Parliaments & Representatives

Learn & Interact

Learn & Interact

Parliamentary Oversight of Gender Equality

Parliaments are key stakeholders in the promotion and achievement of gender equality. Parliamentary oversight processes provide and opportunity to ensure that governments maintain commitments to gender equality. While women parliamentarians have often assumed responsibility for this oversight, many...

Women mayors, women elected as head of villages, towns and cities

While women have made great strides in politics, there are still some glass ceilings to be shattered among these are women’s access to local offices and particularly their election as mayors.The first woman mayor recorded is believed to be Susanna Madora Salter of the United States who served as...

Mentorship programs to support candidates and elected female MPs beyond training and study tours

"Whenever I am asked what the missing link is between a promising businessperson and a successful one, mentoring comes to mind; if you are looking to make your way in business, try to find a mentor. If you are in a position to share the skills you have learned, give something back by becoming a...

Women in Local Governments

Women’s political and socio-economic status improves when women become more involved in decision making and policy development at all levels of governance. Through their active involvement in community work and women’s movements, local women politicians are fully aware of issues faced by...

Parliamentary Action on Elimination and Prevention of Violence Against Women

The priority theme of the 57th UN Commission of the Status of Women will be the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.Inequalities in women's lives are complex and intersected and violence against women and girls can be tackled from many angles by different...

Women in Local Politics (2012)

The growing discourse on deepening democracy around the world is increasingly being anchored around democratic decentralisation and meaningful local governance which is also being linked to greater social accountability and public participation. Governance is not just about government but is now...

iKNOW Politics

CSW 67 side-event: Achieving equality in decision-making by 2030: What will it take?

The Inter-parliamentary Union hosted this CSW 67 side-event on 8 March 2023 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The session informed the new General Recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) on Equal and Inclusive...

Bernadette Lahai

Dr. Bernadette Lahai

Hon Dr Bernadette Lahai is Agriculturist by profession. In the 2002 general elections, she was elected to the Sierra Leone House of Parliament under the Sierra Leone People’s Party. She won re-election in the 2007 and in the 2012 Parliamentary elections, with 69.15%. Dr. Bernadette Lahai was the...

The Saturday Paper

Julia Banks on how politics fails women

When Liberal MP Julia Banks quit the Morrison government in 2018, her resignation was cited as an example of how hostile the political environment can be towards women.But Banks’ story and her resignation happened to coincide with a landmark report: Respect @ Work.That report, and the changes...

How did Rwanda become no.1 for gender equality? IPU

How did Rwanda become no.1 for gender equality?

In 2008, the Rwanda Chamber of Deputies was the first elected national parliament where women were the majority. The proportion of MPs who are women is at 61.25% today, way above the current global average of 26.4%. Rwanda has been at the top of the IPU’s monthly ranking of women in national...

Ala Talabani

Ala Talabani

Ala Talabani is a Member of the Council of Representatives of Iraq. She is the President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan bloc in the Iraqi Parliament and a co-founder of the High Council for Iraqi Women.This interview was conducted on 7 September 2021, in Vienna (Austria), during the Fifth...

What is a gender-sensitive parliament? (IPU)

What is a gender-sensitive parliament?

What are the criteria that make a parliament gender-sensitive? Which parliaments are more gender-sensitive than others? How can your parliament become more gender-sensitive? Answers in this short video.Click here to access the video.

A quick guide to gender-sensitive scrutiny in Malaysia - INTER PARES

A quick guide to gender-sensitive scrutiny in Malaysia

This guide is designed to help Members and staff of the Parliament of Malaysia undertake gender-sensitive scrutiny of laws, budgets, and policies.Click here to download the guide published by INTER PARES.

A quick guide to gender-sensitive scrutiny in Bhutan - credits: INTER PARES

A quick guide to gender-sensitive scrutiny in Bhutan

This guide is designed to help Members and staff of the Parliament of Bhutan undertake gender-sensitive scrutiny of laws, budgets, and policies.Click here to download the guide published by INTER PARES.

ealizing gender equality in parliament: a guide for parliaments in the OSCE region - copyright: OSCE

Realizing gender equality in parliament: A guide for parliaments in the OSCE region

This practical guide is intended to support the full range of parliamentary actors — from parliamentary leadership teams, members of parliament, and political and parliamentary staff, to parliamentary practitioners and civil society organizations dealing with gender equality issues — in...

UN Women

A Primer for Parliamentary Action: Gender-sensitive Responses to COVID-19

This Primer highlights practical ways Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary staff can take action to ensure COVID-19 response and recovery decision-making address women’s needs. It is informed by the differential impacts of the disease on women as documented to date, and the common needs...

UN Women

HeForShe Action Kit for Parliaments

This Action Kit has been developed to guide the overall implementation of the HeForShe solidarity movement. It provides general information about the campaign, simple-to-follow implementation steps and a list of accessible campaign tools and resources. It is specifically tailored for...

IPU

Guidelines for the elimination of sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliament

These guidelines offer advice and practical information for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff on how to transform parliaments into gender-sensitive environments free from sexism and abuse. Click here to listen the guidelines.

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iKNOW Politics Partners Resources

UNDP

Egypt hosts dialogue to boost women’s political participation

Source: BNN Breaking News

UN Women

Online harassment risks pushing Kenyan women out of politics

Source: UN Women

UN Women

Women’s representation in politics extremely poor – Vilita Bashir

Source: LEADERSHIP NEWS

UN Women

UN Women supports political participation of women framework

Source: The Herald Zimbabwe

Related Websites

UN Women's Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database

City 50-50 Platform encourages gender parity in power spheres in Brazil

Violence against Women in Politics

E-learning Portal for Parliaments

Women’s Caucus Fact Sheet