- 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: Capital FM
Presidential aspirant Martha Karua has been rated as the most inspiring female politician in a new poll by Infotrak Harris research firm.
Source: Afrika
Almost half of Kenyans will vote for a woman president, a new opinion poll shows. According to a survey by Infotrak Harris released Tuesday, 48 per cent of Kenyans indicated willingness to elect a woman as the country's fourth president.
Source: The New Times
Citing the example of some developing countries that have taken a lead in accelerating women's political participation, the United Nations has highlighted the role of quotas. Rwanda is one of the few countries in Africa that has taken positive measures to enhance the role of women in politics and leadership using the quota system.
The right of women to participate in political life is guaranteed by several international conventions, but transforming an abstract right into a reality requires hard work on the ground, says a new study released here.
Across the Middle East, countries are witnessing parliamentary changes under newly-installed governments which have been credited as a result of the Arab Spring.
The head of the United Nations entity mandated to promote gender equality today highlighted the role of quotas to accelerate women’s political participation, adding that more hands-on measures are needed to achieve significant progress on this issue.
Opportunities from the Arab Spring to boost the low number of women in parliaments are being missed, while globally the average number of female politicians inched up half a point last year to 19.5 percent, an organization of parliaments said on Friday.
Source: The Zimbabwe Mail
Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe yesterday broke down in tears after she was overwhelmed by hundreds of MDC-T women who converged at Harare International Airport to welcome her from South Africa where she was undergoing cancer treatment.
Source: WNN
In conjunction with Women's History Month this March, WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) – the largest global membership organization of women board members – is taking significant steps to increase the numbers of women on boards worldwide. WCD initiatives in Asia, Africa, and the Americas over the coming weeks will expand upon the group's existing 42 global chapters of more than 1,400 members serving on 1,550 boards.
Source: SANF
A new gender law in Mauritius that requires one-third of candidates in local elections to be women represents another small step towards parity in decision-making.
Source: Anglop
The general secretary of Trade Unions in Luanda, Filomena António Soares, said Thursday that the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon's appreciation that Angola is among the countries with high number of women in the decision-making posts, demonstrates the recognition of women's efforts to dignify the country.