Participation

A series of gold-framed pictures cover the wall from left to right inside the working space of Senegalese human rights activist Bineta Diop. Nelson Mandela, Paul Kagame, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Yasser Arafat -- they're all here. This is Diop's wall of memories, reminders of meetings and accomplishments over the years.

Nepal recently hosted a "Conference on democracy and inclusive good governance for gender equality and sustainable development in South Asia" in capital Kathmandu. The programme opened with the SAARC anthem, a song penned by Kathmandu-based Indian diplomat Abhay Kumar.

NEW DELHI (WOMENSENEWS)--The alleged gang rape of a 32-year-old Muslim woman, associated with the predominantly Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, by members of her own community last month reportedly as punishment for her political affiliation drew international and national attention, and safety activists are waiting to learn more.

Women may get 79 or 14 percent of the total seats in the House of Representatives following April's legislative election; a figure that was lower than the historic high of 18 percent or 103 seats in the 2009 election, researchers said Monday.

This is despite more women candidates, accounting for 37 percent or 2,467 of the total 6,619 candidates, contesting the 560 House seats.

Islamabad: While candidates for next month's mayoral elections in Balochistan come from across the political spectrum, they have one thing in common: they are all men.

With three days to go before the final round of voting in the Indian election, first-time candidate Ravindra Singh is a man with a mission. He wants to use the last few days to consolidate the female vote in his favour.

Nearly 20 years ago, the world came together in Beijing for the Fourth World Conference on Women. There, 189 governments adopted a visionary roadmap for gender equality: the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

More than 17,000 delegates and 30,000 activists pictured a world where women and girls had equal rights, freedom and opportunity in every sphere of life.

There is a need for women to organise themselves as a pressure group to be able to carve a niche in the political sphere, three Delhi-based women journalists said Saturday.

EFFORTS to enhance women's participation in politics beginning from the 2015 general elections received a boost during the week in Calabar, Cross River State, when a five-point demand presented by the woman leaders got unanimous endorsement by the chairmen of political parties in the country.

Millions of Indians are now selecting the men and women who will run the country. Over the next five years, the decisions and opinions of these elected leaders will be instrumental in shaping India's stand on gender equality — from women's participation in politics or the economy, to the passing of the women's reservation Bill or even the manner in which businesses prioritise gender equality.