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Parliaments and Representatives

Democracy and the equal participation of men and women in the political arena are closely intertwined. No parliament or any decision-making body can claim to be representative without the participation of both men and women. As stated in the Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Member Parliaments in 1997, "The achievement of democracy presupposes a genuine partnership between men and women in the conduct of the affairs of society in which they work in equality and complementarity, drawing mutual enrichment from their differences."

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the number of women in parliament, though the world average of less than 22 percent remains far from the goal of parity between women and men. The election of women to the highest positions of state and government in several countries has also contributed to the changing face of politics.

While the road to election is a difficult one, the challenges for women do not stop there. Once women enter parliament or other bodies, they are faced with many new challenges. Parliament is traditionally a male-oriented domain where the rules and practices have been written by men. It is, therefore, an ongoing challenge to transform parliament into a gender-sensitive environment, to ensure that actions are gender-sensitive and to guarantee that gender is mainstreamed throughout the legislature.

Summary of the e-Discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women in Politics

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June 21, 2022

Summary of the e-Discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women in Politics

This e-Discussion raised awareness and collected experiences, knowledge, and good practices on women’s political participation in the co

This e-Discussion raised awareness and collected experiences, knowledge, and good practices on women’s political participation in the co

June 21, 2022
Cleaner who led pay strike faces former minister in Paris election

Rachel Keke, who coordinated successful strike for better pay and conditions, takes on Macron’s former sports minister.

Maryland has a glass ceiling. Democrats won’t break it this year.

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June 21, 2022

Maryland has a glass ceiling. Democrats won’t break it this year.

No women are at the top of the ticket in the crowded Democratic primary race for governor, but seven have been picked as running mates.

No women are at the top of the ticket in the crowded Democratic primary race for governor, but seven have been picked as running mates.

 Representative image. Credit: iStock Photo
June 20, 2022
Post-poll, France's new parliament sees slight drop in women MPs

France has lagged in gender parity in politics, coming 33rd out of 185 spots on the Inter-Parliamentary Union's monthly ranking of women in national parliaments

Interviews

June 20, 2022
Francia Marquez: From maid to Colombia’s first Black vice-president

When Colombians on Sunday elected their first leftist president ever, they also voted for their country’s first Black vice-president.

How to get a better class of MP? Help mothers stand for parliament

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June 20, 2022

How to get a better class of MP? Help mothers stand for parliament

The first recipients of the grants from Labour MP Stella Creasy’s MotheRED scheme to encourage women into the Commons tell why it could help stop the rot in politics.

The first recipients of the grants from Labour MP Stella Creasy’s MotheRED scheme to encourage women into the Commons tell why it could help stop the rot in politics.

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