Political Parties

Cheri Beasley is well aware of the challenges facing Black women who run for statewide office. “I know what it's like to hear the doubters and those who are skeptical that people of color can't win, because it's not what we're used to or who we envision in positions of power,” she said in an interview with NBC News.

The former judge has made two successful runs for statewide judicial positions, and this year she is running for North Carolina’s open Senate seat, joining a cohort of Black women looking to make history.

For the first time in the island’s history, women leaders will take Barbados’ two major political parties into the arena as the island prepares for a snap general election. Incumbent prime minister, Mia Mottley, head of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) will face off with attorney-at-law Verla De Peiza and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) at the polls set for January 19, 2022.

This will also be the first general election to take place since the island became a republic at midnight on November 30.

A CROSS section of female politicians in Namibia have voiced their concern over the slow progress of political parties in implementing 50/50 (zebra style) representation in party structures and parliament.

While some believe the country is on the right path to achieving the set Southern African Development Community (SADC) target of 30% representation of women in positions of power, primarily in politics, others believe not enough is not being done, and called for a paradigm shift.

A politician has called for an end to the insults that women receive on social media when they enter the political spotlight.

Kahina Bouhassane received a deluge of abuse on social media when she stood as the Green Party’s candidate for Sussex police and crime commissioner. The 23-year-old deputy chair of Brighton and Hove Green Party decided to speak out about the comments as she wants to more women to take part in political life.

Zimbabwe is scheduled to hold elections in 18 months’ time, but women are reluctant to have their faces appear on ballot papers.

Women here know only too well that in politics, sticks and stones literally break bones, and name-calling is part of the gladiatorial politics in a country where each election cycle is greeted with violence. From party primaries to national elections, the violent nature of the contests is the history of Zimbabwe, with little being done to provide safe spaces for women candidates.