- 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 Star
ANALYSIS
"I don't want to be a compliment to anybody else. I want to be me. I am not an entertainer. I do not want a borrowed rib!" So came the impassioned statement by Malawi presidential candidate Jessie Kabwila, a woman toughened by a strangely unapologetic anti-female prevailing political tradition in a country already headed by a woman president.
Source: The Star
All the country's 47 women's representatives will sue Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich if he delays to give them the certificate needed to facilitate the proposed Women Fund Bill.
Source: The New Times
SHE is the founder and president of Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), which is a women's movement.
Time Magazine also listed Senegalese-born Bineta Diop among the world's most influential people in 2011; she has been instrumental in peace building initiatives in Africa with focus on the protection of women during conflict and their inclusion in peace processes.
Source: FrontPageAfrica
The Gender Section of the National Elections Commission (NEC) has begun the conduct of a string of regional Gender Seminars to encourage Women's Political participation in the ensuing Special Senatorial Election.
Source: MSAfropolitan
Last month, a group of circa 40 women gathered in Banjul, Gambia for a transformational feminist leadership workshop organised by Women Living Under Muslim Law (WLUML). I was one of the trainers at the weeklong workshop; my sessions were about using communication for feminist advocacy.
Source: Leadership
Abuja — As 2015 creeps in, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria has challenged Nigerian women to build on successes recorded in recent past and ensure they vie for more and higher elective offices in 2015.
Source: Gender Links
Nora Schimming-Chase, former Namibian Ambassador and Member of Parliament, has expressed her disappointment with the current situation surrounding the lack of positive and progressive action towards a 50-50 initiative on gender representation in Parliament. She made the remarks at the official opening of the Namibia SADC Protocol@Work Summit held on 14 April.
Source: Voice of America
Women rights campaigners have intensified their 50/50 drive to have equal representation in the May 20 elections. Malawi ranks as one of the countries with low female representation not only in southern Africa, but globally. At the moment, only 22 percent of 193 parliamentary seats are held by women.
Source: The Zimbabwean
Zimbabwean women will not let men wrestle away what they gained in the constitution and decide their fate, says the information campaigns and advocacy officer for the Women in Politics Support Unit, Tsitsi Mhlanga.
Source: Front Page Africa
Monrovia — The Long standing debate in Liberia regarding the granting of exclusive rights to women to have 30% participation in elective positions has been dealt a blow with a committee of the House of Representatives of the 53rd Legislature insisting that the proposal be taken to referendum.
Source: Leadership
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said on Monday in Lagos, that the commission was ready to achieve gender balance across the various cadres of its personnel.