It has been argued that where women are fully represented, societies are more peaceful and stable. Women's political participation is fundamental for gender equality and their representation in positions of leadership must be a priority for all African governments. Women are largely under-represented in decision-making and leadership positions in Africa.
 
Over the last years, there has been more women in parliaments and decision-making positions than before. In the parliamentary elections of Rwanda in September 2013 women obtained 64 percent of the seats, which is the highest number in the world. However, women's participation in governmance and decision-making remain very limited. They are outnumbered by men in all decision-making and leadership positions.
 
In the history of Africa, there are now three women who have been elected president:
  • Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – President of the Republic of Liberia
  • Joyce Banda – President of the Republic of Malawi
  • Catherine Samba-Panza – Interim President of the Central African Republic

There is progress here and there on the continent regarding women's rights . We must go much further to ensure greater gender equality in Africa. It is not just a matter of justice....When women take their rightful place at the negotiating table, in the parliament and in leadership positions across society, we can unleash Africa’s enormous potential..." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

To learn more about women's political participation, please visit the following websites:

Source: The Zimbabwean
Many women, especially in rural communities, have been prevented from playing greater roles in influencing political, social, economic or even developmental and environmental community decisions that could improve their living conditions. For a long time, men have sidelined women from the development process, in the belief that they knew what was needed. Such prejudices have been hard to overcome.

Source: Project Syndicate
Would the world be more peaceful if women were in charge? A challenging new book by the Harvard University psychologist Steven Pinker says that the answer is “yes.”

Source: TunisiaLive
US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg paid an official visit to the American embassy in Tunis, Tunisia on February 4th, 2012.

Source: VOA
As presidential hopefuls began campaigning for Senegal's February 26 election, the sole female candidate, Amsatou Sow Sidibe, was touring the country's coast shaking hands and speaking to the market women along the beaches of the country's capital. "I'm with the women along the sea who sell the fish," she said from Dakar. "I'm doing a tour of the coast and talking to fishermen and those who sell the fish, because without them the country cannot properly feed itself."

Source: Public Agenda
At 72 years, Hon Anna Margareth Abdallah has an enormous of experience as a Member of Parliament (MP). She has had eight terms of five years each in Tanzania's Parliament and is still a member of the house which she first entered when she was 32.

Source:
The role that many women played in the history and formation of the ANC has barely been recognised, President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday.

Source: GhanaVibes
Women politicians in the Upper West Region have called on political parties to institute a quota system that will enable more women candidates to contest for parliamentary seats.

Source: VibeGhana
ProNet North, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) is undertaking projects in four districts of the Upper West Region to promote women’s participation in politics.

Source: Leadership
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has assured women in the State of 50 per cent slots in both appointive and elective positions in government at the state, local and ward levels.

Source: AllAfrica
While launching its elections assistance project with the theme 'Breaking barriers: Empowering women to register to vote, the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone has urged all women in the country to go out in their numbers and register for the forthcoming November 17 elections.

Source: Daily Maverick
A highly anticipated election for the position of African Union Commission chairperson petered out into a stalemate after four rounds of voting failed to conclusively reveal a winner. But it wasn’t quite a damp squib. Quite the contrary, actually: the election served up all the drama of a World Cup semi-final. By KHADIJA PATEL and SIMON ALLISON.

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