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    • Voices of Change: Sponsored by NDI

    Making a mark: Women transforming politics

    To commemorate World Social Justice Day on Feb. 20, Devex talked to three women leaders to find out why women are still not represented equally, how they're working to change that, and what advice they have for future leaders.

    By Devex Editor // 22 February 2021
    Devex talked to three women leaders to find out why women are still not represented equally, how they're working to change that, and what advice they have for future leaders. Image by: Devex

    2021 marks a decade since the U.N. adopted a resolution advocating for greater participation of women in the political sphere.

    It acknowledged that “the active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy."

    Since then, the numbers of women in positions of power have increased substantially, but are still disproportionately low.

    Apart from representation in government, women are also leaders in civil society. As heads of NGOs, founders of female-focused philanthropic foundations or NGOs, and in their communities, mobilizing other women to join social movements.

    While women political leaders are no longer a rarity, not all women feel equally able to be politically active. Factors such as class, race, religion, sexual orientation, and disability may influence a woman’s capacity or motivation to participate.

    To commemorate World Social Justice Day on Feb. 20, Devex talked to three women leaders to find out why women are still not represented equally, how they're working to change that, and what advice they have for future leaders.

    Victoria el-Khoury Zwein explains how Lebanese women are still not treated equally due to religious and cultural norms; Alexandra Hernández Muro speaks about why she's driven to advocate for LGBTQ women's rights in Peru, and South Sudanese MP Mary Ayen Majok tells why she encourages women to be independent and educated despite the pressure to leave school early and marry young.

    Read the full visual story Making a mark: Women transforming politics.

    Visit the Voices of Change series for more coverage on how far women have come in changing politics, how much more needs to be done — and importantly, how women from all generations and walks of life can work together to make women in politics the norm. You can join the conversation using the hashtag #VoicesOfChange.

    • Social/Inclusive Development
    • Democracy, Human Rights & Governance
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    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

    About the author

    • Devex Editor

      Devex Editor

      Thanks for reading and for your interest in Devex. Sponsored content is produced in collaboration between Devex’s partnerships editorial team and our partners to promote a partner’s work or perspective on a particular issue. It gives actors across the global development sector — including nongovernmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, aid agencies and government institutions — the opportunity to go beyond traditional advertising and tell their stories in an impactful way. If you'd like to learn more about how you can shine a spotlight on a particular issue with Devex, please email advertising@devex.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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