women's rights

While we women welcome the initiative of talks taken by the government and stand in full solidarity with them, we would like to clearly state that women will not be a negotiating chip this time.

We have dealt with the Taliban for over a decade and with the traditional feudal mindset and patriarchal system for centuries. Whether it is in the name of Islam or in the name of tradition, it all falls on our heads.

It is worth saying again: Prejudice against women fulfilling their professional promise is one of the most pernicious discriminations still tolerated in the UK.

Women can and do run for office, but their path to politics differs from the one most men follow. Women are generally asked to run and likely to have been recruited. Men tend to initiate their own candidacy, and worry less about if they are qualified or not. Women tend to feel under qualified, regardless of their background and experience.

We invite you to read the full article published February 11, 2014

Burma’s president is set to appoint Khin San Yi, formerly a deputy minister of planning and economic development, as the new education minister, bringing the number of woman ministers in the government to two.

When Anna Margareth Abdallah entered the Tanzanian parliament in 1975, she was one of only five female MPs. Today, she is one of 126 – more than a third of the total – and the first woman to chair the standing committee on defence and security.

Africa now has three female heads of state, after Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic took office in January. Though women leaders remain the exception in African politics, activists say things are looking up.

Women are breaking into the "boys club" of the African presidency.

We invite you to read the full article published February 8, 2014

Pioneers may be picturesque figures, but they are often rather lonely ones. Or so said Nancy Astor, who certainly should have known: as the first female MP to take a seat in the House of Commons, Samantha Cameron's step great-grandmother surely expected to meet her share of resistance.

A MOCK parliament for women will be conducted at the National Parliament from February 10 to 13.

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in close collaboration with the UNDP Pacific Centre, the  National Parliament of Solomon Islands and the Solomon Islands Government are organising the event.

This is part of moves to advance women’s participation in leadership and decision making.