“Parties that take women’s political participation seriously benefit from stronger electoral positions, access to new groups of voters and stronger relations with their constituents,” NDI President Kenneth Wollack said at the Feb. 29 launch of a new guidebook for political parties.

The guide, Empowering Women for Stronger Political Parties: A Good Practices Guide to Promote Women’s Political Participation, was written and produced by the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) and NDI. 

Malala Yousufzai, a 13-year-old girl from the tribal area of Swat, has been awarded Pakistan’s first ever Peace Award for Youth for her bravery in reporting the details of a bloody Taliban insurgency in the region.

Yousufzai wrote anonymous diaries for the BBC that related how the Taliban were blowing up schools for girls and engaging in killings and beheadings.  In the absence of media reports, Yousufzai’s was the only voice the world was hearing from Swat. 

Young leaders from Guinean political parties and civil society have pledged to promote peaceful elections and encourage adherence to the country’s code of conduct for legislative elections scheduled for later this year.  The public declaration grew out of an Oct. 22 meeting in the capital, Conakry, attended by young leaders representing 29 political parties and grassroots organizations.