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The landmark adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015 attests to the increasing global consensus that achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls (SDG 5) is intrinsic to the holistic development of participatory and representative democracy of each country and the world at large.

“We need a change in our political culture and tradition if we want to attract more women candidates to run for elections,” Democratic Party MP Shuhei Kishimoto said recently.

One of the key issues on which there has emerged a broad consensus in contemporary African politics is the need for the fuller participation of women in public affairs and their greater representation in public institutions.

International IDEA is pleased to join the rest of the world in celebrating International Women's Day 2016.

In 1954 Doria Shafik, an Egyptian woman and feminist, staged a hunger strike to protest the creation of a new constitutional committee with no women in it. Eight days later she ended her strike after having received a written statement from then-president Mohamed Naguib saying that he committed to a constitution that respected the rights of women.

Considerable progress has been made in women’s political participation in recent years. It seems that many countries in the world are seeking gender parity in politics but the question is how close we are? Below is an approximation of the present political participation of women in the different countries of Latin America. It is the basis for a reflection about the next steps to be followed for female representation to increase and for women to reach the much-desired equality.

Considerable progress has been made in women’s political participation in recent years. It seems that many countries in the world are seeking gender parity in politics but the question is how close we are? Below is an approximation of the present political participation of women in the different countries of Latin America. It is the basis for a reflection about the next steps to be followed for female representation to increase and for women to reach the much-desired equality.

La participación política de las mujeres ha demostrado grandes avances en los últimos años. Al parecer los diversos países del mundo se encuentran un búsqueda de la paridad de género en la política, pero ¿qué tan cerca estamos de ella?

La participación política de las mujeres ha demostrado grandes avances en los últimos años. Al parecer los diversos países del mundo se encuentran un búsqueda de la paridad de género en la política, pero ¿qué tan cerca estamos de ella?

Evo Morales suffered a historical defeat in the referendum held last February. He was seeking the support of the citizens for passing a constitutional reform that would have enabled him to run again in 2019. Had he succeeded he would have remained in office until 2025. Preliminary results released by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal suggest the ‘No’ vote won by a narrow margin (51.30 per cent to 48.70 per cent).

The 8 November elections in Myanmar were historical for its higher levels of credibility and transparency. The Union Election Commission (UEC) overcame large technical and logistical challenges in the run-up to election day. Voter lists had to be verified and updated, ballots printed, secured and distributed, observers accredited, voters educated, and candidates registered. In addition parts of the country was suffering from severe floods which further complicated the situation.

On February 29, the book The Cost of Democracy: Essays on Political Finance in Latin America was launched at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington DC as part of an event on regulating campaign finance in the Americas.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare initiated a process of studying the potential options for a better electoral system in early 2015. The cabinet is currently deciding which options to bring forward at the planned public consultations over the next few months. The goal to have a new system in place for the 2018 elections.

El financiamiento de campañas es un tema clave para la calidad de la democracia.

El financiamiento de campañas es un tema clave para la calidad de la democracia.

Campaign finance is a key issue for the quality of democracy. As we noted in a recently-published book, it is important because of the inescapable fact that while democracy has no price, it does have an operating cost. The use of economic resources is an essential element for democratic competition.

Campaign finance is a key issue for the quality of democracy. As we noted in a recently-published book, it is important because of the inescapable fact that while democracy has no price, it does have an operating cost. The use of economic resources is an essential element for democratic competition.

Evo Morales ha sufrido una derrota histórica en el referendo del pasado 21 de febrero en el que buscaba el apoyo ciudadano para aprobar una reforma constitucional que le permitiese volver a presentarse en el 2019 para en un nuevo mandato presidencial hasta 2025. Según resultados preliminares del Tribunal Supremo Electoral, el “No” venció al “Sí” por estrecho margen (51.30% a 48.70%). 

While, in the past, democracy promotion tended to be the exclusive domain of high-income Western countries, the actors involved today are more varied, the kinds of activities more diverse, and the number of countries targeted for democracy assistance is steadily increasing.

In the recently-released Democracy Index of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Latin America’s performance is worrisome. Just one country, Uruguay, is classified as a “full democracy”. Costa Rica falls into the category of “flawed democracy”, which also includes Mexico and Brazil, both of which dropped since the last ranking.