Role of women in society

Women aren't running for office because barriers to entry too high

Since the 1980s, more women have registered to vote than men. In the 2012 election, 7.8 million more women cast ballots than men. Women are more engaged in politics than their male counterparts in a lot of ways. But when it comes to actually making the laws, women are sitting on the sidelines, making up just 18 percent of Congress.

Quotas should be introduced to increase the numbers of women in parliament and public life to address the "dire" gender balance in Westminster, authors have told the Edinburgh international book festival.

Kamila Shamsie, the novelist, and Kate Mosse, the author and founder of the Women's Prize for Fiction, argued that quotas for women in parliament, though according to Mosse "a blunt tool", could "effect real change".

As political parties concentrate around preparations for the Constituent Assembly (CA) election, protest programs demanding 33 percent women´s representation in the new CA has fallen under shadow. 

Inter Party Women Network (IPWN) had 3 weeks ago planned to carry out agitations in the capital at four different places to create pressure for the demand to be met. 
However, on seeing the parties too busy to notice them, IPWN had to cancel its street protests.

Possibly the most controversial inclusion in our Women in Politics series is Fiona Patten, Senate candidate for Victoria and Leader of the Australian Sex Party.

Today we continue our series Women in Politics, with Michaelia Cash, the Senator for Western Australia (Liberal), who hit the headlines back in June when she attacked Senator Penny Wong for betraying Julia Gillard and ‘the sisterhood’.

Despite being in office for just one term, Senator Michaelia Cash, has already proven to be a dynamic force in the Australian political scene.

Despairing news from Iran...

Nina Siahkali Moradi, 27, was barred from taking up her seat in Qazvin by the conservative electoral review board.
An electoral candidate who won a place on a city council in Iran has reportedly been barred from taking up the seat because she is too attractive.During the polls in the city of Qazvin, 27-year-old Nina Siahkali Moradi received 10,000 votes, placing her 14th out of 163 candidates.