Women's political participation

It is “highly likely” a woman will challenge Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in the race to replace President Jacob Zuma in 2017.

This is the view of ANC Women’s League president Angie Motshekga, who told The Mercury at the weekend there were several women in the league who were ready to take over the party’s and country’s presidencies.

Motshekga and Zuma were in Durban for Women’s Day celebrations at King Zwelithini Stadium in uMlazi.

All too often, we measure our progress in the process of gender empowerment by counting the number of woman politicians in Parliament and Cabinet. There is also now a new dynamic in ANC politics with talk of the prospect of a woman leading the organisation and the country next. At first it looked as if President Jacob Zuma was merely being politically correct by saying South Africa could have a woman as president sooner than we think. He repeated the sentiment last week during a briefing with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

The seven women Union ministers are trying to understand and address the challenges women in the country face, said Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal at India Today Woman Summit and Awards 2014 on Saturday.

"We women understand the challenges and we will bring in the women angle. That's what is going to make the difference," she said in a Q&A session Power & Politics.

Her confirmation in the position will take place at the party congress scheduled for December this year. This would propel her into the party's powerful politburo and mark her official entrance into politics.

As a member of the supreme decision-making body the former presidential typist will play an active role in the battle to succeed her husband, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980.

Many lessons can be learned from South African women who rose as leaders even when it was dangerous to do so, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela said on Thursday.

In a speech prepared for delivery at a women's leadership conference in Cape Town, she said the lessons were on how to lead with courage and integrity.

Madonsela said leading examples were the lives of anti-apartheid activists Victoria Mxenge, Helen Joseph, and Helen Suzman.

Photo-Spencer Platt/Getty images

A sad reality of Hillary Clinton's career advice for women is that it's all about men. How to navigate the sexist taunts that arise in the workplace, how to be less of a perfectionist (because men don't bother), and how to handle double standards surrounding appearance and dress.

Women should get more involved in politics so that the voices of the fairer sex can be heard clearly.

Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower) programme officer Wong Kar Fai said the decision-making process should benefit both genders without any discrimination.

"Women's voices are very marginalised in this country," he said.

Currently, there are only 23 women members of parliament out of 222, which is about 10% when the ideal figure should be 30%.