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.

‘Any woman in her right mind would not go into politics. You are completely dehumanised

Back
January 23, 2023

‘Any woman in her right mind would not go into politics. You are completely dehumanised

Five public representatives describe a world of threats, insults and fear, driving one to conclude: ‘I’ve gone past the stage of recommending politics to people’

Five public representatives describe a world of threats, insults and fear, driving one to conclude: ‘I’ve gone past the stage of recommending politics to people’

January 21, 2023
Breaking barriers: Women in Nigeria defy odds to contest in elections, but face uphill battle

For Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, running for a second term as a member of parliament in Nigeria means putting her life on the line, says the 56-year-old politician who is running in the February 25 legislative elections in the southwest of Africa's mos

A woman looks at a picture of former Afghan lawmaker Mursal Nabizada on her mobile phone, who was shot dead by gunmen at her house in Kabul on January 15, 2023.
January 19, 2023
Former Afghan lawmaker Mursal Nabizada shot dead at her home in Kabul

(CNN) — Former Afghan lawmaker Mursal Nabizada and her security guard were shot dead her home in Kabul early Sunday morning, according to Kabul police.

We need to push harder for women’s representation in leadership

Back
January 10, 2023

We need to push harder for women’s representation in leadership

More than 50 percent of the U.S. population is female, so it begs the question: Why are we still so underrepresented in politics?

More than 50 percent of the U.S. population is female, so it begs the question: Why are we still so underrepresented in politics?

January 10, 2023
118th Congress has a record number of women

Women make up more than a quarter (28%) of all members of the 118th Congress – the highest percentage in U.S. history and a considerable increase from where things stood even a decade ago.

Borjana Kristo of the Croatian Demotracit Union and Croat candidate of the Tri-partite Bosnian Presidency attends a pre-election rally in Zepce, Bosnia and Herzegovina, September 26, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
January 2, 2023
Bosnia presidency nominates first female Croat PM-designate

SARAJEVO, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Bosnia's three-member presidency on Thursday nominated Croat politician Borjana Kristo as the Balkan country's first female prime minister-designate, following a general election in October.

Tunisia election set to deliver male-dominated parliament and erosion of women’s rights

Back
December 16, 2022

Tunisia election set to deliver male-dominated parliament and erosion of women’s rights

As the country goes to the polls, reforms introduced by hardline president Kais Saied have led to the exclusion of female candidates.

As the country goes to the polls, reforms introduced by hardline president Kais Saied have led to the exclusion of female candidates.