One of the world’s strongest female role models, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, joined about 150 legislators and congressional staff in Monrovia for a discussion on the difficult question of how the Liberian legislature can use its budgeting power to increase opportunities for women and girls. 

This story was originally published in USAID-Nepal's June 2012 e-newsletter.

In Pakistan, where instability, distrust, violence and political rivalries can impede interaction among political parties, women and young people — the majority of the population — often have difficulty making their voices heard.

According to some estimates, more than 60 percent of Pakistanis are under the age of 35. Yet women and young people seldom have leadership opportunities or seats on decision making bodies.    

Teresa de Jesús Chocoyo definitely stood out in the crowd when she was sworn in recently as one of 22 departmental governors in Guatemala, where non-indigenous men dominate politics. A petite indigenous woman in colorful, traditional Mayan dress, her long black hair pulled back in a braid, she was the only indigenous woman governor, one of only three women and three indigenous governors.