Participation

The leader of a Solomon Islands women's organisation says a number of strong women are standing in next month's election, and there is hope four or five could make it to parliament.

25 of the 509 candidates running in next month's election are women, down slightly from the 26 who stood in 2006.

Several female politicians have expressed disappointment that more women are not standing in the August 4 election.

Women getting into Parliament this election do not mean they won't face challenges since in our culture, men dominate in leadership position.

Audrey Manu National Coordinator for Gender Equality and Political Governance Program of the United Nation Fund for Women (UNIFEM) told journalist at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Solomon Islands government defied and agreement signed with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (United Nations CEDAW) when they refuse to allow women 10 temporary seats in parliament.

Two Malaysian women have been cleared to hear the same cases as their male colleagues in Sharia court.

According to the Christian Science Monitor (CSM), they will join the bench on August 2 and will serve on lower courts in the capital, Kuala Lumpur and the city of Putrajaya.

A new political party that will represent the views of Solomon Islands' women is in the making.

Founder and leader of the Peace, Oneness and Prosperity Party for Solomon Islands Delmah Nori says from past experience, women have always found it difficult to join existing parties.

She says the few women who were accepted into male dominated parties were voice-less and unfairly represented.

In a move that is set to put the struggle of South African women in the forefront, the Department of Arts and Culture announced on Tuesday that the graves of struggle icons Helen Joseph, Lillian Ngoyi and Charlotte Maxeke will be declared as national heritage sites.

Arts and Culture Minister Lulu Xingwana said the occasion has already been gazetted and the sites will officially be unveiled at a ceremony later this month.

South Africa's Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities is developing a new Bill that will enforce gender parity measures across all sectors of society, Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya said on Monday.

Speaking at the launch of this year's Women's Month, Mayende-Sibiya said the Gender Equality Bill will be tabled in Parliament soon and could be in effect as early as next year.

Women from the Interparty Cooperation yesterday vented their anger against the Electoral Commission by placing flyers denouncing the EC boss, Badru Kiggundu, at the State House gate in Nakasero. Some flyers read “Say no to Kiggundu”, “Fire Kiggundu for free and fair elections”.

Women in the Regent community have benefited from a capacity building training on leadership organized by the 50/50 group.

Brigitte Rasamoelina and Yvette Sylla are women with two different approaches to politics in Madagascar. One formed a political party, while the other decided to legalise her organisation as an association. But both women are considering running in Madagascar's November elections.

But they know that it will not be an easy road. "We'll have to be assertive and prove ourselves," they each confided separately to IPS.