Wuraola Abulatan’s Post

It is with immense pleasure that I attended the symposium on “FAM DAN POLITIK”, organised by Gender Links and Gender Equality Foundation. I found there were very interesting interventions from Ms Mohini Bali, Mr Milko VanGool, Ms Premila Patten, Dr Rama Sithanen, Mr Satyajit Boolell, Ms Sheila Bunwaree, Ms Lovania Pertab and Ms Johanne Rannoojee. I was not there as a passionate for politics, I was there as an activist for women's rights and it was a dive into the difficulties that women in politics face. Attitudes towards women candidates are still largely characterised by deeply ingrained stereotypes, and political opponents will often use those stereotypes to question women’s capabilities. At the symposium, what caught my eye the most was a video called “lavwa ban zens” - a captivating video advancing the unapologetic point of view of some youths of Mauritius - the youth and women do NOT feel represented in Parliament. They perceive the society as deeply patriarchal, politics in Mauritius as time-worn and the country in dire need of more youths and women in leadership. Even though it is widely accepted that development, peace and prosperity in societies cannot be achieved without half of the world’s population, women continue to be side-lined in decision-making. The stigma against women in politics is still alive and well. They continue to face structural, socioeconomic, institutional and cultural barriers. Yes... the struggle for women in politics continues...

Nigeria's parliamentary breakthrough on gender equality is a welcome development, but it must be accompanied by meaningful implementation and systemic change. The proposed 35% quota for women in political positions is a step forward, but it's crucial to address the underlying structural barriers that have historically marginalized women from politics. Moreover, the denial of citizenship to foreign-born husbands of Nigerian women raises important questions about gender parity in nationality laws. Let's ensure that this progress eliminates discriminatory policies. The policies should also be sustainable and translated into tangible gains for women's empowerment. #GenderEquality #Nigeria #PoliticalReform #WomenEmpowerment https://lnkd.in/e_jpQ_Qm

🌟 Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024: Progress and Challenges for Future Female Leaders 🌟 As we, at ESCP’s Women in Leadership Society, reflect on the latest UN Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, we see a blend of inspiring progress and significant challenges in achieving gender equality. Here’s a snapshot of thought-provoking highlights that sparked our interest: There are still many challenges ahead! Political Representation: Only six countries have reached 50% or more women in national parliaments – gender quotas remain essential for progress. Managerial Parity: Women still occupy only 27.5% of managerial positions globally → At the current rate, achieving parity will take 176 years – a timeline demanding urgent attention! Reproductive Rights: Despite improvements, women’s empowerment in sexual and reproductive health decisions remains restricted in many global regions. Let’s also talk about the good news! Political Participation: Women now occupy 26.9% of seats in national parliaments globally. Gender quotas have been instrumental in boosting local government representation. Managerial Positions: Women hold 40% of global employment, and Sub-Saharan Africa has made significant strides with 38% female managers in 2022. This demonstrates that progress is achievable. 🌍 Any thoughts? We would love to hear from you in the comments below! ⬇ via UN Women and United Nations 🕊 The full report is here: https://lnkd.in/dgJKB8Mf #GenderEquality #SDGs #WomenInLeadership #FutureLeaders

1993 was the last time and only time Canada was lead by a woman. Looking at the countries that are advancing gender equality no surprise the Nordic countries lead the way and countries like Rwanda that saw some of the world’s worst acts on humans, they have learned from history. None of these countries are at war, they are placing priorities and budgets where it matters and creating a more equal and happier society. We need a diffent way to be on this planet, perhaps following these countries might be the solution.

It was an honor to write this new OpEd with my dear friend Alexandra ("Sasha") Filippova published by @Haitian Times. We call out the lack of #Women in #Haiti’s transition & highlight efforts by Haitian #Feminist & #HumanRights leaders to push for a more equitable transition. We call the exclusion of #Women from decision-making in #Haiti’s politics a pattern that “violates Haiti’s constitutional requirement for gender equality in the nation’s public affairs” & “threatens the effectiveness of Haiti’s transition as a whole.” But we are fighting back with a Policy Framework for an Effective & Equitable Transition that will serve as a foundation for advancing the rights of Haitian women & safeguarding Haiti’s transition. The Framework’s demands are urgent, especially as the transitional gov’t forms key institutions that will shape #Haiti’s future. Immediately & systematically integrating #women into the transition will be critical to Haiti’s democratic & economic future. https://lnkd.in/eBDgBGZf

Nigerian House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas recognizes the importance of women's representation in politics. The commitment to reintroduce the bill for temporary special seats is a step towards a more inclusive democracy. However, rhetorical commitment must be matched by reality. It is a matter of urgency that Nigeria fully embraces gender equality and equity. Passing these laws would be a first step. #InclusiveDemocracy #WomenEmpowerment #PoliticalRepresentation #GenderEquality #Nigeria https://lnkd.in/eevfNSqF

If you follow AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell's social media, you know that AAUW is participating in the meeting of the 68th UN Commission on the Status of Women that started on Monday and continues through March 22. The meeting got off to an uncomfortable start when the first five speakers were all male. Apparently one of the men was a substitute for a woman with a family emergency, but it was awkward nonetheless. The priority theme for this year's meeting is “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”. Opening speakers all spoke about the plight of women and girls caught in conflict situations throughout the world, especially Gaza. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres noted last week that achieving legal gender equality worldwide could take 300 years, and he cited two worrying trends when he spoke at the opening CSW68 session on Tuesday: Patriarchy is regaining ground as autocrats and populists attack women’s freedoms and their sexual and reproductive rights, and men's domination of digital technologies and artificial intelligence is leaving women’s needs and rights ignored. Sima Bahous, the executive director of UN Women, told the commission that a backlash against gender equality is rising “with a ferocity and anger that is unfamiliar to many of us,” she said. “Peace feels painfully distant, war painfully prevalent, suffering painfully ubiquitous.” If verbal commitments to equality were matched by funding in budgets, “more than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty,” she said. She added that closing gender gaps in employment could boost gross domestic product per capita by 20%. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eMgprEmk #csw68 #GenderJustice #genderequality

📈Increasing the number of women in political roles by quotas won't dismantle the deeply entrenched patriarchal norms that inhibit gender equality in Nepal. Despite women taking up more political positions in the country in recent years, meaningful participation remains out of reach writes our Asia Director Rabina Shrestha in a new article for The Kathmandu Post. Transformative change demands moving beyond increasing the number of women in post, to challenging and reshaping gender norms and behaviours. She shares how this can be done: https://lnkd.in/dnNvADV2 #GenderEquality #peacebuilding

Since 2016, the Forum of Federations program on #Building #Women #Leadership in #Jordan, #Morocco and #Tunisia contributed to advancing inclusive governance in the MENA region by increasing women's participation in decision-making structuresby facilitating their engagement in politics and civic life and has contributed to influencing policy changes and gender equality reforms at a higher level. #Multilevel #governance structures in each of these countries provided important and multiple points of entry of bringing women into public life. The project has implemented a total of 628 actions, benefiting over 315,000 individuals. The majority of capacity-building efforts targeted women, while awareness activities aim to sensitize both men and women equally. Built around the following Strengthening Institutions and Equality Mechanisms; a Political Academy; Preparing Future Generations; Sustainability and Capitalization of Knowledge; Transforming Mentalities through communication; Forum of Federations to institutionalizing equality by reinforcing the skills and confidence of established women leaders to enable them to increase their influence in decision-making processes. Results of a Most Significant Change study below reveal that public awareness efforts by the Forum have led to the institutionalizing gender in various professional, associative, trade union, and political contexts and strengthening organizations' commitment to eliminating discrimination against women. Fostering partnerships and solidarity among various actors promoting gender equality. As a pioneering initiative, the Forum had to create and develop most of its program strategies and implementation processes from scratch. It faced the challenge of having limited existing blueprints or guidance to rely on. Consequently, this project serves as a valuable resource for understanding how to effectively implement gender-based programs. It offers a wealth of experiences and lessons learned that will benefit not only the Forum but also the funder, Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada https://lnkd.in/erhmxkUq

The rise in women's representation in Sub-Saharan African parliaments, as reported by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, marks a significant step forward for gender equality in the region. The 3.9 percentage point increase in the women elected to parliament reflects progress towards more inclusive political systems. This development not only demonstrates a commitment to addressing gender disparities but also acknowledges the invaluable contributions women make to governance and decision-making processes. Nigeria is an outlier. It is experiencing declining percentages in women’s representation. Understanding the root causes of this problem is key to finding viable solutions that redeem the country from poor performance and the reputational damage of being averse to gender equity as well as equality in politics. #GenderEquality #WomenInPolitics #SubSaharanAfrica #IPU #PoliticalRepresentation #genderequity #Africanwomen #Nigeria #goodgovernance https://lnkd.in/gX5C6H_k