The landscape of women’s participation in political life is riddled with challenges. Persistent structural barriers, manifested through discriminatory laws and institutions, continue to curtail women’s opportunities to enter the political arena. Capacity gaps further exacerbate the issue, as women often lack the necessary education, contacts and resources essential for effective leadership. As highlighted by the 2011 UN General Assembly resolution on women’s political participation,
Women in every part of the world continue to be largely marginalized from the political sphere, often as a result of discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes, low levels of education, lack of access to health care and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women.
While individual women have triumphed over these obstacles with great acclaim, contributing significantly to society, the collective struggle persists. It is imperative to level the playing field, ensuring equal opportunities for all women..
Our organizational programmes on leadership and participation are guided by a history of international commitments to women’s representation. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women upholds women’s right to participate in public life, while the Beijing Platform for Action calls for removing barriers to equal participation. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gauge progress toward gender equality, including the proportion of women in parliamentary seats.
To advance these goals, we provide comprehensive training for women political candidates, aiming to enhance their capacities. Additionally, we conduct civic education and sensitization campaigns on gender equality. We actively support gender equality advocates in urging political parties, governments and other entities to play their part in empowering women. Our initiatives extend to encouraging young men and women to engage in advocacy, emphasizing the integration of gender equality measures into public policymaking.
We actively advocate for legislative and constitutional reforms to secure women’s fair access to political spheres, encompassing roles as voters, candidates, elected officials and civil service members. Collaborating with partners, we design programs that ensure that the elections are held whilst upholding women’s rights, establishing an environment free from electoral violence where women can exercise their right to vote and campaign without fear.