More women entering politics

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Organizations that encourage gender equality in politics say there is an emerging worldwide trend toward women's civic engagement.

To mark International Women's Day tomorrow, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus held a joint forum Wednesday to review the political landscape women shared in 2007.

Anders Johnsson, secretary-general of IPU, a Switzerland-based organization that works closely with the United Nations and looks into worldwide parliamentary issues, said the ongoing presidential election in the United States is encouraging to him when he thinks about future female involvement in politics.

"Everybody in the world is watching this election, and people are inspired by it," Mr. Johnsson said, pointing out Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat, as a strong female candidate seeking power at the top.

According to the data from IPU, the world average of women holding parliamentary seats reached a new high in 2007 — 17.7 percent, up more than 50 percent in a decade.

Rwanda, with almost half of its lower house composed of women, topped the list. Nordic countries such as Sweden and Finland, which have long-established political traditions of female participation, followed closely, with 47 percent and 41 percent respectively.

However, the United States remained far down the list. Women now make up 16.8 percent of the House and 16 percent in the Senate for a ranking of 71st in the world.

The organizers said they hope to see more women engaged in politics, bringing new issues to the table.

"We are trusted," said Marie Wilson, president of the White House Project, which promotes women's leadership.

She said more than half of Americans trust female political leaders more than men regarding foreign policy, homeland security, the economy and human rights.