Women in Politics

‘The Political System Only Moves When Threatened Directly’

By CIVICUS

 
CIVICUS discusses Nepal’s upcoming election with youth activist Anusha Khanal of the Gen Z Movement Alliance, a youth-led civil society coalition mobilising for democratic accountability and governance reform in Nepal.

International Women’s Day, 2026


 
Women and girls have never been closer to equality. And never closer to losing it.

Jailed by the Generals She Defended as ICJ Opens Genocide Case Against Myanmar

By Guy Dinmore
Held incommunicado in grim prison conditions for nearly five years, Aung San Suu Kyi quite possibly does not even know that this week the International Court of Justice (ICJ) opened a landmark case charging Myanmar with committing genocide against its Rohingya minority a decade ago.

The Fight Against Femicide: Victories and Setbacks in 2025

By Inés M. Pousadela
Hours before world leaders gathered in Johannesburg for the 2025 G20 summit in November, hundreds of South African women wearing black lay down in a city park for 15 minutes — one for each woman who loses her life every day to gender-based violence in the country. The striking visual protest was organised by a civil society organisation, Women for Change, which also gathered over a million signatures demanding the government declare gender-based violence (GBV) a national disaster. Hours later, the government acquiesced.

As Attacks on Women Defenders Intensify, so Must Our Support

By Reylynne Dela Paz
A global crackdown on civic freedoms is intensifying – and women are on the frontlines of the attack. CIVICUS’s 2025 People Power Under Attack report analyses the extent to which freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly are being respected or violated. The report reveals that people in 83 countries now live in conditions where their freedoms are routinely denied, compared to 67 in 2020. In 2020, 13 per cent of the world’s population lived in countries where civic freedoms were broadly respected; now it’s more like 7 per cent. Among the most documented violations in 2025 were detention of human rights defenders, journalists and protesters, and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) were among the most affected.

Beijing+30: A Culmination of International, Intergenerational Dialogue

By Naureen Hossain
Thirty years since the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, the resolve that defined and united the world toward a global agenda for gender equality make it just as relevant in 2025.

Women From Landlocked Developing Countries Set Sights on Open Horizons

By Joyce Chimbi
“Progress towards gender equality and equity remains uneven and far too slow. One in four women in landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) live in extreme poverty, and this is nearly 75 million women,” said Rabab Fatima, Secretary-General of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries or LLDC3 ongoing in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

Protect Women’s Rights, Especially in a Time of Equality Backlash, Say Activists

By Naureen Hossain
Discriminatory laws and the absence of legal protections impact more than 2.5 billion women and girls worldwide in various ways. Legal reform is paramount to securing gender equality, and the world cannot afford to roll back on decades of progress in women’s rights.

Lawmakers in Maldives Pledge to Support Women Leaders

By Cecilia Russell
A meeting of parliamentarians in Malé, the Maldives, pledged to provide an enabling environment for emerging women leaders by supporting them and promoting a political culture rooted in mutual respect, inclusivity, and equal opportunity.

Women Protestors Targeted, Insulted on Georgian Anti-Government Rallies

By Ed Holt
Having attended hundreds of anti-government protests in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Gvantsa Kalandadze is no stranger to police intimidation and violence.

Lawmakers Work to Build Women’s Representation in Politics and the Workplace

By Cecilia Russell
Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives) and Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke to IPS ahead of the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

International Women’s Day 2025: For All Women and Girls


 
In 2025, our world remains deeply unequal. Women earn, on average, 20% less than men globally.

Is Bangladesh’s Currency Reprint Pressing Delete on Bangabandhu’s Legacy?

By Kumkum Chadha
History seems to be chasing Bangladesh even while the interim government is grappling with real issues of administering a country thrown into chaos. In July last year, this south Asian country faced an upheaval when a students’ movement drove out Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from office.

Mahrang Baloch—Feted Worldwide, Persecuted at Home

By Zofeen Ebrahim
"This recognition by a media outlet highlights the painful stories of abductions, torture, and the genocide of the Baloch people," said 31-year-old political activist Mahrang Baloch, speaking with IPS over the phone from Quetta, Balochistan, in reference to her inclusion on the BBC’s annual list of 100 most inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2024.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Leading the Charge for Climate Justice, Renewable Energy

By Aishwarya Bajpai
At COP29, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the smallest independent nation in the Western Hemisphere, stands as a beacon of climate action and renewable energy ambition.

Pakistan’s Climate Minister Pitches for ‘Climate Diplomacy’ at COP29

By Umar Manzoor Shah
Romina Khurshid Alam, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Climate Change, praised the resilience of the people of her country in the face of climate disasters and has put her faith into diplomacy to achieve climate justice.

Meet the Young Women Arrested for Fighting Corruption in Uganda

By Wambi Michael
Until recently, Margaret Natabi would never have dreamed of taking her anti-corruption fight on the streets of Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

A Glimpse into Tanzania’s Political Turmoil Ahead of 2025 Election

By Kizito Makoye
At a rally to mark International Youth Day on August 12 in Tanzania’s southern Mbeya region, John Mnyika stood with a determined expression, addressing his supporters. The air was charged with anticipation. Mnyika, the Secretary-General of Tanzania’s opposition party, Chadema, was preparing to speak about the upcoming elections when the chaos erupted. Without warning, heavily armed police officers stormed the event, grabbed Mnyika, and dragged him away.

Afghan Girls Share Their Despair and Visions for the Future Under Taliban Rule

By Jen Ross
In line with the 2024 International Day of the Girl theme, ‘Girls’ vision for the future’, a dozen Afghan girls speak up to express their hardships and resilience. They also share their visions for the future.

Sustainable Peace in Afghanistan Needs Women on the Frontlines

By Naureen Hossain
Women in Afghanistan have continued to advocate for their rights and have called on the international community to not only stand in solidarity but to take decisive action to prevent the erosion of their rights and presence in public space.

Using Education To Stop the Generational Cycle of Violence Against Women in the Pacific

By Catherine Wilson
Parliamentary representation by women in Pacific Island countries remains stubbornly low at 8.4 percent. Yet women leaders across the region have been meeting every year for the past four decades to discuss goals and drive action to address gender inequality and the most pressing development challenges in the Pacific.
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