Sub Saharan Africa

Ms Darling Norgbey, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) has appealed to women across the country to use their endearing attributes to help diffuse simmering political tensions that could develop into full blown conflicts.

Ms Norgbey, who is President of Police Ladies Association (POLAS), Volta Region, was addressing members of the Association and other security services ladies after a march on Saturday through the Ho Township to herald peaceful elections in the region.

Cameroon's new biometric registration of voters may end up disenfranchising many potential voters, especially women in the country's predominantly Muslim north where cultural practices may prevent them from having their photos taken.

"This is a sticky issue," Adji Massao, the Far North regional representative of the country's elections management body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), told IPS.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will introduce programmes that will encourage and bring women into the mainstream of economic and political activities should it be given the mandate come December 7.   

In its Election 2012 manifesto made available to the Ghana News Agency, the NPP said it was committed to the development and welfare of Ghanaian women in granting that the party should be voted for to pursue its agenda.   

SADC’s women parliamentary caucus will visit Swaziland from the today to Thursday to lobby on issues of women empowerment.
The caucus, also referred to as the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC), is led by Beauty Dlulane, an MP and also the Chairperson of the Multi-Party National Caucus in the Parliament of South Africa.
According to a press release, the visit is in line with the SADC parliamentary forum’s 2011-2015 strategic plan to lobby and advocate for increased women’s representation in positions of power.

Sixty women including young women in government, politics, civil society, women network and movements from different West African countries, yesterday converged at Hotel Barmoi in Freetown to participate in the 5thWest African Women Policy Forum to chat the way forward for women’s empowerment and effective participation in politics and decision- making.