With the election campaign for the Shura Council is nearing its end, the women candidates seem very confident to secure seats as since the beginning of election campaign only two women have withdrawn, compared to the withdrawal of 53 male candidates.

After the withdrawal of these candidates, 229 candidates including 26 women are now vying for 30 seats from as many constituencies. Most of the women candidates — five— are in the Constituency No. 22.

Najla Bouden Ramadhane, a university engineer with World Bank experience, has been lifted from political obscurity to become Tunisia's — and the Arab world's — first female prime minister.

BERLIN (AP) — Angela Merkel, Germany’s first female chancellor, has been praised by many for her pragmatic leadership in a turbulent world and celebrated by some as a feminist icon. But a look at her track record over her 16 years at Germany’s helm reveals missed opportunities for fighting gender inequality at home.

PRISTINA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Albania's parliament on Friday voted in the first cabinet to be dominated by women since the multi-party system was introduced 30 years ago.

After a parliamentary session which lasted more than 20 hours, Edi Rama was voted as prime minister for third time after a landslide election victory in April.

Of the 17-member cabinet, 12 will be women.

Two women are in contention to become prime minister of Japan for the first time in its history — a potential turning point for a country that ranks below Saudi Arabia in terms of female political representation.

Two women have entered the race for the leadership of Japan’s ruling party for the first time in its 66-year history, putting in the spotlight both the strides taken and the hurdles that still face female politicians in a country that lags far behind other nations on gender equality.