Parliaments & Representatives

Would you take a job where abuse and violence were almost guaranteed? This is the reality of modern political life, making it less appealing to women - especially younger women - leading to even less representative democracies. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Parliaments around the world are taking practical steps to prevent violence, protect women, and prosecute offenders.

Read the full article here.

1.  Why Women’s Political Participation and Representation Matters

Women’s equal participation and representation in political life is fundamental to inclusive democracy, responsive governance, and sustainable development. Despite global commitments and some progress, women across South Asia remain significantly underrepresented in decision-making roles particularly in legislative leadership, executive office, and youth political spaces.

At the current pace, gender parity in national legislatures will not be achieved before 2063, and parity among Heads of Government may take until 2150¹.

2. Key Facts & Regional Snapshot

Global & South Asia Overview

• Women in national parliaments (global): 27.2%

• South Asia average:

  • Lower/Unicameral Houses: 14.7%

  • Upper Houses: 19.9%

• South Asian countries with women in top government leadership: India, Sri Lanka

Key Takeaway

Advancing women’s political participation and representation in South Asia requires more than quotas. Sustainable change depends on transforming social norms that fundamentally define the role of women in the politics. Only through transformative gender social norms can we address critical issues like violence against women in politics, and create an inclusive political space for all, contributing to a strong democratic system. 

Full snapshot available here.

1. UN Commission on the Status of Women 65th Session on Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls: agreed conclusions E/CN.6/2021/3 

    

Globally, an estimated one in five women have a disability. While there are no concrete statistics on the proportion of women in political leadership positions, an analysis of many parliaments and local authorities does not indicate their proportionate representation in leadership positions.

Introduction

In the lead-up to the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls took center stage as a critical priority. The review of SDG 5 provided a timely opportunity to accelerate efforts to address deeply entrenched structural inequalities and to highlight the urgency of ensuring inclusive leadership worldwide.

With particular attention to target 5.5, which calls for women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making, the webinars underscored both progress and persistent gaps. 

Despite notable advances, women remained underrepresented in political leadership, executive positions, and decision-making bodies globally. Discussions emphasized that achieving gender parity required integrated, evidence-based policies to dismantle legal, institutional, and cultural barriers, supported by governance and accountability mechanisms that move commitments from symbolic gestures to structural realities.

To engage diverse audiences and broaden perspectives, a series of three webinars were organized. One in Arabic, one in English and one in Spanish. Each session explored the following key questions:

• What is the High-Level Political Forum, and what was on the agenda for 2025?

• How might the outcomes impact the future of the global gender equality agenda?

• What are the trends in SDG 5, particularly with reference to target 5.5 on leadership and decision-making?

• What lessons have been learned since the adoption of the SDGs?

• How can more diverse voices be brought into global forums?

• How can reporting on indicators be improved at the national level?

• How can policy reflect a holistic and grounded approach to addressing the SDG 5 agenda?

The webinar in English was held on 11/07/2025

Full report.

Full video.

In Japan, women have long been severely underrepresented at the highest levels of business, government and society, the product of a culture that expects them to bear a disproportionate share of child care and housework.

But on Tuesday, the country is poised for a milestone: Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line conservative lawmaker who idolizes Margaret Thatcher, is expected to be named Japan’s next prime minister during an extraordinary session of Parliament. She would be the first woman to serve in that role and the first woman at the top of Japanese government in centuries.

Ms. Takaichi, 64, is a divisive figure in Japan, and her breaking of the glass ceiling has drawn a range of reactions. Her supporters have hailed her as a pioneer who knows firsthand the challenges of Japan’s male-dominated culture. Activists and scholars have expressed concern that she will continue to support policies that have held Japanese women back. Political rivals have accused her of serving as a puppet to men in her party; one male lawmaker recently described her as a bride who had married into a powerful political faction.

Full article here.

Feminist scholars and advocates have long asserted that women’s rights and gender equality are fundamental prerequisites for democratic governance. The close correlation between women’s rights and democracy is becoming increasingly evident, as the erosion of women’s rights often signals early and unmistakable signs of democratic backsliding and the rise of authoritarianism worldwide (Allam 2019; Arat 2022; Chenoweth and Marks 2022). A gendered analysis of state institutions, policymaking, and elections provides crucial insights into the historical fluctuations in women’s rights and, by extension, the overall quality of democracy (Tajali 2022).

An overview of sexist repression in Iran highlights the depth of autocratic entrenchment, as evidenced by increasing gender-based repression and violence. These assaults on women’s fundamental rights are not new but are deeply rooted in the ideologies of Islamic fundamentalism, which have institutionalized patriarchal dominance and systemic gender discrimination (Hoodfar and Sadr 2010; Paidar 1995; Tajali 2024b). This analysis also exposes the contentious relationship between authoritarian elites and feminist advocates, who refuse to remain passive in the face of such attacks.

Feminist movements resisting systemic gender discrimination pose a significant threat to the Iranian regime, resulting in violent crackdowns on women’s rights advocates. A recent example is the regime’s harsh response to the nonviolent “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, triggered by the killing of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa Jina Amini in September 2022 while in police custody for allegedly violating Iran’s conservative hijab laws. To reassert control, the conservative-dominated Iranian parliament passed a controversial Hijab and Chastity bill in September 2023. This bill introduces harsher penalties for improper veiling, utilizing enhanced surveillance and artificial intelligence to identify those who defy mandatory hijab laws.

While the bill awaits approval from the unelected Guardian Council, Iranian authorities launched the “Noor (Light) Operation” in April 2024, enforcing the bill’s provisions through violent crackdowns on improperly veiled women and girls.

Full article here.