Partner News

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Luis José Consuegra

The advancement of gender equality and the political empowerment of women has been for many years a struggle that is faced not only at the highest political levels, but that has its roots in the basic power relationship among men and women in all interactions in life.

The way we understand and apply those relationships is surrounded by stereotypes that indicate the role that men and women are supposed to play in order to comply with the social norm, which has proven to be a disadvantage for women when we specifically address the issue of political empowerment and when trying to achieve the full and equal participation of men and women in political life.

According to the results of a series of regional consultations on Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women that International IDEA, together with the Community of Democracies and UNDP, held throughout 2017, women are facing the following challenges as they are increasingly aspiring to a more engaging participation in public life:

1. Women have less access to financial resources to consolidate themselves as political leaders.
2. Women are positioned in disadvantageous positions on internal listings within their political parties.
3. The assumption is that women’s personal life will not allow them to engage in political processes.
4. There are less capacity building opportunities for women, and this result in women that have the full intention to participate and engage in political life, but do not have the necessary tools to succeed.
5. Elected women are bullied and pressured by their peers, which results in physical and psychological violence, increasing the level of dissertation of incumbent women elected for public office.
6. Women that are in power and remain in office are often influenced by a man that exercises power through them.

These Regional Consultations were held in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab World and the Americas, and it is interesting to see how these challenges appear across the board and become global issues that need to be address systemically. It goes beyond the formulation of legal and policy instruments, and it includes behavioral components such as changing the language used to differentiate men and women, and how young men and women, children and girls are educated around stereotypes.

Currently, there are international and regional legal and policy instruments in place to tackle the main challenges we face to advance gender equality. These instruments provide an understanding of the efforts that are made at the global level, which permeate into national legal frameworks that enable a multilayer environment for the advancement of gender equality.

The fact that Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework has dedicated Goal 5 to address the issues related to gender equality is a reaffirmation that there is still a way to go to achieve equality among men and women. It shows that we need a global commitment that permeates the national and local levels, which are identified as the spheres where there is a conscience, and even regulatory frameworks to empower women and enable conditions for their political participation, but where we have not achieve a full change in behavior and culture.

Key stakeholders are working together to achieve Goal 5 and to guarantee that women can develop their potential to work hand-in-hand with men for better societies. For the work ahead, International IDEA, through the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy, developed the Report on Regional Organizations, Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women, which provides an exhaustive analysis of the main global and regional legal and policy instruments for the advancement of gender equality, and provides a series of policy recommendations, applicable at all levels.

This report is available as a contribution to the ongoing work on this field and gathers the input from relevant stakeholders. Among the main recommendations:

1. Work at the regional level does not replace work at the national level, but it can complement it and strengthen it by using both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
2. There is a growing need to develop and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on progress; and embark on a regional assessment of the status of women.
3. An effective coordination and cooperation mechanism is required with the objective of permitting synergies between organizations.
4. Political parties should be at the center of any strategy to promote women’s political empowerment, given their central role in candidate selection and policy development.
5. Quota laws must be strengthened, and their requirements made more specific, such that parties are unable to, to exploit loopholes in their design.
6. While quotas laws have resulted in more women entering the political arena, legislation alone is not enough – cultural change is also required.
7. Targeted campaigns and programs should be developed to promote the leadership of young women, support the training of female candidates for office, and build alliances among key stakeholders.
8. More work needs to be done to address problems with political financing and media coverage.
9. Parliaments should consider introducing laws on political violence and harassment against women.
10. The shrinking space for civil society in the region has been on the increase. Time and again, recommendations note that the current structure of the global and regional organizations is outdated, and that reform must occur so that civil society, and not just member states, has a voice.

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

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 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

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 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

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 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

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 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

[[{"fid":"13006","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-media-original","data-delta":"1"}}]]

 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Brechtje Kemp and Adina Trunk 

2017 was the year of hashtag-protests and few others dominated the debate more than #MeToo. Making waves far beyond Hollywood, Time magazine named The Silence Breakers from #MeToo their Person of the Year 2017. By the end of 2017 though, people began to question the movement’s impact: what would happen after the tsunami of testimonies? And moreover, could movements like #MeToo reinvigorate democracy and lead to long-term change? 

Undoubtedly, citizen participation has changed in the past decade. Whilst traditional political parties worry about membership decline and an increasing distance from citizens, social media movements, fueled by protest, seem to be the new political forces to be reckoned with. Social movements have historically been critical in pressuring regimes to democratise. In today’s digital information age, they are increasingly successful in carving out political space, with new agendas, techniques and discourses that promise greater representation and more meaningful participation. 

Protests and new types of citizens movements have the power to reinvigorate democracy. Figures from the Global State of Democracy indices on citizen participation from the 2010–14 wave show that countries with higher levels of social rights and equality also have a citizenry that more actively protests (see figure). This suggests that countries with stronger and healthier democracies also have higher levels of protest participation.  

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 Figure: Social rights and equality by protest participation, 2010–14

Source: GSoD indices 2017 Social Rights Index; World Values Survey (Wave 6) questions V85–V89. 

 Whilst many more seem to be voicing their opinion, the question still remains, can such citizens movements lead to lasting change? Successful examples on all sides of the political spectra have shown they can, as illustrated by new social movements around the world taking the step into political establishments, running for election and gaining access to political power. The common denominator seems to be finding a common purpose, gaining widespread support and accessing public platforms that not only allow you to say what you want, but also do what you say. 

From protest to change – what is the future of #MeToo?

For the #MeToo movement this journey has just begun, but the movement has already gained substantial momentum and expansion to the next level, as shown by the Time’s Up initiative. As important awareness raising was for gaining popular support, the need is now to translate demands into policies, legal frameworks, and action. This requires access to platforms for (political-)decision making, and that the protestors and activists take the step into the world of politics, board rooms and corner offices.

This is easier said than done and it remains a dire truth that women and younger generations are insufficiently represented in party membership, leadership and legislatures. The 2017 the Global Gender Gap report concluded that, globally, gender parity is shifting into reverse and can be closed in exactly 100 years, compared to the estimated 83 years in 2016. This includes the political dimension which looks at women in parliament, in ministerial and leadership positions.

While there is a large body of research studying the reasons why women are underrepresented in politics, the 2017 #MeToo movement offers another important perspective to the reasons that may lie behind it. It reminds us that sexism, harassment and violence against women are very real and widespread, yet often underreported as a barrier for achieving gender equality in politics. Perhaps women simply do not feel comfortable in a patriarchal world where sexual domination and intimidation is still part of the norm? 

#MeToo has the potential to be more than the global torch that puts the light on sexual harassments. It can become the kindle which re-ignites the fire in support for increased gender equality, and with the huge support demonstrated by its citizens’ engagement, a new political force to be reckonned with. The challenge is only to maintain momentum, create unity and take the movement from the streets and online communities to the decision-making tables. 

By Annamari T. Salonen

Women in Myanmar are facing many challenges as a result of traditional perceptions, institutional barriers, and societal norms. These challenges range from a lack of equal job opportunities, to difficulties participating in nation building or the political arena¹.

According to the 2014 national census, women make up 52% of the most economically productive age group (15-64). Guaranteeing equality for women is not just important for fulfilling the democratic norm of equality, but also for establishing lasting peace in the country and the development of the nation.

During the decades of civil war in Myanmar, women have been the victims of war crimes and continue to be one of the most vulnerable groups in conflicts.  Since the quasi-civilian U Thein Sein administration was sworn in back in March 2011, peace negotiations have a top priority. In October 2015, the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was signed by 8 of the main 21 ethnic armed organizations. The NCA set a political roadmap for peace which includes constitutional change following a political settlement. The National League for Democracy-led government elected in 2015 has held two peace conferences, which in May 2017 resulted in the signing of the first part of the Union Accord. In every step of the peace negotiations, participation of women was critical to uphold the legitimacy and inclusivity of the agreement. It is even more important in setting up the political settlement process and constitutional frameworks to incorporate important issues for women and respect women’s rights.

Yet, participation of women in peace negotiations is still low². Structural barriers, the 2008 Constitutional arrangements, the lack of inheritance rights in customary law, and religious norms make women a second sex in political and daily life. Challenges ahead for women in Myanmar lie not just in the national level political settlement process but also at the community level due to institutional constraints and the lack of capacity and awareness. Ma Soe Soe San, a regional coordinator of PEOPLE FOR PEOPLE, a local civil society organization based in the city of Sittwe in Rakhine State, says

“Back home, women’s involvement in politics is very low at around 1 %. There are some traditional perception barriers too. Some women vote male candidate rather than female candidate with the assumption that males can only govern well.”

International IDEA Myanmar’s MyConstitution programme aims to provide tools to support women in their ability to participate and analyze the constitution from the perspective of substantive gender equality. In February 2018, together with the Gender Equality Network and Triangle Women Support Group, International IDEA conducted a training on ‘Constitution Assessment for Women Equality’ (CAWE) for local trainers working on women rights and gender equality issues, as well as government representatives and university staff. The training was followed by an advocacy session which provided participants the opportunity to meet with Members of Parliament and discuss gender issues.

Ma Soe Soe San, reflected on her participation in the training:

“Before the CAWE training, when I read the Constitution, I just read it without fully understanding what it means. During the CAWE training, I came to realize the constitutional provisions related with women’s equality and learn how Constitutions of other countries protect women equality. I have found out that our Constitution is still very general and other Constitutions have specific provisions.”

It is essential for women in Myanmar to have a seat at the peace negotiations table, and assess the current constitutional frameworks to protect women’s rights and dignity. Women have the potential to be a great force in building peace and a democratic constitutional culture in Myanmar.

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1. According to a report on “Women Political Participation in Myanmar” released by the Asia Foundation in April 2017, women occupy only 13.7 per cent of all elected MPs in the new Union Parliament. That number (13.7 per cent) doubled compared to 6 per cent of women MPs in the previous Union Parliament. At the state/region level, 84 women were elected, tripling the number of women parliamentarians from 3.8% to 12.7%. This data are calculated by putting aside the 25 per cent of seats still reserved for the military.

2. Only 7 per cent of the 700 attendees of the 2016 January union peace conference were women. The number slightly increased to 13 per cent of 663 attendees in the August 2016 conference and 17 per cent of 910 attendees in the May 2017 conference.