women's empowerment

Last Monday, Central African Republic chose a leader the people believe can pull the country out of its destructive downward spiral. The leader the people of this troubled nation look to with great and hopeful expectations may come as a surprise. Her name is Catherine Samba-Panza – and yes, she is a woman.

We invite you to read the full article published January 24, 2014

There will be some 35 countries making statements in Montreux today. But there will be no voice for the people who have the greatest stake in these talks: the women of Syria and civil society. 

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) warns that the decision by the UN and Arab League of Nations not to include women in the Geneva 2 peace talks could hamper efforts to bring about peace in Syria.

Democratic women have gained legislative seats at a much higher rate than Republican women in recent years. To a great extent, the rise of female Democrats is about the rise of Democratic women of color. Although they do not hold office in proportion to their presence in the U.S. population, minority women have advanced in state legislatures.

We invite you to read the full article published January 19, 2014

After decades of trying to amass power, several women have vaulted to the top of influential congressional committees, putting them in charge of some of the most consequential legislation being considered on Capitol Hill.

The $1.1 trillion spending plan Congress approved this week was the handiwork of Senate Appropriations Com­mittee Chairman Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and her House counterpart, Harold Rogers (R-Ky.).

The 113th Congress has been applauded for its diversity, but women – and specifically women of color, who only make up 4.5% of the 535 members – are still the vast minority.

Although women of color have made recent strides in politics, the fact remains: only two have ever served in the Senate. It was as recent as 2013 that Democrat Mazie Hirono became the first Asian-American woman elected from Hawaii. Hirono comes after Carol Moseley Braun, who was the first and only African-American woman elected to the Senate. She served from 1993 to 1999. 

Across the world, female political representation continues to be an issue.

Most recently, it’s become a significant issue in Jamaica, where the 51 Percent Coalition has been pushing for more women in Parliament (and in boardrooms) in the country.

So we decided to take a look at the Parliaments in the Caribbean that have the most female members.

Closing remarks by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the Conference on Promoting Syrian Women’s Engagement in the Syrian Political Process, held in Geneva, Switzerland, 13 January, 2014.

We invite you to read the full speech published January 14, 2014 by our partner, UN Women