- 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: Talk Nigerian
Women’s representation in the Federal Government has now steadily declined for three general elections cycles, women hold less than 5% of seats in the National Assembly and 11 State Houses of Assembly including Kaduna State have zero women in office.
Source: Malawi News Agency
By Daniel Nyanjagha
Mulanje — Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) has called on political party leaders to support women aspirants in order to help such candidates attain elective leadership positions.
Source: Premium Times
By Ibrahim Mohammed
Women have turned out in large numbers to vote in the presidential and National Assembly elections in Kaduna State.
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
Experts predict the number of women who win seats in Nigeria’s Saturday elections is likely to fall below the existing 6 percent - already one of the lowest rates in the world.
Source: Dalsan Radio
Puntland named the lowest number of female cabinet ministers compared to other regional states.
Out of the full cabinet, only two are female out of the 48. The full list has 18 ministers, 21 Assistant Ministers and 9 state Ministers.
Source: News Ghana
Civil Society Organisations in Good Governance promotion in Africa have urged leaders across the continent to prioritise efforts, which would increase the participation of women in governance, saying they would provide the difference critical for Africa’s transformation.
Source: Daily Trust
Women leaders in Nigeria have urged political leaders to involve more women in their activities towards peaceful general elections.
Source: FrontPageAfrica
A local pro-democracy and women rights advocacy group working in Southeastern Liberia, National Institute for Public Opinion (NIPO), has raised alarm on the issue low turnout of women participating in politics in Liberia.
Source: Taarifa
Rwanda has broken it’s current world record of 64% women representation in parliament.
The new world record for women representation in parliament has now shot up to 67.5%.
Source: AllAfrica
El Geneina — The lack of representation of women in the new government of West Darfur has led to large-scale protests by women leaders in the state.
On Tuesday, the Governor of West Darfur, Hussein Yasin, announced his new cabinet, consisting of five ministries, all headed by men.
Yasin said that the Sudanese state governors recently pledged to President Omar Al Bashir that the state governments will serve the people, not the rulers.
The priorities of the new West Darfur government will focus on promoting peace, fighting poverty, and developing the economy in the state "to reflect positively on the life of the people".
Ministry for Women
Women leaders in West Darfur reacted to the men-only government by threatening to suspend the political, social, and cultural work women are doing in the state, until they are well represented in decision-making positions.
On Thursday, they called for the establishment of a Ministry for Women, in addition to the appointment of women as commissioners and general managers.
The women demanded the West Darfur government "to urgently respond" to their demands.
Ethiopia on Thursday appointed a woman to the largely ceremonial position of president for the first time, further increasing female representation in the government of Africa's second most populous nation.
In a unanimous vote, Ethiopian lawmakers picked career diplomat Sahle-Work Zewde, 68, to replace Mulatu Teshome who resigned in unclear circumstances.
Ethiopia's reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week appointed a slimline 20-person cabinet in which half the posts are held by women.
They include defence minister Aisha Mohammed and Muferiat Kamil who leads the newly created Ministry of Peace, responsible for police and domestic intelligence agencies.
"If the current change in Ethiopia is headed equally by both men and women, it can sustain its momentum and realise a prosperous Ethiopia free of religious, ethnic and gender discrimination," Sahle-Work said Thursday.
Sahle-Work, who was born in the capital Addis Ababa and attended university in France, has been Ethiopia's ambassador to France, Djibouti, Senegal and the regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Just prior to her appointment as president she was the UN's top official at the African Union. She is fluent in English and French as well as Amharic, Ethiopia's main language.
As president she is expected to serve two six-year terms.
Symbolism and influence
"Mulatu has shown us the way for change and hope, he has shown life continues before and after leaving power. I call on others to heed his example and be ready for change," said Sahle-Work in a speech to parliament.
Political power in Ethiopia is wielded by the prime minister with the president's role restricted to attending ceremonies and functions.
Nevertheless, Sahle-Work's position carries important symbolic weight and social influence.
"Government and opposition parties have to understand we are living in a common house and focus on things that unite us, not what divides us, to create a country and generation that will make all of us proud," she said.
"The absence of peace victimises firstly women, so during my tenure I will emphasise women's roles in ensuring peace and the dividends of peace for women."
Sahle-Work becomes Africa's only serving female head of state, albeit in a ceremonial role.
A handful of African countries have in the recent past been led by female presidents with executive powers, including Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia (2006-18) and Joyce Banda in Malawi (2012-14).
Banda was elevated to the presidency following the death in office of Bingu wa Mutharika, while Sirleaf won two elections before standing down earlier this year at the end of her constitutionally mandated terms.