On June 11^th 2013, Norway celebrates the centennial anniversary of Norwegian women’s right to vote. The University of Bergen wants to take this opportunity to draw attention to the struggle for women’s democratic rights and political participation globally.

Women’s suffrage has been achieved at various times and under different circumstances in different parts of world. While women in most European countries gained the democratic right to vote during the first half of the 20^th century and only after male suffrage had been achieved, women in previous colonies in most cases gained the right to vote when colonial rule ended and at the same time as men. Women’s right to vote is now taken for granted by most people, even though there still are countries where women are not allowed to vote on par with men.