Advocacy and Lobbying

The European Union (EU) announces the collaboration with PACOS Trust to promote socioeconomic and cultural rights among indigenous peoples in Sabah through the "Empowering Indigenous Communities: Strengthening Capacities, Networks, Advocacy, and Cultural Resilience for the Realization of their Rights" project.

United Nations Women (UN Women) has called on local political parties to create a safe space for women participating in politics and swiftly move to address violence against women during elections.

Speaking during the opening of a three-day multi-stakeholder conference in Salima on Wednesday themed ‘Violence against women in elections’, UN Women acting country representative Kebedech Ambaye observed that women experience various forms of violence during elections, including physical, psychological, verbal and digital abuse.

Key women inclusion advocacy groups in Nigeria and other stakeholders have kick-started a robust conversation on how more women would participate in politics going forward, especially starting from 2027 general elections in the country.

These women groups were led in the conversation in Abuja, by Gender Strategy Advancement Initiative, SheForum Africa and Well-being Foundation Africa, among others, on Wednesday where they brainstormed on how to secure more political positions for the women folks come 2027 General election.

Jakarta, Indonesia — UN Women Indonesia joined the Indonesian Women's Coalition, the Association for Elections and Democracy, and the Center for Political Studies at the University of Indonesia in organizing the Dialogue Forum of Women Politicians and Civil Society: Promoting Meaningful Participation and Representation in Politics last year.

On International Women’s Day on March 8, North Korea held various events to celebrate the country’s women, repeating what has become more or less a national slogan, “Women Are Flowers,” and hailing the country as a “paradise” for women. State media even compared North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to a “mother” who cares deeply for her children. 

The Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with the Republican Commission for Increasing the Role of Women in Society, Gender Equality, and Family Issues, the United Nations Development Programme and with the financial support of the UK government, commenced a five-day training programme on 15 April 2024. The initiative aims to enhance the leadership potential of female representatives from various political parties.

The CFP seeks to engage partners to support the implementation of activities on advancement of women participation in public life. The project will support actions that will enhance inclusion of women’s voice and their equal representation and participation in leadership and political processes. The call also focuses on supporting gender-sensitive reforms to ensure marginalized women are fully engaged to advocate and participate in the development of affirmative action. 

Less than 7 per cent of Pacific politicians are women, compared with 27 per cent globally.

This means the Pacific’s representation of women in politics is among the worst in any region in the world, says an Op-Ed penned last month by former New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Pacific Office resident representative Munkhtuya Altangerel.