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.
Politics has historically been a male-dominated space. Men hold the majority of power in the political sphere globally due to entrenched patriarchal norms that prioritize male leadership and decision-making.
The IPU grew in 2023 with the accession of the parliaments of Liberia and the Bahamas, its 179th and 180th Members respectively, as well as many observers and partners signing up to join or rejoin our global parliamentary community.
“For me, a better democracy is a democracy where women do not only have the right to vote and to elect but to be elected.”
Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile.
It’s no secret that women have made unprecedented strides in seeking and attaining elected office over the last decade.
Gendered disinformation is being used across Africa as a tactic to silence critics and exclude women from online civic discourses, new research shows.
Nearly half (47 percent) of women in local politics face threats and hate online, compared to 35 percent of their male colleagues.
March 8, 1857 witnessed the uprising of female needle factory workers in New York City, who marched in defiance of perilous working conditions, meagre pay, and gruelling 12-hour shifts.
The objective behind the move in 1972 to have reserved seats for women in parliament was to increase women's representation in the legislative body.
As part of the IPU series 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them.