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POPSGlobal Database of Quotas for Women
Obstacles to women's political participation exist throughout the world in prevailing social and economic regimes, as well as in existing political structures. In 2005, the representation of women reached nearly 16 percent globally. Although this total has increased in recent years, the minimal progress globally means that the ideal of parity remains a long way off. Given the slow rate at which the representation of women is increasing, various methods -- such as electoral quotas -- have been proposed or implemented to address the present gender imbalance in decision-making. Consequently, governments and political parties have experimented with different types of quotas. As the debate about the use of quotas as a tool to increase the political participation of women gains momentum, International IDEA and Stockholm University are collaborating on a research project leading to the production of a comparative knowledge and resources on their implementation and impact.
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POPS Amendment sparks accusations The EC notification has surfaced at a time when the Supreme Court is due to hear from today a number of constitutional petitions to decide whether Musharraf can hold the two offices of president and army chief as he seeks another term The EC move gives the impression that it was meant to enable Musharraf to contest the presidential election directly after relinquishing the military post
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POPSMohammad Ali Jinnah's daughter moves court over Mumbai estate The historic house was the venue for watershed talks on the subcontinent's partition between Jinnah and Indian leaders. Pakistan has repeatedly requested New Delhi either to sell or lease the house for use as a consular office. India has neither refused nor accepted that request
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POPSPakistani babies left by the roadside Of the children who are abandoned, or those who run away from home to escape grinding poverty, it is only a very small number like Zeenat who find love, shelter and comfort elsewhere. For others, life remains grim and there is no evidence the number of such abandoned children is on the decline, with more landing up in streets or in cradles with each passing day in the absence of governmental strategies to address the matter effectively and swiftly.
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POPS'Adults are denied the right to marry by choice' "Although such traditions seem to have moved out of urban towns and cities, the strictly rural areas, or far flung places where the enforcement of law and police is no more than a joke - where police officials themselves bow their heads in front of the potent wadero (chieftain of a rural tribe) - the tradition of honour killing is still on the rise and little concern, if any at all, has been shown by the governments of Pakistan on the issue."
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POPSMore rights for Pakistani women Women's rights in Pakistan will not be realised until particular Islamic laws and codes are scrapped. This include laws allowing the marriage of girls under sixteen, making a women's testimony equal to half of a man's, excluding female testimony in Hudood cases, and allowing family members to kill women in the name of honour without any fear of criminal penalty. Pakistan may look from outside very progressive in terms of women's rights, especially when one remembers Benazir Bhutto, something not even the United States has managed to accomplish. It is true that women are guaranteed one-third of the seats in national and local-level assemblies and are represented in the cabinet. It is also true that their participation in the labour force is remarkably large with many women holding university degrees and occupying high posts in both public and private institutions, including the army. But this only applies to urban centres, where literacy rates are high and the economy is booming.
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POPSGhaf - National Tree of UAE "The Emirates Wildlife Society and the World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) with the support of Al Fahim Group launched a campaign to designate the ghaf as the national tree, Bedouin gave it their full support."
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