11 April 2012: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has launched “Road to Rio,” a series of online posts on human development issues that are key for achieving the “sustainable future we want.” The first piece is authored by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, and calls attention to the scarcity of women in decision-making positions in governments worldwide. She notes that the current level of women’s representation is well below the 30 percent target set by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Clark notes that, as a result, women’s needs often are not prioritized. The case of Rwanda is highlighted as a successful one, with Rwandan women occupying 56 percent of the seats in the lower chamber and 32 percent of ministerial positions. According to Clark, this higher level of political representation for women has “put the country on the path to sustainable development.” She encourages other countries to follow suit. [Road to Rio: Women ‘out of sight, out of mind’]