The year 2005 saw major strides for women’s political participation.

For the first time, women were elected heads of state in Liberia and Germany. Afghan and Iraqi women, on the other hand, were able to participate in their countries’ first post-war elections voters and as candidates. And Japan is considering having a woman ascend the royal throne.

Aside from Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s victory as Liberia’s first female president, here are other substantial political achievements for women last year:

- Afghanistan—68 female candidates won seats in the country’s 249-member parliament. A quarter of the seats were reserved for women in accordance with the country’s post-war constitution.

- Germany—Former scientist Angela Merkel became Germany's first female chancellor in November, two months after a fiercely contested election. She heads the conservative Christian Democratic Union, and is the country's first leader to grow up in the former East Germany.

- Iraq—The country's new constitution guarantees Iraqi women basic legal rights, such as voting and property ownership. But there is some concern that Islam's constitutionally established role in governing divorce, marriage and inheritance may infringe on women's rights. At least 25% of the new four-year Iraqi parliament elected in December15 has been set aside for female lawmakers.

- Japan—Facing a succession crisis due to the absence of a male heir since the 1960s, the Japanese government will review in January a bill allowing women to assume the imperial throne for the first time since 1947. The bill has wide public support, with 71% of respondents in favour of breaking the male-line imperial tradition.

- Saudi Arabia—Businesswomen Lama al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher were elected in the chamber of commerce board in Jiddah in November. They are the first female elected officials in a country where women cannot drive or travel abroad without permission from a male guardian.

Source:
Hindery, Robin. “Women make political gains in 2005.” From The Boston Globe website <http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2006/01/03/number_of_political_gains_for_women_in_05/>.

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