Sierra Leone's government on Thursday introduced a bill that would ensure that 30 percent of parliamentary seats and cabinet positions are held by women in the West African state.
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: Premium Times
The local council elections held on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have again brought to fore the low representation of women in Nigeria’s politics and governance.
Source: PREMIUM TIMES
A total of 55 candidates contested to be the chairpersons of the six area councils. Only three of the candidates (9 per cent) are women.
SOURCE: Leadership
House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review has recommended the creation of 111 additional legislative seats in the National Assembly to be occupied solely by women beginning from the next general election.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Owhrode — Women of Owhrode, Ovwodokpokpo and Erhiephiyor communities, Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, have threatened to stop any form of political campaigns in their communities in 2023 unless the five ramshackle access roads linking the communities were constructed.
A two-day Women’s Political Participation Forum, which brought together a cross-section of women politicians, academics, women candidates, and human rights activists, concluded on Wednesday in Mogadishu, with calls for the country to embrace inclusive politics in order to allow women play a meaningful role in nation-building.
Source: Dalsan Radio
The Gender Committee of the Federal Electoral Implementation Team (FEIT), on Sunday engaged dozens of women candidates for the Lower House of Parliament to explore ways of ensuring that the women’s 30 percent quota is met in order to improve the overall representation of women in the ongoing elections.
Source: The New Dawn
Women leaders from across the African continent have concluded a three-day gathering of Amujae’s second leadership forum convened in Monrovia by the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center), vowing to change the landscape for women in public leadership.
Source: UN Women
UN Women and the Canada High Commission will embark on a three-year initiative to increase women’s participation and representation in political leadership and decision-making in Kenya. The Government of Canada has pledged over USD 5m to address the barriers responsible for excluding women from political leadership and decision-making processes.
Source: Nation
Kenya has outperformed the global average of female board directors after witnessing significant progress in board diversity and inclusion in the last nine years, a new report shows.
Source: Nation
Kenya’s youngest Assistant County Commissioner Rehema Malemba Kiteto has urged young women to seek leadership positions in the 2022 General Election.She particularly singled out women who are passionate about leadership to vie for various positions from MCA, MP, senator and governor positions.