Gender, Women and Democracy

Gender Quota in Burkina Faso Marks Feats Accomplished, Challenges Ahead

The Burkina Faso National Assembly has adopted a law that requires a 30 percent quota for women on political party candidate lists. (Related story: “Women Gain Ground in Burkina Faso Assembly,” May 19, 2009.) Passage of the measure on April 16 was a landmark day for a number of groups in this West African country of about 14 million that have been working to bring women into the political process.

Nepal: NDI, USAID Host Women's Film Festival

KATHMANDU – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is pleased to announce the “Women’s Film Festival: In Concert for Change,” a forum to raise awareness on issues facing women across the globe, especially in Nepal, and celebrate women coming together to meet these challenges. The festival, co-sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will be held at the Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Tahachal, Kathmandu, on Jan. 31, from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Women Find Strength, Information Through Online Knowledge Network

Linking women across continents, languages and faiths is part of the success story of iKNOW Politics – an online portal through which women in politics network and share information, knowledge and expertise. Launched by NDI in partnership with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the site is approaching its second anniversary.

Pakistan: Win With Women National Action Plan

The representatives of PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, ANP and MQM, reaffirm their commitment to strengthen women’s participation in political parties through this National Action Plan.

National Action Plan to Boost Women’s Power in Pakistani Political Parties

More than 90 representatives of women’s wings from five major political parties developed and endorsed a National Action Plan to strengthen their women’s wings and boost their representation on party decision-making bodies.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Addresses (Video) the 2008 Democracy Awards Focusing on Struggle for Democracy in Burma

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Women’s League of Burma were honored by NDI on Dec. 15. Archbishop Tutu received the 18th W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award for his work since the democratic transition in South Africa, which includes his advocacy for democracy in many troubled nations, including Burma. The Women’s League received the 4th annual Madeleine K. Albright Grant, named for NDI’s chairman, for its work promoting human rights and more participation by women in Burma’s democracy movement.

Jordan: Women Helping Women: Jordanian Women's Election Network

New NDI Publication Evaluates Strategies for Women's Participation in Political Parties

Advancement within political parties – which are the gateway to political leadership – remains both essential to women’s political success and the most difficult political door for women to enter. In an effort to better understand effective approaches to women’s political party programs and to measure the impact of such programs, a new NDI publication -- Assessing Women’s Political Party Programs: Best Practices and Recommendations -- identifies specific effective elements and approaches that encourage women’s participation and leadership in political parties.

Assessing Women’s Political Party Programs: Best Practices and Recommendations

NDI embarked on this assessment in an effort to better understand effective approaches to women’s political party programs across a number of regions and to measure the impact of such programs. The assessment is designed to identify the specific elements and approaches which were most effective in encouraging women’s participation and leadership in political parties. Although drawn from NDI programs, the information gathered in this assessment is intended to be used by both individuals and organizations as a road map to help facilitate women’s political leadership worldwide.

International Leaders Forum: Women Leaders Discuss Serving in the Executive Branch

While women have made significant gains increasing their participation in legislatures, political parties and civil society across the world, women are still severely underrepresented in the executive branch. In an effort to explore this problem, NDI, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held a meeting of current and former women executive office-holders to discuss the unique challenges faced by women in such positions and to explore the kind of assistance needed to support them.