Compelling Conversations
Gender Equality in Political Power Sharing for a Better World
The current paradigm of global governance is at fault for creating the room for violence and instability that affect women, children, and vulnerable populations in greater numbers during times of conflict.
The Poison of Perception
Mention the word president, prime minister, or premier, and chances are the image that comes to mind is of a man rather than a woman.
Elles cèdent pas/They do not give in
Dans l’assemblée, une phrase est inscrite sur la banderole en toile de fond de la salle de réunion d’une ville du Grand Sud d’Haïti. Elle est lue à haute voix avec ferveur par une femme : « Nou Kapab ». Un tonnerre d’applaudissements suit.
There is a phrase written on a banner hanging at the back of the assembly hall in a town in Haiti’s deep south. A woman reads it aloud with fervor: “Nou Kapab.” A thunder of applause follows.
The Horror: Digital Violence
Scrolling through social media, you come across an aerial photo of your house. The caption reads, “Close to giving out her address to the people that want it.” Your heart starts to pound, and you frantically click into the profile of the poster. You discover more posts about yourself, including details that would allow anyone viewing them to identify your home.
Do I Step Forward for Public Office?
Across political systems, women rarely come casually to the decision to run for office. Women weigh more variables, face higher structural barriers, and require stronger external encouragement than men before entering a race. These patterns appear consistently across established democracies, emerging democracies, and hybrid systems.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
When it comes to global governance, data indicate that women are overwhelmingly positioned “out of sight.” Despite comprising 51% of the world’s population, they represent only 13% of its leaders. In fact, women are out of sight the moment they decide to run for political office. And because people are conditioned to believe what they see, this lack of visibility perpetuates a false, pernicious impression—despite shifts in societal norms or personal beliefs to the contrary—that women cannot and do not lead.