women's participation

Jordanian female parliamentarians have come a long way in the ten years since the quota system was first introduced for the 2003 elections. Crucially, the quota system has succeeded in changing society’s attitudes, to the extent that women are now being directly elected to parliament without the help of a quota seat.

'Maybe women deserve men setting the agenda," a conservative female politician said Friday as emotions ran high over a study that showed men know more about politics than women, and that the gender gap was wider in Norway than in comparable countries such as Australia.

WITH more countries around the world voting in female prime ministers, Fiji's women are also being encouraged to add a female face to the words "Prime Minister".

Such a change will obviously be accompanied by numerous challenges, explained Minister for Women Dr Jiko Luveni, who said women were important agents of change.

"They have the ability to make effective leaders that serve the people as parliamentarians and should run for the elections next year," Dr Luveni said.

Some women see Libya's transition as a prime opportunity to improve their standing in society and gain political power, but societal norms still stand in the way.

A Libyan woman flashes the victory sign at Tahrir Square, during the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in Benghazi, Libya, Feb. 17. Libyan women have been energized by revolution and see the country’s transition as a chance to raise their status in a society that has long excluded them from positions of authority.

A key player in the European Union, Catherine Ashton caps her turn as a diplomat by orchestrating an impossible seeming peace between Serbia and Kosovo.

They make up one-fifth of the body. It doesn’t look anything like parity (or America), but they believe they can do what the men can’t — namely, get things done.

We invite you to read the article published July 12 2013

What is it about the “woman question” that drives so many pundits and politicians to despair in New Zealand? To call the all-women shortlist a “man ban” shows how clearly many of them see politics as being all about them, men.

 On the same day that she buried her father, Alma Leticia Reyes decided that she would follow in his footsteps and continue his candidacy for mayor of a Mexican town herself, and now - after winning the election - she will have the chance to carry out the plans that he intended to implement in office.

We invite you to read the full article published July 11 2013