Women in the United States not only vote in huge numbers,
but volunteer to help run elections. Above, precinct chair Judy
Wittkop explains the rules during a caucus in Le Mars, Iowa,
January 3, 2008. (© AP Images) |
Introduction
The average woman in the United States — just like those in other countries — wakes each morning to a myriad of responsibilities and concerns. These concerns range from the quality of her children’s education to the stability of the family’s source of income to her ability to safely walk the streets near her home.
What most women do not focus on, however, is how political and governmental actions affect “their” issues. Many do not realize that they can do something to improve the quality of their lives — and that of their families and communities — by reaching for political leadership or becoming involved in political and civic activities. If democracies are to function and to better their citizens´ lives, women’s voices need to be heard at the political level and the barriers to their participation have to come down.
This publication offers the stories of women who believed that they could make a difference by participating in politics and government, and forged ahead to do so. They are not famous, like U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and they are not serving at the top, like Presidents Michelle Bachelet of Chile or Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia. But, just like Bachelet, Clinton, and Johnson-Sirleaf, they have overcome obstacles to get where they are. They have acquired experience in running for election, being an effective policy-maker, and in persuading elected officials to support their cause.
We hope that these stories inspire women who read them to become involved in their communities and even at the national level. As Carol Hunstein, presiding justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia and one whose story is featured here, says, “It´s really important for women to serve. … We have something to offer."
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A "Seismic Change"
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