By Ehis Ayere Last week, we began a discussion focused on celebrating the achievements and successes of women in parliament across developing nations, highlighting some of the achievements of the female-dominated Rwandan Chamber of Deputies which is the country’s lower house. With over 64% of women representation since 2013, the women in Rwanda parliament has over the years been successful in closing the gender parity in the country. Rwanda boasts of successful initiatives, policies and legal reforms that economically empower women, as well as address the health issues and violence against women which was rampant in the country, due to the 1994 genocide. According to the Global Gender Gap Index Report in 2015, Rwanda ranks higher than United States in leveraging the pool of female talent, based on economic, educational, health-based and political indicators. Findings reveal that 88% of women in Rwanda have jobs, compared to 66% of women in…

Women across developing countries have over the years been demonstrating strong leadership in positioning their countries on the path of democracy, good governance, peace and security, infrastructural development, as well as economic growth and prosperity. It is fascinating that women are today breaking “glass ceilings” to rise to the topmost echelon of power in developing countries with a long history of female subjugation, civil conflicts, insecurity and military despotism.

By Aili Mari Tripp

When I went to Uganda in 1992, I was interested in understanding why the country had so many women in top government positions and why it had the highest rates of representation of women in parliament in Africa at the time. During my research, I realized that a key reason was war. Uganda had just emerged from years of major conflict. Relations between women and men had begun to change, and as a result, women started to mobilize for their rights.

Biodun Christine Olujimi, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate was born to a Photographer father and Seamstress mother on the 25th of December, 1958. She hails from Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State Nigeria.