- 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:
A few days before the runoff elections that brought the Muslim Brotherhood candidate to the presidency, I was invited along with other civil activists to meet Mohamed Morsi. He did not show up, but his top advisers were present. After the long speech they gave about how Morsi will empower the civil society and that the Muslim Brotherhood will respect human rights including women's rights, a colleague of mine raised his hand to ask a question.
Source: Daily observer
In a bid to revive the long-delayed proposed legislation seeking to increase women’s participation in politics, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has challenged female legislators to re-introduce the ‘30% of Women Participation in Government’s Bill’ and guarantee its passage into law.
The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Akande-Adeola, has expressed the resolve of female federal lawmakers to back proposals for constitutional amendments to increase women political participation in the country.
Women’s groups in Sierra Leone are hoping that at least 30 percent of seats in the West African nation’s parliament will be held by women after general elections due in November.
There are plenty of good yardsticks for the state of women’s rights around the world. Parliamentary representation isn’t one of them.
Women empowerment took the spotlight in Parliament yesterday with a historic launch of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Namibia branch.
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will appoint a woman and a Christian respectively to be his two vice presidents, CNN reported today. The Muslim Brotherhood leader initially inspired fears of a strictly Islamist state but after just two days in office, Morsi has alleviated that fear — at least a little bit.
The top United Nations envoy in Libya today stressed the importance of the equal participation of women in rebuilding the country, as he commended the number of women who have registered to vote and to stand for election in the upcoming legislative polls.
Source: Forbes
As a young woman working in public policy in Washington, D.C., who has also lived in Egypt for many years, I impart words of hope for my Egyptian female friends:
Be steadfast:
Source: Libya Herald
The event was held to celebrate the role of women in Libyan society
More than 350 female candidates for the National Conference elections gathered in Tripoli this afternoon for an event to honour the role of women during the revolution. The event, entitled “My Voice for Her”, was also attended by Prime Minister Abdurrahman El-Kib, NTC Deputy Chairman Salim Ganaiyen, UN envoy to Libya Ian Martin and Minister of Health Fatima Hamroush amongst others. More than 500 guests were present in total.
Source: Tripoli Post
The much awaited Libyan election is now finally coming to materialize, hopefully without any change in schedule, on July 7, 2012, the first of its kind in almost half-a century. It is indeed a memorable event… a moment of celebration.