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India: Grand Mufti urges Muslim women to enter politics

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-03-10 09:03
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A top Islamic cleric Wednesday welcomed the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, describing it as ‘a great step towards women’s empowerment’.

‘This is a great step towards women’s empowerment. I would urge Indian Muslim women to enter politics and get themselves elected to parliament and state assemblies. They will have to empower themselves,’ the Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Maulana Bashir-ud-Din, told reporters here.

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To read the complete story please visit Calcutta Tube.


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Combating Trafficking in Persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians

Jointly produced by the IPU and UNODC, the Handbook on Combating Trafficking in Persons is intended to encourage parliamentarians to take an active part in stopping human trafficking. It contains a compilation of international laws and good practices developed to combat human trafficking. It offers guidance on how national legislation can be brought in line with international standards. It outlines measures to prevent commission of the crime of trafficking in persons, to prosecute offenders and to protect victims. It also contains advice on how to report on this crime and how to enlist civil society in the cause.

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Empowering Parliaments through the Use of ICTs

The study, published by the United Nations Development Programme, has developed an analytical framework that focuses on the three core functions of Parliaments - legislation, representation and oversight - and establishes links between them. It provides concrete examples of the importance of ICTs for the empowerment and increased credibility of parliamentary institutions.

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Assessing Legislation - A manual for legislators

It aims at providing the legislators with the necessary tools that would help them in assessing legislations and proposing them to promote social and democratic change in their countries. The guide highlights and discusses several important topics such as the role of the legislator in facilitating socio-political and economic change, the legislative theory, and the methodology for problem solving, in addition to assessing the technical sufficiency for the proposed law.

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Women in Politics 2010 (Poster)

This poster-sized map is a "snapshot" of the presence of women in executive and legislative branches of government as of January 2010. The poster provides information on the percentage of women in ministerial ranks, women in parliaments and women in the highest decision-making bodies, as well as information on the ministerial portfolios held by women throughout the world.

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Cambodia: Crusader Rowing Upstream in Cambodia

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-03-03 12:24
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Ms. Mu Sochua is a member of a new generation of women who are working their way into the political systems of countries across Asia and elsewhere, from local councils to national assemblies and cabinet positions.

A former minister of women’s affairs, she did as much as anyone to put women’s issues on the agenda of Cambodia as it emerged in the 1990s from decades of war and mass killings. But she lost her public platform in 2004 when she broke with the government, and she is now finding it as difficult to promote her ideas as it is to simply gain attention as a candidate.

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To read the complete story please visit NY Times.


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IPU: Beijing goals on women in politics still unmet, new report finds

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-03-03 09:45
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New York/Geneva, 3 March 2010 - No. 336

Taking stock of women’s political participation today gives cause for guarded satisfaction. Fifteen years after the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, overall improvements have been registered in parliamentary and executive spheres of government. Still, the target of gender balance in politics is far off in too many countries. In the words of Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), “Things have certainly improved, but not nearly as much as we would want them to”.

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This is the main conclusion of a new survey on progress and setbacks of women in parliament released by the IPU. The survey is being published along with a new World Map of Women in Politics 2010, a poster-size map produced in cooperation with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women showing the number of women politicians by country and region.

Parliaments
By the start of 2010, the global average for the proportion of women parliamentarians reached a high of 18.8 per cent, compared to 1995, when it stood at 11.3 per cent. This equates to an average 0.5 percentage point gain per year. Ms. Rachel Mayanja, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues, noted that ECOSOC had set a target of 30 per cent women in leadership positions to be met by 1995. “We are a far cry from this goal. But we are determined to finish the Beijing agenda. We cannot afford any further delays in action to achieve the gender equality goals, including for women’s political participation.”

While overall progress has been slow, some counties have progressed at a much faster pace than others. The number of parliamentary chambers reaching the 30-per-cent target now stands at 44 (16.7%) spread across 38 countries. This is a six-fold increase over 1995, when just seven chambers in seven countries achieved this goal. The range of 30 per cent-plus chambers is diverse and includes 16 in Europe, 13 in the Americas, 11 in Africa and four in the Asia-Pacific region. The number of chambers with a membership of 10 per cent or less women members has more than halved, from 62 per cent in 1995 to 27 per cent today.

However, it is clear that challenges to women’s political empowerment remain in all regions. In several parliaments there have only ever been a handful of women, and the number of parliamentary chambers where no women have seats has not shown any dramatic decline, dropping from 13 in 1995 to 10 today. Women’s advancement into leadership positions in parliament has been much slower than the improvement in access to parliament. From 24 in 1995, there were 35 women Presiding Officers at the helm of parliaments at the start of 2010.

Ministerial positions

For women in the Executive and Heads of State, overall progress is even slower than at the parliamentary level. As shown in the World Map, women count for just nine out of the 151 elected Heads of State (6%) in 2010, up from just eight women leaders in 2005.

On average, women hold 16 per cent of ministerial posts. In total, 30 countries have more than 30 per cent women members, with Cape Verde, Finland, Norway and Spain achieving over 50 per cent women ministers. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of countries with no women ministers has increased — from 13 in 2008 to 16 in 2010. The majority of these States are found in the Arab region, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.

Compared with 2008, there is more diversification in terms of the portfolios held by women. As with previous years, however, women tend to dominate portfolios related to social affairs, children and youth, women’s affairs, and increasingly the environment.

Detailed information on dedicated web page at: IPU.

Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU - the oldest multilateral political organization in the world - currently brings together more than 150 affiliated national parliaments and eight associated regional assemblies. The world organization of parliaments also has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer to the United Nations.

Contacts:

In Geneva: Ms. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer. Tel.: ++41 22 919 41 16, e-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org and cbl@mail.ipu.org

In New York: Ms. Julie Ballington, IPU Programme Specialist, Gender Partnership Programme. Tel. ++1 202 557 58 80; e-mail jb@mail.ipu.org; ny-office@mail.ipu.org


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Sri Lanka: Milinda says change the political culture by getting more women in politics

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2010-03-01 16:10
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Women could play a vital role in bringing about a positive change in the political culture which prevails in Sri Lanka. However, unfortunately the number of women entering politics remains abysmally low. This was one of the views expressed by Leader of the Sri Lanka National Congress and UPFA candidate for Colombo District, Milinda Moragoda, at a neighborhood meeting with a group of residents from Kirulapona recently.

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To read the complete story please visit Lanka Web.


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International IDEA: More women in politics for complete democracy

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2010-03-01 09:22
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International IDEA secretary general Vidar Helgesen said his organisation is committed to addressing this challenge where women are not adequately represented in spheres of power. IDEA is in Botswana to discuss the audit report on Botswana's general elections held last year.

Helgesen met opposition politicians and ruling party politicians with a view to strengthening cooperation between Botswana and IDEA and discuss the African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

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To read the complete news story Mmegi Online.


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UNDP: 54th Commission on the Status of Women - Beijing Plus 15

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Fri, 2010-02-26 15:09
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An overview of UNDP's engagement at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to be held from March 1 to March 12, 2010.

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This CSW is particularly notable as it will undertake a 15-year review of progress toward gender equality since the landmark Beijing Conference for Women in 1995. UNDP's focus during the CSW will be to underscore how progress on the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 critical areas of concern will accelerate progress on the MDGs. Making this link – between gender equality and the MDGs – will also be important for the upcoming MDG Summit in September. The following Key Messages, Key Facts and event poster underscore this theme.

UNDP is organizing, co-hosting and participating in several notable events during the CSW. They include panel discussions on:

# The Price of Peace: Financing Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction. Co-hosted by UNDP and UNIFEM. Panelists include Mary Robinson Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative and formerly President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ingrid Fiskaa, Norwegian State Secretary for International Development, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, and Jordan Ryan, Assistant Secretary-General, and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNDP.

# Gender Equality and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for the MDGs. Co-hosted by The International Alliance for Women, GCCA, UNDP, UNIFEM WEDO. Panelists include, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador for Global Women’s Affairs, Heidi Hautala, Chair, Finnish Council for Gender Equality and H.E. Ambassador Claude Heller, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Mexico.

# Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to Equality. Co-hosted by UNDP, IDRC and the Permanent Missions to the UN of Canada and Nicaragua. Panelists include Suzanne Clément, Coordinator/Head of Agency, Status of Women Canada, and Nafis Sadik, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General and Special Envoy for HIV/ AIDS in Asia.

# Take Action Now: The Pathway from Beijing to 2015. Co-hosted by UNDP, UNIFEM and the Governments of Denmark and Egypt. Panelists include Elizabeth Salguero, Parliament of Bolivia, Emily Sikazwe, Executive Director of Women for Change, Zambia and Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM.

# Launch of the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, a UNAIDS event.
Panelists include . Ms. Asha Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, Mr. Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director (moderator) and Annie Lennox, Advocate for women, girls and HIV.

UNDP is also organizing and participating in panel discussions, breakfasts and side meetings on such topics as democratic governance and women’s rights; women, HIV and human rights; resourcing home-based caregivers in Africa; and ensuring women’s equitable participation and leadership in reconstruction in Haiti. For a complete list of side events involving UNDP, please see the attached flyer.

Daily updates on CSW events and sessions will be posted on GenderNet. You can also view the main agenda and full list of side events on the official CSW website. For further information about UNDP’s participation in the CSW, contact Kim Henderson in the Gender Team.


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India: Cabinet clears Women's Reservation Bill

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2010-02-25 09:39
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The Cabinet has cleared the Women’s Resrvation Bill which provides for 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The bill was easily one of the most contentious pieces of legislation to be considered by Parliament. It has been hanging fire for close to 14 years due to lack of political consensus on the issue.

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To read the complete story please visit Times of India.


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What Happened to Section J? Gender Equality in the World’s Media

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-02-24 09:01
2010-03-02 15:00
2010-03-02 15:00
Etc/GMT
Click here
City & Province/State: 
New York
Country: 
USA
Venue: 
Millennium Plaza Hotel: Landmark View, 29th floor
Description: 

What Happened to Section J? Gender Equality in the World’s Media

In 2005, only one woman appeared for every four men as subjects in the world’s radio, television and print news. Expert opinion in the news was also overwhelmingly male. Only 10% of news stories focused centrally on women.

Since 1995 The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) has produced the longest-running, participatory research on women in the news media around the world. The only initiative of its kind, it engages volunteers in a world-wide effort to monitor national news media from a gender perspective over the course of a single day.

On 9 November 2009, volunteers in 127 countries monitored their news media to gather data for the fourth edition of the Project. Will the preliminary results from 2009 show any change? The panel will present the initial findings to assess progress towards balanced representation and participation of women in the world’s media, and debate what should be done by the media, governments and civil society groups to make progress on Section J (on Women and the Media) of the Beijing Platform for Action.

Panelists:
• Regional perspectives
o Ms. Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, FemLink Pacific: Media Initiatives for Women, Fiji
o Ms. Amie Joof, Executive Director, Inter Africa Network for Women, Media, Gender Equity and Development, Senegal
• GMMP 2010 – Preliminary Findings: Ms. Lavinia Mohr, Director of Programmes, World Association for Christian Communication (WACC)
• Ms. Saniye Gülser Corat: Director, Division for Gender Equality, Bureau of Strategic Planning, UNESCO
• Mr. Sanjay Suri: Editor in Chief, InterPress Service

Moderator:
• Ms. Joanne Sandler, Deputy Executive Director, UNIFEM

To RSVP for the event please contact Ms. Jennifer Cooper.


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Philippines: Rice and Condom on the Election Agenda

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2010-02-22 17:17
Summary: 

The PLCPD, another group that advances the Reproductive Health Bill, urged candidates for national, congressional and local elections to uphold reproductive health and rights. "Government officials must be reminded that they are mere representatives of the people and not that Catholic church and its bishops, and that their obligation is to give importance to a person’s right to reproductive self-determination," said Ramon San Pascual, PLCPD executive director.

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To read the complete story please visit IPS News.


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Fifty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2010-02-18 12:35
2010-03-01 00:31
2010-03-12 19:31
Etc/GMT
Click here
City & Province/State: 
New York
Country: 
USA
Venue: 
United Nations
Description: 

The Commission on the Status of Women (hereafter referred to as “CSW” or “the Commission”) is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. It is the principal global policy-making body. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

The Commission was established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946 with the aim to prepare recommendations and reports to the Council on promoting women's rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. The Commission also makes recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights.

The next session of the Commission (fifty-fourth session) will take place from 1 - 12 March 2010. Click here to read more.


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CWGL: 20th Anniversary Symposium

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2010-02-17 15:42
2010-03-06 09:30
2010-03-06 17:30
Etc/GMT
Click here
City & Province/State: 
New York
Country: 
USA
Venue: 
Hunter College Assembly Hall East 68th St. and Lexington Ave. New York, NY
Description: 

The 20th Anniversary Symposium will be featuring prominent speakers from the global women’s movement reflecting on body, economy and movement.

French and Spanish Translation Available

Hosted by the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute and the Women and Gender Studies Program
Hunter College, CUNY

International Women’s Day Dance Party
to follow at 9:00 pm
583 Park Avenue, New York, NY
(63rd St. and Park Ave.)

Click here to RSVP
Click here to download flyer

For further information, please visit CWGL.


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