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Wednesday, October 21, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Women in Politics
POLITICS-ANGOLA: Ambitious Plans For Women's Participation
Nearly a third of candidates in Angola's upcoming parliamentary elections are female, thanks to a new quota imposed by the government. The 30 percent rule was designed to bring more women into the country's parliament, but as campaigning gets under way, women continue to stay in Angola's political shadows, barely visible at rallies and with few holding senior party positions.
POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Women Candidates Progress, But Not Enough
Official results from the July 2008 local council elections in Sierra Leone have been announced by the chairperson of the country's National Electoral Commission. Despite numerous reports of harassment and intimidation, more women were elected to councils than in polls four years ago. But results fell short of the 30 percent representation set by gender activists.
SIERRA LEONE: Activists Angered By Poor Results for Women
Sierra Leone’s women’s advocacy group "50/50" has expressed disappointment at the poor showing of women in the July 5 local council elections.RIGHTS-ZIMBABWE: Women Bear Brunt of Violence
"We are too familiar with the violence that was meted upon numerous of us from 1890 when the colonialists came into our country right up to the most recent elections. Chief among these forms of violence is sexual violence, and it concomitant implication, HIV infection. Zimbabwean women now have the lowest life expectancy world wide because of HIV & AIDS - 34 years."POLITICS-ZIMBABWE: Media Blackout for Female Candidates
For activists campaigning to put more women into Africa's parliaments, the media has become a key battleground. All too often, female candidates are sidelined in election coverage, or reported on in a way that entrenches stereotypes of women rather than analysing the strength of their political and economic policies.POLITICS-ZIMBABWE: "Getting People Participating Is a Process, Not an Event"
Amidst the turmoil surrounding the Jun. 27 presidential run-off in Zimbabwe, it is doubtless something of a challenge to muster enthusiasm for plans relating to the country's next general elections. Gender activists intent on having more women voted into office in 2013 are undaunted, however.
Q&A: "But They Never Killed My Spirit"
On Sep. 7 last year, as she walked to her home, parliamentary candidate Flora Igoki Terah was attacked and tortured by a gang of five men. Terah's case is one of several case studies highlighted in Amnesty International's 2008 report on the state of the world's human rights, released on May 28.
Q&A: 'Development Aid Is No Panacea'
Celine Tan is a Lecturer in Law at the University of Birmingham. Her doctoral research has focussed on development financing, in particular its impact on global governance and international relations.RIGHTS-AFRICA: Security Council Urged to Protect Civilians
As diplomats prepare to leave for Africa where the U.N. Security Council is due to meet next week, calls from activists are growing for strong international action to address the worsening human rights situation in many parts of the continent.
Q&A: "As a Woman Politician in Kenya, You Need to Think Out of the Box"
A coalition cabinet for Kenya was sworn in Thursday amidst mingled relief and exasperation on the part of those living in the East African nation: relief at the possibility of Kenya now being able to rebuild in earnest after post-election violence, and exasperation at the price tag attached to this hope.
Q&A: "I Will Give the Big Boys a Run For Their Money"
She's made her mark in the history books by becoming one of only three women to contest the presidency in Kenya; but, Nazlin Umar won't be taking up residence in State House, at least not during the current political term.
POLITICS: Democracy Unfinished
A new report by the Geneva-based Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) has shown that women are changing the priorities and sometimes the tone of legislatures around the world. But, it also highlights the slow pace at which the number of parliamentary seats held by women is increasing.
Q&A: "I Don't Consider Myself a Loser in Any Way"
In the run-up to Kenya's Dec. 27 general elections, IPS touched base with legislative candidate Pamela Mburia on several occasions to discuss the challenges she was facing in her campaign. Ultimately, Mburia did not win the Eastern Province seat of Nithi that she contested, so this week we decided to join her again to look back on lessons learned.Q&A: "We Have Managed to Make the Female Agenda a Current Affairs Issue"
Towards the end of last year, IPS reported on efforts to increase women's political participation in Zimbabwe, ahead of the Mar. 29 elections. As it happens, only about 13 percent of candidates for the House of Assembly are women - along with some 30 percent of Senate aspirants, according to statistics from the Women in Politics Support Unit, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO). So, what went wrong?ZIMBABWE: A Society "Not Ready for Female Leadership"?
Women make up about half the population in Zimbabwe. But, they're far from accounting for 50 percent of those on the ballot for this month's general elections in the Southern African country - sparking concern amongst gender activists.ZIMBABWE: A "Can Do" Approach to Greater Political Involvement of Women
With general elections taking place in Zimbabwe on Mar. 29, efforts have been underway to increase women's political participation in the Southern African country.POLITICS: Parliamentarians to Tackle Poverty
The link between global warming and poverty, and the effects of poverty on women, will be among the topics put in the spotlight during the 118th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which takes place next month in the South African port city of Cape Town.KENYA: Women Stood Up to Be Elected
Women boldly stood up to be elected during December’s general elections. They turned out in their highest number ever - 269 - to contest Kenya’s 210 parliamentary seats.KENYA: Senior Women Editors Campaign For Peace
The story of a 12-year-old girl stabbed by her 14-year-old neighbour just because their parents supported different presidential candidates in the Dec. 27 elections will hardly make headlines here. Neither will the story of a woman in President Mwai Kibaki’s backyard sheltering about 100 workers who have fled the post-election violence.POLITICS-SOUTH AFRICA: A Trying Passage for Women in the Ruling Party
The past weeks have been tumultuous for women in South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC).CHALLENGES 2007-2008: Support Pledged for Women in S. Leone's Local Elections
Sierra Leoneans will doubtless celebrate the past year as one in which their country distanced itself still further from a war-torn past, by holding general elections in August that were broadly viewed as free and fair.« Previous Page — Next Page »
In societies throughout the world, women’s participation in political and leadership roles is limited. Underrepresented as voters and position holders, women are restricted at local and at global levels. A variety of obstacles bar women’s political participation. Reduced access to education in many countries, as well as weaker political connections make it more difficult for women to enter the political stage. In addition, there are many discriminatory laws that severely reduce the opportunity for women to gain leadership positions. As has been seen, there are many individuals who have overcome these obstacles with great success. There have been great strides to increase women’s political participation. In the last 20 years, the percentage of women in parliamentary positions has nearly doubled. This promising, albeit slow progress, is necessary to empower women and reduce gender inequality. These articles look at various aspects of women’s participation politics.
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