Greetings from the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics)!
As part of its mandate, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) works to promote women’s political participation and leadership through a number of initiatives. One such initiative, aimed to advance the role and number of women in political and public life, is the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics - www.iKNOWPolitics.org, the first virtual network uniting women in politics. Drawing on a database of over 100 experts on women in politics, iKNOWPolitics allows users to directly address queries and to access an online library with materials from leading international institutions.
This ground-breaking initiative was founded in partnership by the International Institute for
Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).
What does iKNOWPolitics Aim to Achieve?
This innovative global platform aims to:
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Promote gender-sensitive governance and advance the role and number of women in political and public life;
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Equip women politicians at the national, regional and grassroots levels with there sources and expertise they need to make their political mark;
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Inform efforts to increase the number of women in politics and the contribution they make in the political arena, and keep stakeholders abreast of developments;
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Counter the isolation women face in public life by connecting, parliamentarians, candidates, representatives, party leaders, party members, researchers, academics, and practitioners across borders, generations and cultures, providing a space in which they can share experiences, challenges and aspirations.
Why is iKNOWPolitics a Vital Resource?
Though the number of women in politics has grown in recent years, they remain under-represented and confront numerous obstacles to full and effective participation:
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In 2006, less than 17 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide were women, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU);
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By 2006, women headed just 13 of the world’s 194 national governments, as reported by the Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership.
“While the winds of change have begun to blow, women remain on the fringes of political power. That is why the creation of iKNOW Politics, the premier network for women in politics, will provide women with the tools necessary to participate meaningfully in every facet of political life.”
Liberian President Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at the launch of iKNOWPolitics.
Liberian President Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at the launch of iKNOWPolitics.
Key Features of iKNOWPolitics
Users of iKNOWPolitics access:
An online library containing over 400 reports, handbooks and training materials in English, French, Spanish and Arabic from leading international agencies, research institutions, academia and civil society groups.
Users of iKNOWPolitics share:
A variety of resources on campaigns, elections and quotas, political parties, parliaments and representatives, advocacy and lobbying, skills-building, budgets and legislation and post-conflict/transitional political contexts.
Users of iKNOWPolitics create:
New knowledge through a virtual forum for mediated discussion, information exchange and consolidated expert responses to queries, as well as by initiating new discussion forums on relevant issues.
UNIFEM is the women’s fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality.
PROGRESS FOR WOMEN IS PROGRESS FOR ALL
