In Guatemala, women are underrepresented in politics and face significant barriers to entry in the political arena, including discrimination and violence. Although women comprise 51 percent of the population, they only hold 15 percent, or 24 out of 158, of the seats in congress. To reduce obstacles and increase political participation, NDI trains women candidates and recently elected women to build skills to effectively govern and advocate for initiatives that are beneficial to all women.

Guinean women in local political parties and civil society organizations (CSOs) are frustrated over the current state of women’s political inclusion in Guinea:  “We are tired of singing and dancing,” said Mama Kouyate of the ruling Rally of the Guinea People (Rassemblement du Peuple Guineen - RPG Arc en Ciel) during a recent advocacy workshop organized by NDI.

“This battle will liberate us; we want to be involved in the decision making process. Women will not continue to be used as fillers,” declared Socorro Torres, coordinator of the Honduras Interparty Women’s Network (Red de Mujeres Interpartidarias de Honduras, or the Network). Torres’s comments were in response to the historic ratification of a pact between members of Honduras’s leading political parties, affirming women’s equality in political participation.