Participation

Due to its apparent efforts to improve women participation in politics, Indonesia was elected as the first country in the Asia Pacific region to see on Thursday the launching of politics empowerment program for women initiated by international agencies.

The program, called "I Know Politics", was aimed at promoting women's gender equality to men in political forum worldwide.

Angola's minister of Environment, Fátima Jardim, considered that women are example of perseverance and self-improvement, taking into account their participation in the great deeds of the country and pacification of minds, ANGOP has learnt.

Two female Indonesian economists have emerged as front-runners for the post of finance minister in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, with an announcement of the appointment considered likely within days.

Amid rising opposition to the war in Afghanistan and speculation about a U.S. withdrawal, debate has begun over what will happen to Afghan women and girls should U.S. troops leave. From former first lady Laura Bush to top California female lawmakers including Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, women leaders in America have been ardent champions of Afghan women since the U.S.

Dozens of Afghan women from the provinces of Kandahar in the south to Takhar in the north are calling on Afghan leaders to give more visibility to women's rights at the Kabul Conference on Tuesday, cautioning that unless more is done to include women in the national decision making, the progress towards women's empowerment made in the past decade will be lost.

The African Union has declared 2010 the Year of Peace and Security in Africa, and will soon launch the African Decade of Women. What better opportunity to act on these pledges than at the 15th African Union Summit, being held later this month in Kampala, Uganda?

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mathilde Rabary, the women of Madagascar are “waking up” to their rights.

Since 26 January more than 100 unarmed civilians have been killed in protests. AFF urges the African Union Commission to appoint a high-level African woman to be part of the team that will facilitate the resolution of the political crisis in Madagascar and to ensure the equal participation of Malagasy women and their organizations in the subsequent political processes, including elections.

The University of the Philippines (UP) has just announced that it is now looking for nominees to succeed Dr. Emerlinda Roman, the premier state university's ninetenth president and the first woman to hold the office. Apart from being UP's first woman president, Roman also has the distinction of being the university's "centennial president" as the institution celebrated its centennial in 2008.

Female leaders of the Bogota's displaced population are being threatened by paramilitary organizations, according to a Green Party councilor.