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

As the world continues to watch the wave of uprisings across Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) nations, AWID and other women’s rights organizations around the world, together with our partners in the region, strategize on how to best hold the line to ensure that women’s rights are not jeopardised, while maintaining meaningful spaces for women’s rights activists to actively participate in the transition processes.

Women's political representation is vital to securing greater gender equality, feminists and others argue. Africa has made great strides in electing more women to its parliaments.

Four African countries are among the top ten countries with the highest numbers of women in parliament. But even in these countries, gender inequality persists. Many of Africa's women are still constrained by sexist laws and cultural beliefs that infringe their rights.

Women politicians are making history in New Jersey this year. Because of a quirk in the state’s politics, five women — two Republicans and three Democrats — are running for statewide office.