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Woman Running for President Shows Tunisia’s Arab Spring Progress

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Woman Running for President Shows Tunisia’s Arab Spring Progress

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In a life spanning colonial rule, war, autocracy and revolution, Tunis resident Halima never saw a reason to vote.

A chance meeting in a souk earlier this month gave her one. She was introduced to Kalthoum Kannou, who has three children, a long marriage to a doctor, a 25-year career as a judge and an ambition to be the first female president of Tunisia.

In a life spanning colonial rule, war, autocracy and revolution, Tunis resident Halima never saw a reason to vote.

A chance meeting in a souk earlier this month gave her one. She was introduced to Kalthoum Kannou, who has three children, a long marriage to a doctor, a 25-year career as a judge and an ambition to be the first female president of Tunisia.

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Tomasic supports Grabar Kitarovic as next president of Croatia

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Tomasic supports Grabar Kitarovic as next president of Croatia

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Member of the European Parliament Ruza Tomasic on Sunday supported HDZ candidate Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic in the race for the next president of Croatia, saying that Croatia was ready for a woman president.

"Croatia is ready for a woman president and this is the future president of the Republic of Croatia," Tomasic told Hina after meeting Grabar Kitarovic in a central Zagreb square. She described the presidential candidate of the strongest opposition party as "a firm and steadfast woman who knows what she is saying and doing."

Member of the European Parliament Ruza Tomasic on Sunday supported HDZ candidate Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic in the race for the next president of Croatia, saying that Croatia was ready for a woman president.

"Croatia is ready for a woman president and this is the future president of the Republic of Croatia," Tomasic told Hina after meeting Grabar Kitarovic in a central Zagreb square. She described the presidential candidate of the strongest opposition party as "a firm and steadfast woman who knows what she is saying and doing."

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Long way to go, on achieving gender equality

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Long way to go, on achieving gender equality

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This week Schulz kicked off the spring forward for women conference, which aims to bring about ideas for encouraging political representation of women, with particular focus on women in Arab countries.

The conference comes as world leaders gear up for the 59th session of the commission on the status of women, due to take place next March at the UN headquarters in New York. At this meeting, heads of states will discuss the progress that has been made 20 years after the implementation of the Beijing platform for action - an agenda for the empowerment of women.

This week Schulz kicked off the spring forward for women conference, which aims to bring about ideas for encouraging political representation of women, with particular focus on women in Arab countries.

The conference comes as world leaders gear up for the 59th session of the commission on the status of women, due to take place next March at the UN headquarters in New York. At this meeting, heads of states will discuss the progress that has been made 20 years after the implementation of the Beijing platform for action - an agenda for the empowerment of women.

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Women in high office: Indonesia 8, Australia 1

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Women in high office: Indonesia 8, Australia 1

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Indonesia’s new president Joko Widodo has appointed eight women to his cabinet, vastly outdoing the Australian government when it comes to female representation.

The humble furniture maker-turned president, more accustomed to carving wooden cabinets than those of the political kind, will embark on his reformist agenda with plenty of female input, including from former Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands Retno Marsudi as Foreign Minister.

Indonesia’s new president Joko Widodo has appointed eight women to his cabinet, vastly outdoing the Australian government when it comes to female representation.

The humble furniture maker-turned president, more accustomed to carving wooden cabinets than those of the political kind, will embark on his reformist agenda with plenty of female input, including from former Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands Retno Marsudi as Foreign Minister.

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Brazil elections: Dilma Rousseff promises reform after poll win

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Brazil elections: Dilma Rousseff promises reform after poll win

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President Dilma Rousseff has promised to re-unite Brazil after narrowly winning re-election to a second term in office with 51.6% of the vote.

She said "dialogue" would be her top priority after a bitterly fought campaign against centre-right candidate Aecio Neves, who got 48.4% of the vote.

The left-wing leader said she wanted to be "a much better president than I have been until now".

President Dilma Rousseff has promised to re-unite Brazil after narrowly winning re-election to a second term in office with 51.6% of the vote.

She said "dialogue" would be her top priority after a bitterly fought campaign against centre-right candidate Aecio Neves, who got 48.4% of the vote.

The left-wing leader said she wanted to be "a much better president than I have been until now".

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Few women on Tunisian parliamentary poll lists

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Few women on Tunisian parliamentary poll lists

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Tunisia, despite being the most advanced Arab nation in terms of women's rights, is still fare from adhering fully to the principles enshrined in the January 2014 Constitution and from abiding by the ratification of international treaties in daily life. Though 47% of candidates for Tunisia's parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday are women, only 12% of them are on top of the electoral lists of candidates. This is a slight improvement on the previous elections, when the figure was 7%, but still shows a lack of equal opportunities for women. 

Tunisia, despite being the most advanced Arab nation in terms of women's rights, is still fare from adhering fully to the principles enshrined in the January 2014 Constitution and from abiding by the ratification of international treaties in daily life. Though 47% of candidates for Tunisia's parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday are women, only 12% of them are on top of the electoral lists of candidates. This is a slight improvement on the previous elections, when the figure was 7%, but still shows a lack of equal opportunities for women. 

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Do Quotas for Female Politicians Work?

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Do Quotas for Female Politicians Work?

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Photo-Paulo Whitaker/Reuters

SÃO PAULO—This year, for the first time in Brazil’s history, two women—incumbent President Dilma Rousseff and former environment minister Marina Silva—had a serious chance of winning the presidency. Marina, who sought the country’s highest office after the death of her running mate in August, ultimately fell short, coming in third in voting this week behind Dilma and Aécio Neves, who now enter a runoff.

Photo-Paulo Whitaker/Reuters

SÃO PAULO—This year, for the first time in Brazil’s history, two women—incumbent President Dilma Rousseff and former environment minister Marina Silva—had a serious chance of winning the presidency. Marina, who sought the country’s highest office after the death of her running mate in August, ultimately fell short, coming in third in voting this week behind Dilma and Aécio Neves, who now enter a runoff.

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Female president will solve Ghana’s problems — Dr Baah

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Female president will solve Ghana’s problems — Dr Baah

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The Deputy General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, has said that the country’s economic problems could be solved when a female is elected as the president.

“If you want Ghana to develop, make a woman the president," he said, adding that “corruption will go down if we have many female ministers.”

Dr Baah made the call during the closing ceremony of a five-day capacity building workshop organised by the TUC for 50 of its staff members from all districts in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The Deputy General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, has said that the country’s economic problems could be solved when a female is elected as the president.

“If you want Ghana to develop, make a woman the president," he said, adding that “corruption will go down if we have many female ministers.”

Dr Baah made the call during the closing ceremony of a five-day capacity building workshop organised by the TUC for 50 of its staff members from all districts in the Brong Ahafo Region.

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Brazil election: Dilma Rousseff to face Aecio Neves in run-off

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Brazil election: Dilma Rousseff to face Aecio Neves in run-off

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Brazil's presidential race will go to a second round after incumbent Dilma Rousseff fell short of an outright victory in Sunday's election.

Brazil's presidential race will go to a second round after incumbent Dilma Rousseff fell short of an outright victory in Sunday's election.