women's representation

Last night, CBS introduced us to Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who delivered the Republican response to the State of the Union Address, with just three sentences: “She chairs the House GOP conference, which means she ranks fourth in the House leadership. She’s married to a retired naval officer. They have three young children, including a two-month old.” Short, sweet, and to the point. The point being that she’s a mom.

I do not consider myself to be a very political person. I pay a healthy amount of attention to politics during big election years and I enjoy the occasional West Wing rerun, but I certainly wouldn’t want to engage in a debate any time soon. However, I feel like I should know more and care more about politics so I do try to make an effort to pay attention.

Why are there so few women in politics? I think the wrong answer is “well, women don’t care about politics.” I think women are quite political. So why does this gender gap exist?

We invite you to read the full article published January 27, 2014

Last Monday, Central African Republic chose a leader the people believe can pull the country out of its destructive downward spiral. The leader the people of this troubled nation look to with great and hopeful expectations may come as a surprise. Her name is Catherine Samba-Panza – and yes, she is a woman.

We invite you to read the full article published January 24, 2014

As yet another female Tory MP announces she is to stand down, the soul-searching has begun about why women still find life in the Commons so unbearable. Laura Sandys says she is leaving politics because of "family demands". But the impression given is she is part of a growing exodus of recently elected women; "rising stars" forced out tragically early by the macho posturing in parliament.

A revision to Nicaragua’s law on municipal elections last year required political parties to put up equal numbers of women and men as candidates for mayor and city council. It also increased the number of city council seats in each municipality. The result has been more women than ever winning races for mayor and city council.

One of them was Antonia Rizo, a city councilor in San Sebastian de Yal. “When I arrived at my position, I was afraid to speak,” she said, because of lack of familiarity with the city’s legal system.

Advocates for women in Fiji say they are still hoping for special measures mandating women’s representation in parliament.

Fiji’s new constitution does not contain temporary special measures for women, a mechanism some countries use to speed up progress towards gender equality.

But a spokesperson for the Fiji Women’s Forum, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, says there is still time for this to happen as the state has an end of year deadline to make changes to the constitution.

Almost 10 years ago, in early spring 2004, I was one of 14 women appointed to the House of Lords. At the same time, 33 men were appointed.