RepResentation in GoveRnment By Jessie Taylor
Political participation Increasing women’s roles in decision-making
D
espite the wide acknowledgement of the importance of women’s involvement in political leadership, women remain underrepresented in decision-making roles worldwide. Increasing women’s participation in politics is at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals – but at the current rate, we will be hard-pressed to make the 2030 targets.
a way To go To reach gender pariTy African countries, in particular, are struggling to reach parity in participation in political decision-making. According to the first Women’s Political Participation (WPP) Africa Barometer 2021, women constitute 24% of the 12 113 parliamentarians in Africa. They make up a quarter of the representatives in the lower houses and a fifth in the upper houses of parliament – below the global average. Local governments don’t fare much better, with women making up only 21% of the councillors in the 19 countries with data available. The Barometer found that women were missing in cabinet roles (with only 22% representation) and other top decision-making positions
- women held only 7% of the executive political posts (presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers and deputy prime ministers) across the continent. However, female representation in African politics varies drastically from region to region. The Barometer found 33% in the Horn of Africa but only 16% in West Africa. Women’s representation in African parliament ranged from 61% in Rwanda to Nigeria, with only 6% women in parliament. While the gender gap may be stark in parts of Africa, the lack of female representation in the political sphere is a global concern. According to data from the United Nations (UN), fewer than 30 countries have women holding a head of government or state position. At the current rate, gender parity in ministerial positions will not be achieved before 2077, the UN has estimated, and gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. Creating a better society for all There are numerous barriers to women’s political participation. Many African cultures include elements of patriarchy, which has seen women’s cultural role limited to wives, mothers and homemakers. There is also often a cultural belief that women are supposed to be led but not to lead.
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The burden of household chores and child care often limit women’s access to the political sphere and have less access to education than men. Women also often face a lack of economic resources, which prevents them from paying nomination fees as political candidates and other costs associated with political campaigns. Women also face discriminatory attitudes and norms, and in some countries, they are limited by threats of political violence. Political instability in some African countries has also prevented women from participating in politics. Women have the right to equal participation in political decisionmaking. At the heart of democracy is the fair representation of all groups in society. The non-representation of women in the political sphere violates this principle. However, there is also growing evidence that women’s increased political participation can benefit society as a whole – it has been shown to improve political decision-making processes and increase collaboration across party lines. A higher number of women in parliament has also been shown to bring more attention to women’s issues, including gender-based violence.
