Why are there so few female elected officials in the second largest city in the country? Of 18 elected positions in City Hall, only one is held by a woman — Nury Martinez, who joined the council in July.
Most American media coverage of the Middle East paints a bleak picture of the status of women. There certainly is reason for pessimism given the perpetuation of honor killings and child marriages and, more generally, the exclusion of women from economic and political life.
Women make up 34% of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe, with 32% in the National Assembly and 48% of Senate. Although the quota for women in parliament led to the dramatic increase from 19% in 2008 to 34%, the number of women who actually won, fell from 34 to 26.
Progressive groups unveiled a major initiative on Wednesday to draw attention to challenges that women still face and to promote public policies to address gender disparities.
Egypt's National Council for Women (NCW) said in a statement issued Wednesday that new amendments under-discussion to the currently suspended 2012 constitution are "fairer" to women.
President Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to replace sacked female ministers with women in order to keep and perhaps surpass the 35 per cent affirmative action as favoured by the current administration.
Continuing the celebrations marking ten years of uninterrupted peace, the women of Liberia presented a five-count resolution to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf highlighting their plight and how they can be resolved for the common good of Liberian women and girls.
Myanmar needs to change its constitution as fast as possible to put the country firmly on the path to democracy, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of the country's democratic opposition Aung San Suu Kyi said on Tuesday.