- 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:
The National Congress failed to reach an agreement on the draft electoral law that will guide elections of the Constitutional Assembly for Libya at its most recent session on Monday, July 8th.
On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the Coalition of the campaign, Africa for Womens’ Rights : Ratify and Respect reiterates its call for the continental ratification of this progressive instrument within the African human rights system and for its effective implementation.
Between May 27th and June 1st 2013, the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin held a Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy and Human Rights “Towards a Global Human Rights Culture: The Need for a Collective Alliance in the Protection & Promotion of Human Rights”.
Source: Iol News
Throughout the world, boxing is a dance that is common to all people. And despite the pains and injuries that are associated with it, it still has that great entertainment value.
Source: AllAfrica
Aiming to help develop a road map for women's engagement in efforts to bring peace to Africa's long-trouble Great Lakes countries, the United Nations envoy for the region has gathered nearly 100 women, including ministers, for a three-day meeting in Burundi to underscore the fact that "women's leadership matters."
Source: The News
The Youth Exploring Solutions (YES), a passionate, non-profit and voluntary youth-led development organization that is primarily a self-sponsored institution since its inception in 2007 has launched its project named and styled 'Enhancing Women's Participation in Leadership and Governance' in the Borough of New Kru Town on the campus of D-Tweh Public School.
Source: AllAfrica
President Kagame has told Rwandan women that the government is committed to continue promoting gender equality, saying that there is a need for women to know that they have the right and capacity to contribute towards national development.
Source: Leadership
The new president of the GlobalPower Women Network Africa (GPWNA), and Nigeria’s Minister of State 1 for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri,
In the past two years much has been said about how Egypt’s popular uprising has affected women. All too often Egyptian women have been portrayed in absolute terms, as victims of a revolution that is in itself still a fluid work in progress.
Source: Daily Monitor
The First Ladies summit scheduled to take place in Tanzania from July 2 to 3 reminds me of the folk tales about wicked stepmothers.
The term wicked has been stamped on the forehead of some First Ladies across the continent and this sweeping generalisation has become universally accepted. This why I want to call upon the selected few who are going for this meeting in Dar es Salaam to go back home and rally as many women as possible to take on their husbands in polls for the coveted seats in the presidential palaces.
Let us go back to the summit which is expected to be attended by US First Lady Michelle Obama and is set to bring together at least eight spouses of African Heads of State who will be sharing progressive ideas.
The meeting, whose theme is Investing in Women, Strengthening Africa, will focus on the important role that First Ladies play in promoting women's education, health and economic empowerment in their countries.
The meeting will also focus on the crucial role that First Ladies play in promoting women's education, health and economic empowerment.
Other matters of interest will be entrepreneurship through training and technology, providing opportunities and improving agricultural outcomes for female farmers and life-saving collaboration to combat cervical and breast Cancer.
Education will also feature on the agenda list thus the state of literacy, access to education and teacher training as well as the need to invest in women's economic empowerment and health in general. However, these should not just remain in the boardrooms of five-star hotels but should be realised in their home countries.
Male-dominated politics
Why did I introduce the wicked stepmother theory? Well, perhaps because most mothers are known to be loving and kind while the former has a negative connotation. Many a times, First Ladies have made news for the wrong reasons like alleged murders, property grabbing, and milking State coffers dry among others. They have also been accused of doing everything within their means to ensure their husbands remain in power including using public and State funds.
Lest I forget to mention, they are at times linked to whipping their husbands' opponents into shape. Just ask the Zimbabweans. Others are known for lavish holiday and shopping trips abroad. Swaziland's citizenry can relate well with this.
Some have been accused of using their foundations to divert donor aid allocated to non-governmental organisations to their personal use.
Population and development in the Arab region were issues discussed this week in Cairo, during a three-day conference that ended with a declaration highlighting the need to empower women, promote gender equality, and step up efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals.