Political Participation & Leadership

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: IPS
As several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) elect bodies to write new constitutions, women are looking to expand their rights through legislation.

Source: IPS
CAIRO, Nov 27 (IPS) - As several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) elect bodies to write new constitutions, women are looking to expand their rights through legislation.

Source: Women's Enews
Two women prominent in Egypt's revolutionary movement say parliamentary elections scheduled to start Nov. 28 should be cancelled in light of the violence.

Egypt

Source: Aljazeera
A Moroccan political party has selected for the second time a woman from the Jewish faith to head its national women's list for the parliamentary elections in the overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim North African country.

Morocco

Source: EuroNews
November 23, 2005 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is officially declared the next President of Liberia, making her the first elected female African head of state.

Liberia

Source: Global Arab Network
Since 25 January there has been an overwhelming amount of media coverage of women’s participation in protests across Egypt, including mothers who felt it was safe to bring their newborns to protest sites, young female students painting the faces of family members

Egypt

Source: allAfrica.com
WOMEN have been challenged to come out and take political positions in 2012 for them to attain a third representation in Parliament. Women who want these positions countywide are handful and it may be a big challenge for them to attain this requirement as stipulated in the constitution.

Kenya

Source: The Independent
On Sept. 21 Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff became the first woman ever to give the opening speech at UN General Assembly session. She called this ‘the century of women’.

Source: Business Ghana
Ms Malonin Asibi, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Department of Women, on Monday expressed worry about the low participation and representation of females in decision making processes in the region.

Ghana

Source:
When people think of Africa, they don’t associate it with gender equality.

Source: Daily Maverick
It was not the most opportune time for a literature festival in Johannesburg. In an act of daring cunning that never fails to raise the ire of motorists, cyclists had commandeered this city’s roads while in a restive enclave of Illovo, a group of men battled for ascendancy in a game of cricket.