Women's Leadership
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Abstract
Extensive research investigates the impact of descriptive representation on women’s political participation; yet, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This article develops a novel theory of descriptive representation, arguing that women politicians mobilize women’s political participation by recruiting women as grassroots party activists. Evidence from a citizen survey and the natural experiment of gender quotas in India confirm that women politicians are more likely to recruit women party activists, and citizens report greater contact with them in reserved constituencies during elections. Furthermore, with women party activists at the helm, electoral campaigns are more likely to contact women, and activist contact is positively associated with political knowledge and participation. Evidence from representative surveys of politicians and party activists and fieldwork in campaigns, further support the theory. The findings highlight the pivotal role of women’s party activism in shaping women’s political behavior, especially in contexts with pervasive clientelism and persistent gender unequal norms.
Click here to read the full article published by the Cambridge University Press on 9 October 2023.
In Women in Politics, award-winning author and healthcare leader Mary Hayashi offers a riveting exploration of the strides made by women in government. The book features inspiring stories of trailblazing women in leadership, including Karen Bass, Connie Perez-Andreesen, Lauren Book, Laphonza Butler, Dianne Feinstein, Jean Fuller, Celinda Lake, Fiona Ma, and more.
This essential, contemporary analysis bridges the gap between past and present, blending Mary's personal journey as an Asian American immigrant and former California State Assemblymember with the inspiring stories of trailblazing women in political leadership.
Click here to read the full article published by PR Newswire on 3 October 2023.
It is in this context that the candidacies of two women have been announced as possible finalists for the upcoming elections in Mexico, a significant development that has aroused particular interest in the region. If there are shared roots and traits in the realities of our countries – including patriarchal power structures – these are configured and live in the complex economic, social, and cultural framework that defines our particular histories. Thus, to approach the reality of a country, there is no room for generalities, nor only cold data.
Click here to read the full article published by Pressenza in English on 3 October 2023.
Following the military coup in February 2021, elected representatives at the national, state and region level stood in solidarity and joined with millions of Myanmar citizens around the country to protest the junta’s illegal seizure of power. A group of women members of parliament (MPs) stood in solidarity with people from all walks of life and actively supported the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and peaceful massive protests despite the junta’s violent reprisals. In October 2021, this group of women MPs from state and regional parliaments came together with women MPs elected to the national parliament and they shared the common goals of opposing the military dictatorship, securing the restoration of democracy in their country and establishing a fully democratic federal state. Since that time, this group of women MPs have been convening regular meetings to identify ways to provide assistance to citizens in their communities that are experiencing the hardship of conflict. The network was formally established on November 2, 2022, and has been working towards restoring democracy in Myanmar, providing humanitarian assistance, and advocating both nationally and internationally for the rights of all Myanmar citizens including ethnic minorities and women.
International IDEA supports Myanmar’s Women Parliamentarian Network under its Building Federal Democracy programme.
Click here to access the MWPN official website.
Senator Dianne Feinstein has died at 90 years old, sources have confirmed. Her career was one of many firsts. She was the first woman president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first woman mayor of San Francisco, and one of two of the first women elected to the U.S. Senate from California.
Click here to read the full article published by the ABC11 Eyewitness News on 29 September 2023.
Before a gathering of 3,000 women in 1927, Ambedkar said, “I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.” In the ever-evolving tapestry of human civilisation, women have historically been treated unequally with their male counterparts in any society. Women have always been facing discrimination, exploitation and gender biases.
As societies advance, the ongoing effort to liberate women from longstanding gender-based oppression and foster gender equality persists. There is a growing recognition that equitable representation and sensitivity towards diverse gender identities are not just matters of social justice, but prerequisites for effective governance.
Click here to read the full article published by Feminism In India on 13 September 2023.