It has been argued that where women are fully represented, societies are more peaceful and stable. Women's political participation is fundamental for gender equality and their representation in positions of leadership must be a priority for all African governments. Women are largely under-represented in decision-making and leadership positions in Africa.
 
Over the last years, there has been more women in parliaments and decision-making positions than before. In the parliamentary elections of Rwanda in September 2013 women obtained 64 percent of the seats, which is the highest number in the world. However, women's participation in governmance and decision-making remain very limited. They are outnumbered by men in all decision-making and leadership positions.
 
In the history of Africa, there are now three women who have been elected president:
  • 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: Agence Mauritanienne d'Information

La ministre de l’Environnement et du Développement durable, Mme Mariem Bekaye, a participé, jeudi, à une concertation de haut niveau, portant sur le thème “les femmes dans la lutte contre le changement climatique dans l’espace francophone.”

Source: Senalioune

Des femmes leaders ont apprécié à l’unanimité les percées réalisées par les femmes mauritaniennes dans les centres de décision et leur entrée renforcée dans le gouvernement et le parlement, où elles représentent près de 20%, selon des chiffres officiels révélés à l’occasion de la célébration le 8 mars dernier de la Journée Internationale des Femmes.

Source: Africa News

Elle est le visage de l’OMS en Afrique. Depuis le siège régional de l’organisation à Brazzaville au Congo, le docteur Matshidiso Moeti s’est concentré ces 2 dernières années sur l’impact de la pandémie, en particulier sur les femmes. Et le bilan est alarmant: selon plusieurs études, le COVID-19 a détérioré les conditions de vie des femmes à travers le monde.

SOURCE: New Zimbabwe

 

THE Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) says violence is prohibiting women from actively participating in politics.

Source: Spotlight Initiative

Amadou Moumouni Soumaila, 37, has been a gender equality and human rights activist for two decades. He is a member of the civil society organization (CSO) Comité Nigerien sur les pratiques Traditionnelles ayant effet sur la santé des Femmes et des Enfants, which focuses on traditional practices affecting women's and girls’ health, and has been on the board of the Spotlight Initiative Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) of Niger since 2019.

SOURCE: Premium Times

The local council elections held on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have again brought to fore the low representation of women in Nigeria’s politics and governance.

Source: PREMIUM TIMES
A total of 55 candidates contested to be the chairpersons of the six area councils. Only three of the candidates (9 per cent) are women.

SOURCE: Leadership

House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review has recommended the creation of 111 additional legislative seats in the National Assembly to be occupied solely by women beginning from the next general election.

Source: Vanguard Nigeria 

Owhrode — Women of Owhrode, Ovwodokpokpo and Erhiephiyor communities, Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, have threatened to stop any form of political campaigns in their communities in 2023 unless the five ramshackle access roads linking the communities were constructed.

A two-day Women’s Political Participation Forum, which brought together a cross-section of women politicians, academics, women candidates, and human rights activists, concluded on Wednesday in Mogadishu, with calls for the country to embrace inclusive politics in order to allow women play a meaningful role in nation-building. 

Source: Dalsan Radio

The Gender Committee of the Federal Electoral Implementation Team (FEIT), on Sunday engaged dozens of women candidates for the Lower House of Parliament to explore ways of ensuring that the women’s 30 percent quota is met in order to improve the overall representation of women in the ongoing elections.

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