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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.

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IPU Cynthia López Castro and  Dan Carden
March 28, 2023
IPU elects new Presidents of young MPs and women MPs

At the 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain, IPU Members voted in new Presidents of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians and the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians. Both Presidents were elected for two-year terms.

March 28, 2023
New IPU report shows that women MPs have never been so diverse

According to the latest IPU report, Women in Parliament 2022, women’s participation in parliament has never been as diverse and representative as it is in many countries today.

Videos

CSW 67 side-event: Achieving equality in decision-making by 2030: What will it take?

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March 27, 2023

CSW 67 side-event: Achieving equality in decision-making by 2030: What will it take?

The Inter-parliamentary Union hosted this CSW 67 side-event on 8 March 2023 at the United Nations Headquart

The Inter-parliamentary Union hosted this CSW 67 side-event on 8 March 2023 at the United Nations Headquart

March 7, 2023
Women in power in 2023: New data shows progress but wide regional gaps

Geneva/New York — More women than ever hold political decision-making posts worldwide, but gender parity is still far off, according to the 2023 edition of the 

Women in politics: 2023

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March 7, 2023

Women in politics: 2023

The “Women in politics: 2023” map, created by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women, presents new data for women in executive positions and national parliaments as of 1 January 2023.

The “Women in politics: 2023” map, created by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women, presents new data for women in executive positions and national parliaments as of 1 January 2023.

Women in parliament 2022: The year in review

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March 7, 2023

Women in parliament 2022: The year in review

In 2022, women’s leadership in the world’s parliaments continued with a slow pace of incremental growth as the world re-emerged after two years of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and losses.

In 2022, women’s leadership in the world’s parliaments continued with a slow pace of incremental growth as the world re-emerged after two years of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and losses.

IPU
March 2, 2023
History is made in Colombia with gains in diversity led by feminist movements

Elections in Colombia saw a political shift in 2022, and the greatest gains in terms of women’s representation in the Americas.

Parliament House of Australia
March 2, 2023
Australia breaks records and tackles violence against women MPs

In 2022, Australia achieved record-breaking shares of women in both chambers of parliament, making it, along with New Zealand, the subregion with the highest average pr

Essay: Sexist dress codes don’t stop at high school. They’re plaguing female lawmakers.

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February 28, 2023

Essay: Sexist dress codes don’t stop at high school. They’re plaguing female lawmakers.

When I left high school, I thought I would no longer have to worry about whether my skirt was “too short,” or – God forbid – if my shoulders were visible.

When I left high school, I thought I would no longer have to worry about whether my skirt was “too short,” or – God forbid – if my shoulders were visible.