Saskia Brechenmacher, a Gates Cambridge PhD Scholar at Selwyn, has spent her career researching global democracy. Inspired by her work at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, her PhD focused on examining resistance against recent efforts to promote women's political participation in Kenya through a subnational quota system. Is there a future for the quota system? What problems need to be overcome to better ensure women's representation and safety in politics? Saskia's work seeks to address these questions, and she is already sharing her insights with those she collaborated with. You can read our full article below:
Selwyn College, University of Cambridge’s Post
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The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program (MEP) and the Apolitical Foundation are pleased to announce the launch of a new joint publication series focused on women’s leadership in politics and the public sector. The series, titled “Mideast Women Lead,” will feature contributions to the Enheduanna: Voices of Women from the Middle East blog from women politicians and other public figures from the Middle East & North Africa (MENA). Contributions will explore one of three themes: the status of women’s political representation, violence against women political leaders and public figures both offline and online and gender-specific barriers to entry to women’s political participation.
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Extending International Cooperation and Global Recruitment Potential || Passionate about Gender Equality and Global Peace and Security
On June 6, I had the opportunity to speak at a public event at the United States Institute of Peace, where Ukrainian women's rights activist Iryna Drobovych initiated a much-needed discussion on women's meaningful participation in building sustainable peace and their role in post-war processes: "The Day After Conflict: Women’s Meaningful Participation in Post-War Ukraine." The event was opened by Ambassador William B. Taylor , which was very symbolic for me, as before my first visit to the US in 2007, Ambassador Taylor gave an encouraging speech in front of our cohort of Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program participants. I believe that speech and that program entirely fulfilled its intention, as now I had the chance to speak on behalf of many Ukrainian women whose efforts should be recognized and voices amplified. It was overwhelming to share our personal stories on how the war became a point of no return and reflect on how we can transform this experience to strengthen and empower others. Speaking about women's role during the war, it was crucial to touch on how gender roles have shifted since the full-scale invasion and reflect on women's access to decision-making: spoiler—we still need to fight for it. Therefore, empowering women's voices, highlighting their contributions to the fight and victory, and explaining their vital role in creating sustainable peace should be priorities for the women's movement. This will help preserve female leadership potential and enlarge their access to decision-making at all levels. We are also already doing this at the Ukrainian Women’s Congress, providing a platform to advocate on regional and national levels. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure women's voices are heard and their roles recognized. I was privileged to share the stage with Iryna Drobovych, whose leadership and efforts made it possible to discuss these topics, and Anzhelika Bielova, whose efforts to support Roma women and communities are tremendous. As they say, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much," so let’s stay together—we have a lot of work to do. Recording of the discussion is available here: https://lnkd.in/eiHbUcrj
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I had the pleasure of being supervised by Kaira Zoe Alburo-Cañete during my master’s thesis last year. I recently came across her insightful contribution from a panel discussion titled 'Feminist Foreign Policy vs. Development: Which Way to Social and Gender Justice?'. "Policy-makers around the world are faced with a polycrisis – a compounding set of emergencies, from widening socioeconomic inequalities to deepening climate emergency and environmental degradation. Feminist research and activism have shown that a global, coordinated response to the root causes of a polycrisis requires the transformation of the interlocking social, political and economic systems through which people are unjustly afforded unequal power and privilege." Check out this contribution to the conversation on how FFP can advance social justice globally, below: #FFP #Feministforeignpolicy
Last June, I had the privilege of taking part in a roundtable discussion that critically assessed the value of feminist foreign policy especially in the context of contemporary forms of crises. This was held during the Development Studies Association conference in London where I met such amazing people. The exchanges we had resulted in this collaborative piece. My contribution focuses on how feminist ideals and struggles for social justice are embodied by many people, many women confronting crisis especially in the global south. From my research in the Philippines, I note how such experiences and how centring care in crisis response can provide a starting point for exploring alternative visions of feminist policies. I thank ODI for hosting the panel and specifically appreciate the efforts of Ján Michalko, PhD for facilitating the writing process.
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🌍 The Influence of Feminist Theory in Global Politics 🌍 "The personal is political." This powerful slogan from the feminist movement reflects the profound impact feminist theory has had on reshaping global politics. Feminist perspectives challenge traditional notions of power, exposing gendered hierarchies and advocating for inclusivity, equity, and justice. From redefining power dynamics in international relations to emphasizing women's vital roles in peacebuilding and environmental governance, feminist theory has become indispensable in addressing today's global challenges. ✨ Key Highlights from the Article: ✔️ Rethinking Power: Cynthia Enloe’s question, "Where are the women?" underscores the invisible yet crucial role of women in sustaining economies and stability. ✔️ Peace and Security: Evidence shows that peace processes are more sustainable with women's participation— a notion reflected in UNSC Resolution 1325. ✔️ Human Rights Expansion: Issues like gender-based violence and reproductive justice have taken center stage thanks to feminist activism. ✔️ Ecofeminism: Visionaries like Vandana Shiva emphasize the connection between the exploitation of women and nature, calling for sustainable development. ✔️ Challenging the Status Quo: Feminist theory compels us to ask better questions, as Carol Cohn states, paving the way for transformative alternatives in governance and diplomacy. As bell hooks aptly said, "Feminism is for everybody." It’s not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity for creating a more inclusive and just global order. 📖 Read the full article to explore how feminist theory is shaping a sustainable and equitable future. https://lnkd.in/dk6Ws3F4 #Feminism #GlobalPolitics #GenderEquality #InternationalRelations #Leadership #Sustainability
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📢 Read the latest article on "Campaigning Against Women’s Rights? Britain’s Global Colonial Legacy in the Early UN Women’s Rights Agenda 1950–1962" by the WPS Centre Manager, Caroline Green! The article assesses the impact of British colonialism on UN women’s rights conventions in the 1950s and early 1960s. It focuses on Britain’s diplomatic engagements on women’s rights at the global level and finds that Britain’s global colonial legacy on the UN women’s rights agenda in this period was as a conservative and obstructive state actor. Britain’s lack of interest in conventions to support women’s rights, and insistence on the need for ‘Territorial Application Clauses’, outweighed any acknowledgement of the importance of establishing universal rights for women, or the importance of these rights for Indigenous women within British colonies. Read the full article here ⬇ https://lnkd.in/g3B_vAuz
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Sociologist. PhD in Social Science, University of Buenos Aires. Social researcher, consultant and professor.
🤓 It is a great pleasure to close this 2024 with the publication of the collective book "New Democratic Initiatives in Authoritarian Twenty-First Century Latin America," so carefully edited by Charmain Levy, Manuel Larrabure, and Dan Furukawa Marques. The project grew out of an ÉRIGAL Seminar at Concordia University in Montreal, where I met admired colleagues from different parts of the world working on different issues, all with a concern for democracy, rights and participation in Latin America at their core. ✍ My chapter is entitled "Gender Diversity Activism and Expansion of Rights in Argentina: Within the Movements, the Political Parties and the State". I really enjoyed writing it, and it would not have been possible without the generous invitation from ÉRIGAL, the warm exchange of those days in Montreal, and the productive feedback from the reviewers and editors. 📖 "New Democratic Initiatives in Authoritarian Twenty-First Century Latin America uses a multidisciplinary approach to understand the coincidence of emerging social movements, seeking more meaningful forms of democratic participation, on the one hand, and the rise of new authoritarian politics that in part rely on chaos and disorder as mechanisms of domination, on the other. This edited collection argues that Latin America has entered a new phase of political and economic volatility in which traditional conceptual divisions between democracy and authoritarianism need to be re-thought. How are democratic movements coping with and reacting to the new right-wing politics of Jair Bolsonaro and Javier Milei, which among other things, attempt to incorporate the popular classes? Does the “second pink tide” offer meaningful avenues for popular empowerment? How are counter hegemonic struggles built? What are the challenges and opportunities faced by women, queer and trans people, cultural workers, people with disabilities and indigenous groups in this conjuncture? These are the key questions addressed in this book." (if you would like to read my chapter or borrow the book, let me know)
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On this International Human Rights Day, we explore a critical question: How can we refocus discussions on achieving peace in the Middle East? Dr. Ronit Levine-Schnur at Tel Aviv University shares insights on the importance of innovative thinking, collaboration among moderate states, and expanding political imagination for a thriving Middle East. 👉 Don't miss the highlights from her recent lecture at the University of Konstanz, where she was joined by Prof. Daphna Hacker, a member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dJ9fqduk #HumanRightsDay #PeaceInTheMiddleEast #ConflictResolution #MiddleEastDiplomacy #TAU #InternationalLaw
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Dive into the World of Women in Politics: Books and Shows Yesterday, our team at Centre for Gender And Politics (CGAP) discussed some insightful books and engaging shows that focus on women in politics. 📚 Books: 1️⃣ Half of a Yellow Sun: On the bravery and resilience of women during the Nigerian Civil War. 2️⃣ How to Stand Up to a Dictator: A story of Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist, and her unwavering commitment to press freedom. 3️⃣ Freedom from Fear: chronicles Aung San Suu Kyi’s journey towards democracy and human rights. 🎬 Shows: 4️⃣ Ingobernable: This show follows the First Lady's quest to uncover the truth and restore her reputation. 5️⃣ Borgen: A gripping look at the triumphs and tribulations of Denmark’s first women Prime Minister. 6️⃣ Total Control: This show depicts the rise of Alex Irving, an Indigenous woman breaking boundaries in national politics. Let’s continue to celebrate and learn from these powerful stories 🙌 Do you have any other books or shows to recommend that highlight women in politics? Please share them in the comments. #GenderEquality #Inspiration #MustRead #MustWatch #Leadership Women for Politics
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Feminist Political Economy||Gender and Law||Chevening Alumna 2022/2023||YALI Fellow East Africa
An effective Feminist Foreign Policy blueprint for Africa must incorporate African feminist theories and epistemologies embodied in the principles of the African Feminist Charter. Through a rights-based approach centred on the foundations of ubuntu as per the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Maputo Protocol, this fundamental basis can guarantee that Feminist Foreign Policy incorporates African ideals that fiercely challenge existing global power inequalities. The existing neoliberal economic model fundamentally opposes the objectives of transformative policy reforms guided by African feminists...
Why has the Afro-feminist movement remained conspicuously absent in global discussions on Feminist Foreign Policy?
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Expert in feminist political theory, politics of deeply divided places & diplomacy. Feminist killjoy.
A true Rangatira [leader], a woman in politics who made a difference. The Hon. Dame Tariana Turia DNZM passed on 3 January 2025. Founder of Te Pāti Māori, Dame Tariana was a courageous political strategist, who was unafraid to take political risks. Leaving the New Zealand Labour Party over disagreements with the Foreshore and Seabad Act of 2004, Dame Tariana, then a Labour MP, crossed the floor of parliament, and created her own political party - Te Pāti Māori. She was re-elected with a resounding majority as the Party's first ever MP at the Te Tai Hauauru by-election of 2004. While some analysts are critical of her support for the John Key government, there is no denying that her legacy is one that focused on resolutely standing with her people. She laid the foundations for the Māori Party to develop into the powerful force it is today, under the co-leadership of the excellent Debbie Ngarewa-Packer MP and Rawiri Waititi MP. Dame Tariana’s strategic political decisions were what paved the path for the politics for a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa that Te Pāti Māori upholds, with growing support from Tangata whenua, Tangata Tiriti and Tangata Moana alike. When one thinks of indigenous justice and transformative politics, Dame Tariana’s career is replete with thought-provoking insights. When one thinks of women in politics, especially in spaces that challenge the status quo, there is a reality that many academic analysts of gender and politics and political parties often tend to sideline - the important role of women who a)understand the importance of 'continuity' [as regularly highlighted in indigenous justice and indigenous feminist traditions and critical feminist traditions such as the Black feminist tradition of Turtle Island and b) lay firm foundations for their political projects to continue in safe hands. Dame Tariana, fully delivered on both these responsibilities, as evidenced in the groundbreaking work of wāhine Māori in the Māori Party today, inside and outside the Kāwanatanga space. I compiled material on Dame Tariana’s body of work as a politician, together with several academic analyses that are relevant to her impact on the politics of Aotearoa New Zealand on my Substack 'Feminist Frontlines: Decolonial Futures'. Read here: https://lnkd.in/ecUHWjUM #Aotearoa #MāoriParty #ToitūTeTiriti #TinoRangatiratanga #ManaMotuhake #Kāwanatanga #womeninpolitics #TarianaTuria #NewZealand
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