Over 90 women parliamentarians from around the world, as well as members of Irish civil society groups, women in sport and in business have gathered at Dublin Castle for the first International Congress of Women's Caucuses.

Almost 50 countries are represented by over 200 delegates who are discussing supporting women’s participation in politics around the world, as well as developing legislation and initiatives on issues affecting women worldwide.

"The proportion of women in national parliaments will be a key measure of success in achieving gender equality and would spur, in turn, further progress”, President Michael D Higgins has said.

Gender quotas should be introduced next year for the local elections, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) has said.

Just 21 per cent of local councillors are women and it would take another 200 years to achieve gender parity at the current rate, NWCI director Orla O’Connor told the Parnell Summer School in Avondale, Co Wicklow.