Skip to main content

Parliaments & Representatives

Women make up only 23.5% of Members of Parliament according to the latest available data of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. While significant strides in women’s political participation have been made since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, which set Member States’ target of achieving gender balance in political decision-making, women are still underrepresented in political decision-making at all levels and gender balance remains an aspirational goal.  Gains in women’s participation have been notable in countries that have taken proactive steps to support women’s political participation, including reforming or amending discriminatory laws, taking concrete action to address violence against women in politics and gender discrimination within parliaments, addressing gender-specific barriers, and supporting women in all forms of decision-making including at local level and in executive government.

Show on Home Page
Yes
Image
Icon
Banner Image

Don’t subject women legislators to patriarchal gaze

Back
November 6, 2023

Don’t subject women legislators to patriarchal gaze

Women have to ‘work twice as hard to get half as far’ as their male counterparts.

Women have to ‘work twice as hard to get half as far’ as their male counterparts.

Welcome to the silly season

Back
November 3, 2023

Welcome to the silly season

The current brouhaha surrounding comments made by two senior Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parliamentarians about the physical attributes (or lack thereof) of a female People's National Party (PNP)

The current brouhaha surrounding comments made by two senior Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parliamentarians about the physical attributes (or lack thereof) of a female People's National Party (PNP)

World News

What stands in way of realising two-thirds gender requirement

Submitted by Editor on
Back

What stands in way of realising two-thirds gender requirement

Source:

While celebrating 13 years since the promulgation of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, Katiba Institute highlighted several achievements, some of which demonstrated a greater involvement of women in politics and decision-making. From no women governors in 2013 to seven in 2022, Kenya has undeniably witnessed gradual increase in election of female candidates in other political positions, including eight deputy governors, three senators, 115 MCAs and 29 MPs.

While celebrating 13 years since the promulgation of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, Katiba Institute highlighted several achievements, some of which demonstrated a greater involvement of women in politics and decision-making. From no women governors in 2013 to seven in 2022, Kenya has undeniably witnessed gradual increase in election of female candidates in other political positions, including eight deputy governors, three senators, 115 MCAs and 29 MPs.

World News

Monica Mutsvangwa bemoans gender imbalance in politics

Submitted by Editor on
Back

Monica Mutsvangwa bemoans gender imbalance in politics

Source:

WOMEN’s Affairs minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, yesterday bemoaned the imbalance between men and women in politics saying this undermined the principles of democracy and social justice.

Mutsvangwa, who was opening the 5th edition of the Women in Local Government Forum congress, said the decline in women's participation showed that Zimbabwe remained a patriarchal society.

WOMEN’s Affairs minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, yesterday bemoaned the imbalance between men and women in politics saying this undermined the principles of democracy and social justice.

Mutsvangwa, who was opening the 5th edition of the Women in Local Government Forum congress, said the decline in women's participation showed that Zimbabwe remained a patriarchal society.

World News

Online vitriol could undo decades of political progress, warns Dutch deputy PM

Submitted by Editor on
Back

Online vitriol could undo decades of political progress, warns Dutch deputy PM

Source:

Six years after Sigrid Kaag was catapulted into the highest ranks of Dutch politics, police keep a constant watch over her home. Cameras sweep across the back of the property while every piece of mail sent to her is screened before she can open it.

Six years after Sigrid Kaag was catapulted into the highest ranks of Dutch politics, police keep a constant watch over her home. Cameras sweep across the back of the property while every piece of mail sent to her is screened before she can open it.

Setbacks in women’s representation, Iceland’s strike and Nobel Peace Prize: all you need to know about women in politics from October

Back
October 30, 2023

Setbacks in women’s representation, Iceland’s strike and Nobel Peace Prize: all you need to know about women in politics from October

A man’s world? The policy representation of women and men in a comparative perspective

Back
October 30, 2023

A man’s world? The policy representation of women and men in a comparative perspective

Are the preferences of women and men unequally represented in public policies?

Are the preferences of women and men unequally represented in public policies?

World News

India passes law to reserve seats for women legislators

Submitted by Editor on
Back

India passes law to reserve seats for women legislators

Source:

On 21 September, Indian legislators passed the first legislation considered in the country’s new Parliament building: the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023. The bill, which passed both houses of Parliament almost unanimously—with just two votes against—will ensure that women occupy at least 33 per cent of the seats in state legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament.

On 21 September, Indian legislators passed the first legislation considered in the country’s new Parliament building: the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023. The bill, which passed both houses of Parliament almost unanimously—with just two votes against—will ensure that women occupy at least 33 per cent of the seats in state legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament.

World News

Binding measures and quotas are needed to change gender equality in politics

Submitted by Editor on
Back

Binding measures and quotas are needed to change gender equality in politics

Source:

Regional and local leaders across the European Union, non-governmental organisations and researchers attending the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) conference "Local and regional strategies for closing the gender gap in politics: Roads taken and what´s next?" call on decision-makers to introduce concrete solutions like quotas or parity requirements to achieve gender equality in political representation.

Regional and local leaders across the European Union, non-governmental organisations and researchers attending the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) conference "Local and regional strategies for closing the gender gap in politics: Roads taken and what´s next?" call on decision-makers to introduce concrete solutions like quotas or parity requirements to achieve gender equality in political representation.