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.
In a video address to the Committee on Gender Equality, which is currently reviewing an initiative to increase the quota for the underrepresented gender in the electoral law from 30% to 40%—with the additional requirement that at least one out of every three candidates
On this International Day of Parliamentarism, observed on 30 June under the 2025 theme ‘Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action’, Pacific nations stand at a critical juncture.
On this International Day of Parliamentarism, observed on 30 June under the 2025 theme ‘Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action’, Pacific nations stand at a critical juncture.
Sonia Palmieri is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Pacific Affairs in the College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University.
Sonia Palmieri is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Pacific Affairs in the College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University.
Emma Muteka is currently the youngest Regional Councillor in Namibia and a member of Parliament.
Emma Muteka is currently the youngest Regional Councillor in Namibia and a member of Parliament.
Theresa May, Britain’s ex-prime minister, says that rather than reaching for social media the second major news breaks, former world leaders would be better off taking a step back and bringing
Americans are deeply divided about the use of quotas in hiring and education, but quotas are used in many countries to assure a balance of power between men and women in legislative bodies.
Americans are deeply divided about the use of quotas in hiring and education, but quotas are used in many countries to assure a balance of power between men and women in legislative bodies.
Hind Kabawat, the only female minister in Syria’s new government, in her house, in Bab Touma, a majority Christian neighborhood of Damascus. Hind Kabawat hopes her long experience as a conflict mediator can help Syria’s next generation.
