Skip to main content

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.

World News

A very welcome thing’: New Zealand cabinet reaches gender parity for first time

Submitted by Editor on
Back

A very welcome thing’: New Zealand cabinet reaches gender parity for first time

Source:

The country had elected its most diverse parliament ever under former prime minister Jacinda Ardern in 2020, significantly boosting numbers of female, Māori and LBGTQ+ members. Now, it has reached gender parity at the decision-making table of cabinet, the body of senior ministers responsible for most important policy, legislative and spending decisions.

Print article

The country had elected its most diverse parliament ever under former prime minister Jacinda Ardern in 2020, significantly boosting numbers of female, Māori and LBGTQ+ members. Now, it has reached gender parity at the decision-making table of cabinet, the body of senior ministers responsible for most important policy, legislative and spending decisions.

United States of America: this is how we can drastically increase the number of women in politics

Back
April 10, 2023

United States of America: this is how we can drastically increase the number of women in politics



Normal
0




-->

Print article



Normal
0




-->

‘I decided I could do better than them’: the women taking on Japan’s male-dominated politics

Back
April 7, 2023

‘I decided I could do better than them’: the women taking on Japan’s male-dominated politics

Female candidates in the local elections across the country this weekend face one of the world’s toughest glass ceilings

Print article

Female candidates in the local elections across the country this weekend face one of the world’s toughest glass ceilings

World News

Finnish elections dominated by women

Submitted by editor1 on
Back

Finnish elections dominated by women

Source:

Even though the Finnish elections were won by a male, women dominated Finland’s general election that took place on Sunday, with the most successful candidates being female.

The winner of the election is Peterri Orpo from the National Coalition Party with 20.8% of the vote, followed by Finns Party leader Riikka Purra in second place with 20.1% of the vote.

Print article

Even though the Finnish elections were won by a male, women dominated Finland’s general election that took place on Sunday, with the most successful candidates being female.

The winner of the election is Peterri Orpo from the National Coalition Party with 20.8% of the vote, followed by Finns Party leader Riikka Purra in second place with 20.1% of the vote.

World News

Women account for 42.9% of candidates in 2023 Finnish Parliamentary Elections

Submitted by editor1 on
Back

Women account for 42.9% of candidates in 2023 Finnish Parliamentary Elections

Source:

The proportion of women among the candidates for the 2023 Finnish parliamentary elections is higher than ever before, according to a press release from the Finnish Statistics Centre. Women now account for 42.9% of candidates, which is 0.9 percentage points higher than the previous election in 2019. The majority of candidates in past elections have always been male, but now there are 1,039 female candidates compared to 1,385 male candidates.

Print article

The proportion of women among the candidates for the 2023 Finnish parliamentary elections is higher than ever before, according to a press release from the Finnish Statistics Centre. Women now account for 42.9% of candidates, which is 0.9 percentage points higher than the previous election in 2019. The majority of candidates in past elections have always been male, but now there are 1,039 female candidates compared to 1,385 male candidates.

World News

International IDEA in Tunis and Raedat on the front lines for gender equality in Arab parliaments

Submitted by admin on
Back

International IDEA in Tunis and Raedat on the front lines for gender equality in Arab parliaments

Source:

Despite the legal reforms that have been taken by various Arab countries following their ratification of various international agreements guaranteeing women's civil and political rights, women have not been able to achieve equal representation in elected councils.

Print article

Despite the legal reforms that have been taken by various Arab countries following their ratification of various international agreements guaranteeing women's civil and political rights, women have not been able to achieve equal representation in elected councils.

World News

Learning from each other: creating more gender-sensitive parliaments to strengthen democracies

Submitted by admin on
Back

Learning from each other: creating more gender-sensitive parliaments to strengthen democracies

Source:

No parliament in the world is fully gender-sensitive. Women and gender-diverse people are relatively recent arrivals into political life, so many parliamentary institutions have developed without respect for their needs and experiences. This has led to discriminatory and exclusionary cultures, practices, and outcomes, many of which are unintentional.

Print article

No parliament in the world is fully gender-sensitive. Women and gender-diverse people are relatively recent arrivals into political life, so many parliamentary institutions have developed without respect for their needs and experiences. This has led to discriminatory and exclusionary cultures, practices, and outcomes, many of which are unintentional.

World News

Zimbabwe launches Youth Caucus and new handbook

Submitted by admin on
Back

Zimbabwe launches Youth Caucus and new handbook

Source:

The Parliament of Zimbabwe has recently launched two initiatives to engage more youth and women in parliament.

Print article
IPU Parliament of Zimbabwe

The Parliament of Zimbabwe has recently launched two initiatives to engage more youth and women in parliament.

World News

IPU elects new Presidents of young MPs and women MPs

Submitted by admin on
Back

IPU elects new Presidents of young MPs and women MPs

Source:

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. They will also serve as Ex Officio Members of the IPU Executive Committee.

Print article
IPU Cynthia López Castro and Dan Carden

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. They will also serve as Ex Officio Members of the IPU Executive Committee.

Subscribe to Parliaments and Representatives