Friday, November 06, 2020
Women make up more than half of Africa's population, but their representation in politics in the past decade has been insignificant.With a numerical significance of 52 percent against their male counterparts, women are least likely to hold political positions and exercise authority across the continent. They are also the majority of voters, but sadly they are not represented in politics and governance despite their calls for inclusion over the years.What then could be the reason for this mismatch between numbers and political representation?According to UN Women, two main obstacles prevent... Read more
Women make up more than half of Africa's population, but their representation in politics in the past decade has been insignificant.
With a numerical significance of 52 percent against their male counterparts, women are least likely to hold...
Thursday, March 05, 2020
With Lebanon’s next parliamentary elections slated for 2022, coalitions should begin pushing to ensure women are equally represented in politics, activists and local advocacy groups said following the release of a U.N. Women report Tuesday entitled "Pursuing equality in rights and representation: women’s experiences running for Parliament in Lebanon’s 2018 elections."The 2018 elections saw a significant increase in the number of women running for Parliament, from 12 in 2009 to 113, with women representing 11 percent of all candidates that registered to run in the 2018 election, according to... Read more
With Lebanon’s next parliamentary elections slated for 2022, coalitions should begin pushing to ensure women are equally represented in politics, activists and local advocacy groups said following the release of a U.N. Women report Tuesday entitled...
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
In the aftermath of the 2007-08 post-election violence, the Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence (Waki Commission) documented more than 900 sexual violence cases perpetrated by security agents and civilians against women, girls, men and boys.During this tragic period, Kenya saw large-scale bloodshed, mass displacement, and more than 1,000 deaths. Kenya’s 2017 elections again were marked by widespread sexual violence, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights documenting more than 201 cases in 11 counties alone.Yet these statistics are only the tip of the iceberg.... Read more
In the aftermath of the 2007-08 post-election violence, the Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence (Waki Commission) documented more than 900 sexual violence cases perpetrated by security agents and civilians against women, girls, men...
Thursday, October 03, 2019
The body of mayoral candidate Karina García was found shot and incinerated in her car in the Cauca department of southern Colombia, on 1 September.For weeks, García had reported receiving threats and asked the government for increased protection during campaigning for the local and departmental elections at the end of the month.Since the political race officially began, seven candidates have been murdered around the country.These elections will be the first to take place since the historic signing of a peace accord between the Farc rebels and the Colombian... Read more
The body of mayoral candidate Karina García was found shot and incinerated in her car in the Cauca department of southern Colombia, on 1 September.
For weeks, García had reported receiving threats and asked the government for increased protection...
Friday, March 22, 2019
Pauline Ngarmpring thought she would take it slow as she began her new life as a transgender woman after transitioning at the age of 49.Instead, three years on, she is a candidate for Thai prime minister - the country’s first transgender candidate for the post - and her days and nights are filled with campaigning, strategy meetings and media interviews.It is an unexpected turn of events for the former news reporter turned sports promoter, who has quickly embraced her role as an ambassador for LGBT+ rights and gender equality in a country with few openly gay or female political leaders.“... Read more
Pauline Ngarmpring thought she would take it slow as she began her new life as a transgender woman after transitioning at the age of 49.
Instead, three years on, she is a candidate for Thai prime minister - the country’s first transgender candidate...
Friday, March 22, 2019
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced 33 per cent quota for women in the allocation of Lok Sabha tickets of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party.Addressing the Women Self Help Group's (SHGs) Conclave under 'Mission Shakti', Patnaik said, "I would like to announce here at Kendrapara, the 'karma bhoomi' of legendary Biju Babu, that Odisha will send 33 per cent women to Parliament in the coming elections."He added, "The women of Odisha will lead the way in women empowerment in India. If India is to lead the world, if India is to be an advanced nation like America and China, then... Read more
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced 33 per cent quota for women in the allocation of Lok Sabha tickets of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party.
Addressing the Women Self Help Group's (SHGs) Conclave under 'Mission Shakti', Patnaik said...
Friday, March 22, 2019
A non-partisan collective is targeting the general elections for equal representation of women in Parliament, but the road to gender-just politics is tricky to traverseVinod Rathod of the Delhi Police has been manning the Parliament gates for four years now. Like his namesake singer, he can also skilfully hum a tune or two, he tells this journalist, who is there to meet members of Shakti, a non-partisan citizen's collective campaigning for equal representation of women in legislation. The pan-India collective is in Delhi for a national meet.A volunteer from Shakti asks Rathod if he has ever... Read more
A non-partisan collective is targeting the general elections for equal representation of women in Parliament, but the road to gender-just politics is tricky to traverse
Vinod Rathod of the Delhi Police has been manning the Parliament gates for four...
Thursday, February 07, 2019
The status of women’s political participation in Nigeria is low, with less than 5 per cent of women holding political positions. Lois Auta, 38-year-old polio survivor from Abuja, is all about changing the status quo. Auta is a candidate in the upcoming elections for the House of Representatives and received capacity-building training from UN Women.I was affected by polio when I was two years old, but I see my disability as an opportunity to change the world. Disability will not stop me from achieving my dreams.I joined politics in 2017, after a friend invited me for a political meeting,... Read more
The status of women’s political participation in Nigeria is low, with less than 5 per cent of women holding political positions. Lois Auta, 38-year-old polio survivor from Abuja, is all about changing the status quo. Auta is a candidate in the...
Thursday, February 07, 2019
Ahead of Nigeria’s presidential elections on 16 February, UN Women and partners have been training women candidates, documenting political violence and advocating for measures to boost women’s low representation in Parliament.[[{"fid":"15076","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Pauline Tallen, former Deputy Governor of Plateau state, benefitted from capacity-building by UN Women. Photo: UN Women/Nathan Ali"},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"8":{"format":"... Read more
Ahead of Nigeria’s presidential elections on 16 February, UN Women and partners have been training women candidates, documenting political violence and advocating for measures to boost women’s low representation in Parliament.
Pauline Tallen began...
Friday, February 01, 2019
Women Radio 91.7 has embarked on advocacy visits to stakeholders of democracy in a bid to ensure 2019 general elections is peaceful and non-violent to increase women’s participation.Toun Okewale Sonaiya MD Women Radio during a visit to INEC headquarters in Magbon, Abeokuta Ogun State said INEC has a major role to play in ensuring that the 2019 general election is devoid of violence against women and allows women to exercise their civil rights to vote and be voted for. Okewale Sonaiya added that Women Radio will track incidences of electoral violence against women in 2019 election.In her... Read more
Women Radio 91.7 has embarked on advocacy visits to stakeholders of democracy in a bid to ensure 2019 general elections is peaceful and non-violent to increase women’s participation.
Toun Okewale Sonaiya MD Women Radio during a visit to INEC...
Friday, December 07, 2018
United Nation Women and United Nations Development programme (UNDP) on Monday launched a programme guide to prevent violence against women in the 2019 general elections.The launch which was organised by UN Women and UNDP took place in Abuja.Ms Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said that the launch included 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls.Lamptey said that after the political party primaries, it was a disappointment that women would be under-represented in politics, with increasing number of violence against them.According to her,... Read more
United Nation Women and United Nations Development programme (UNDP) on Monday launched a programme guide to prevent violence against women in the 2019 general elections.
The launch which was organised by UN Women and UNDP took place in Abuja.
Ms...
Wednesday, August 01, 2018
Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive DirectorDate: Thursday, July 26, 2018Mexico has made unprecedented strides towards achieving gender parity in its Congress during the last general election held on 1 July. Preliminary figures indicate that women will hold 48 per cent of the seats in the Lower House of Congress and 49 per cent in the Senate. These figures would place Mexico in the top five countries globally in terms of women’s representation in Parliament.These results follow the 2014 landmark Constitutional reform mandating political... Read more
Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director
Date: Thursday, July 26, 2018
Mexico has made unprecedented strides towards achieving gender parity in its Congress during the last general election held...
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
In its highly anticipated parliamentary election in almost ten years, Lebanon saw a record number of women on the ballot. An unprecedented 113 women registered as candidates, and 86 of them made it to candidate lists. This was a whopping increase from 2009, when only 12 women candidates had registered.The elections resulted in six women being elected to Parliament, reflecting hard-won victories, but also the long road ahead for women candidates. The outgoing parliament had only four women parliamentarians out of 128.Paula Yaacoubian, one of the registered candidates, and the only woman from... Read more
In its highly anticipated parliamentary election in almost ten years, Lebanon saw a record number of women on the ballot. An unprecedented 113 women registered as candidates, and 86 of them made it to candidate lists. This was a whopping increase...
Monday, August 14, 2017
In October 2017, Liberians will head to the polls to vote, as President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female Head of State, completes her second and final term tenure this year.Women constitute half of the over two million people who have registered to vote, according to Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC). UN Women is working with Liberian civil society organizations, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the NEC and the media to boost women’s political participation.Forty-year-old A.D. Scott, running for a parliamentary seat, knows first-hand the... Read more
In October 2017, Liberians will head to the polls to vote, as President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female Head of State, completes her second and final term tenure this year.
Women constitute half of the over two million people...
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Abdia Gole, 33, is a recent graduate of Business Management from one of the leading universities in Kenya, and a candidate for the upcoming County Assembly elections for Gorbo Ward, Marsabit County, in Northern Kenya. “I am going door to door, campaigning to urge women and youth to vote for me. Our time is now or never,” says Gole.When she first announced her decision to run for a political office, people in her community ridiculed her. The Council of Elders, who are the traditional leaders of the community and have the ultimate say in such matters, also disapproved Gole’s intentions. In her... Read more
Abdia Gole, 33, is a recent graduate of Business Management from one of the leading universities in Kenya, and a candidate for the upcoming County Assembly elections for Gorbo Ward, Marsabit County, in Northern Kenya. “I am going door to door,...
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Nepal — "I am contesting the upcoming election with my headscarf on, duly following the advice of my mother-in-law. But I have offered my full support to my daughter-in-law to contest the polls without the scarf" says Kausilya Tharu, 45, who came all the way from Bara district in western Nepal to participate in the national conference. She is one of the 39 women participants contesting local polls in the second phase of the local elections scheduled for June 14.With the promulgation of a new constitution in Nepal in 2015 that contains many positive provisions to advance gender... Read more
Nepal — "I am contesting the upcoming election with my headscarf on, duly following the advice of my mother-in-law. But I have offered my full support to my daughter-in-law to contest the polls without the scarf" says Kausilya Tharu, 45, who came...
Friday, December 23, 2016
By Corinne RobertsIt’s midday in one of Dili’s busiest markets. A man pushes a food-cart selling an Indonesian-style soup with spicy meatballs. In an aluminum-roofed market stall, Barbara Garma Soares is shopping for football jerseys.Soares is one of 21 women recently elected as Xefe Suku (Village Chief), in Timor-Leste’s nation-wide local elections held on 13 November. This is almost double the result from last election, in 2009, where only 11 women were elected from 442 villages.Soares has travelled by mikrolet (mini-van) from her home in Suku Sau, a coastal fishing village two hours... Read more
By Corinne Roberts
It’s midday in one of Dili’s busiest markets. A man pushes a food-cart selling an Indonesian-style soup with spicy meatballs. In an aluminum-roofed market stall, Barbara Garma Soares is shopping for football jerseys.
Soares is one...
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Tunisia’s Parliament has approved an amendment ensuring that women have greater representation in local politics. This amendment, which applies to both municipal and regional elections, includes a proposal for “horizontal and vertical” gender parity in Article 49 of the electoral law.Horizontal parity requires that municipal election lists across Tunisia have equal number of both men and women, while vertical parity requires that men and women alternate within each list. Both were adopted by the Assembly of Representatives of the People (ARP), the Tunisian parliament, on 15 June 2016. Out of... Read more
Tunisia’s Parliament has approved an amendment ensuring that women have greater representation in local politics. This amendment, which applies to both municipal and regional elections, includes a proposal for “horizontal and vertical” gender parity...
