Although Africa has been viewed as not putting women in the forefront in the male-dominated field of politics, this perception is about to change after Rwanda scored highest in the world when it comes to the political representation of women, with 48,8 per cent of its MPs being women.

Seven of the top 25 countries in terms of the number of women in parliament are from Africa.

This came out of a report released this week in Stockholm, Sweden, by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) done in collaboration with the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) and the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

The report 'The Implementation of Quotas: African Experiences' drew its findings from 18 African country studies including Namibia, Morocco, Uganda, Egypt, South Africa, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mauritius and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the report, the rate of increase in women's political participation in Africa in the past few years had been greater than that experienced at any other time in the past four decades, rising tenfold to over 14 per cent in 2003.

Other data for the report was drawn from findings of workshops on quotas in other regions such as the Arab states, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

International IDEA manager of the Women in Politics Project, Julie Ballington, said important progress in terms of women's political participation had been made in Africa in the past decade.

She added that gender quotas were now increasingly viewed as an important policy measure for boosting women's access to decision-making bodies throughout the world.

Over 20 countries on the continent either have legislated quotas or political parties that have adopted them voluntarily.

By comparing the employment of quotas in different political contexts, the report sought to measure under what conditions quotas could be implemented successfully.

The report also aimed at raising awareness of the use of gender quotas as an instrument to increase political representation of women.

The report is part of a wider IDEA global research project on the implementation and use of quotas worldwide in co-operation with Stockholm University.

Local News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  Fatal kicking case to Regional Court
•  MVA sues paralysed accident victim
•  Koevoet bases to be renovated
•  Campsites bring hope to Puros
•  'Koos Kombuis' in Walvis cell
•  Ulenga leaves Parliament to prepare CoD for elections
•  Chief /Gaseb does not acknowledge appointment by King Justus //Garoeb
•  German museum to return skulls
•  Big Brother Africa 3: E-mails - From You To Us
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Is Malawi going to clean up?
•  Court cracks down on 'struggle children'
•  Nearly a third of Namibians poor
•  Pupils suspended over porn DVD
•  NA approves US grant
•  Russian couple murder sent to High Court
•  Rain prospects for the northeast good
•  Housing Minister meets shack dwellers
•  Flood of applause for flood support
•  New deputy chair for chiefs' council
•  Special week for Special Olympians
•  Misa Namibia Media Awards 2008
•  Bret goes bust
•  Fruit fly causes loss of millions in exports
•  Knives out for Pohamba