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Parliaments and Representatives

Democracy and the equal participation of men and women in the political arena are closely intertwined. No parliament or any decision-making body can claim to be representative without the participation of both men and women. As stated in the Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Member Parliaments in 1997, "The achievement of democracy presupposes a genuine partnership between men and women in the conduct of the affairs of society in which they work in equality and complementarity, drawing mutual enrichment from their differences."

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the number of women in parliament, though the world average of less than 22 percent remains far from the goal of parity between women and men. The election of women to the highest positions of state and government in several countries has also contributed to the changing face of politics.

While the road to election is a difficult one, the challenges for women do not stop there. Once women enter parliament or other bodies, they are faced with many new challenges. Parliament is traditionally a male-oriented domain where the rules and practices have been written by men. It is, therefore, an ongoing challenge to transform parliament into a gender-sensitive environment, to ensure that actions are gender-sensitive and to guarantee that gender is mainstreamed throughout the legislature.

France, femmes en politique: que nous disent les médias?

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October 20, 2022

France, femmes en politique: que nous disent les médias?

Pourquoi privilégier l’étude des médias quand on travaille sur les questions de genre ?

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Pourquoi privilégier l’étude des médias quand on travaille sur les questions de genre ?

What is a gender-sensitive parliament?

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October 19, 2022

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.

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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.

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Vanuatu goes to polls by air, sea and road in snap election after lightning campaign

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Vanuatu goes to polls by air, sea and road in snap election after lightning campaign

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First-time candidates vie with incumbents for 52 seats after government dissolved ‘Red Roof’ parliament to ward off no-confidence vote.

After a short and sharp 10-day campaign, voters in Vanuatu will on Thursday cast their ballots in a snap election to determine its 52-seat parliament.

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First-time candidates vie with incumbents for 52 seats after government dissolved ‘Red Roof’ parliament to ward off no-confidence vote.

After a short and sharp 10-day campaign, voters in Vanuatu will on Thursday cast their ballots in a snap election to determine its 52-seat parliament.

World News

IPU Member Parliaments commit to accelerating gender equality

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IPU Member Parliaments commit to accelerating gender equality

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Parliamentarians from around the world have adopted the Kigali Declaration Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world at the end of the 145th IPU Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda.  

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Esperance Nyirasafari (Rwanda), Ivan Flores (Chile)/ IPU

Parliamentarians from around the world have adopted the Kigali Declaration Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world at the end of the 145th IPU Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda.  

Guide for participatory gender audits of parliaments published by OSCE PA and Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

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October 18, 2022

Guide for participatory gender audits of parliaments published by OSCE PA and Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) today published a “

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The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) today published a “

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Female candidates for the Lebanese presidential elections: indications and their chances of winning

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Female candidates for the Lebanese presidential elections: indications and their chances of winning

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Lebanese women are still excluded from the main decision-making positions in Lebanon, such as the presidency of the Republic, premiership and parliament speaker, despite their prominent presence in the human rights and diplomatic fields, and in international forums. There has also been improvement in female representation in the Lebanese Parliament in the last elections that took place in May 2022, with 8 women winning seats, in the best representation of women nominated and reaching the Parliament in the history of the country.

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A view of the ballot box for the presidential election which is placed on a table at the parliament in Lebanon, Beirut, on September 28, 2022. [Houssam Shbaro - Anadolu Agency]

Lebanese women are still excluded from the main decision-making positions in Lebanon, such as the presidency of the Republic, premiership and parliament speaker, despite their prominent presence in the human rights and diplomatic fields, and in international forums. There has also been improvement in female representation in the Lebanese Parliament in the last elections that took place in May 2022, with 8 women winning seats, in the best representation of women nominated and reaching the Parliament in the history of the country.

World News

Two female candidates nominated in Kazakhstan’s presidential elections for first time

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Two female candidates nominated in Kazakhstan’s presidential elections for first time

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ASTANA – Human rights activist Saltanat Tursynbekova was nominated to run for the presidency by Qazaq analary – dasturge zhol (Kazakh mothers are a path to traditions) public association on Oct. 11, reported the association’s press services.

Saltanat Tursynbekova is a member of the Public Council of Astana and founder of the Kazakhstan without domestic violence social project. She is a human rights activist, who focuses on women’s and children’s rights. 

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ASTANA – Human rights activist Saltanat Tursynbekova was nominated to run for the presidency by Qazaq analary – dasturge zhol (Kazakh mothers are a path to traditions) public association on Oct. 11, reported the association’s press services.

Saltanat Tursynbekova is a member of the Public Council of Astana and founder of the Kazakhstan without domestic violence social project. She is a human rights activist, who focuses on women’s and children’s rights. 

Women powered Democrats in the 2018 midterms. Will they again in 2022?

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October 17, 2022

Women powered Democrats in the 2018 midterms. Will they again in 2022?

ARVADA, Colo. — Not long after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion, Robin Kupernik and Elizabeta Stacishin met for lunch and then went for a walk through the Denver Botanic Gardens. “We were both angry,” Kupernik later recalled.

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ARVADA, Colo. — Not long after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion, Robin Kupernik and Elizabeta Stacishin met for lunch and then went for a walk through the Denver Botanic Gardens. “We were both angry,” Kupernik later recalled.

World News

World female parliamentarians vow to empower girls

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World female parliamentarians vow to empower girls

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KIGALI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Female Members of Parliament under the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) vowed to prioritize the empowerment of girls in societies.

"We have a responsibility to ensure that the empowerment of girls is a top priority and that their basic rights are protected and fulfilled to ensure the gender-equal future of our societies," said Esperance Nyirasafari, president of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians.

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KIGALI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Female Members of Parliament under the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) vowed to prioritize the empowerment of girls in societies.

"We have a responsibility to ensure that the empowerment of girls is a top priority and that their basic rights are protected and fulfilled to ensure the gender-equal future of our societies," said Esperance Nyirasafari, president of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians.

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