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In the modern era Women are generally underrepresented in most
countries worldwide. In many of these countries, women have had inadequate
opportunities in social participation, especially in striving for political
rights and power in the government and different institutions. This historical
tendency still persists, although women are increasingly being politically
elected to be heads of state and government. As of December 2018, the global
participation rate of women in national-level parliaments is 24.1%. In 2013,
women accounted for 8% of all national leaders and 2% of all presidential
posts. Furthermore, 75% of all female prime ministers and presidents have taken
office in the past two decades. A number of countries are exploring measures
that may increase women's participation in government at all levels, from the
local to the national. However, more and more women are pursuing leadership
positions in the present day. Increasing women's representation in the
government can empower women[6] and is necessary to achieve gender parity.[7]
This notion of women's empowerment is rooted in the human capabilities
approach, in which individuals are empowered to choose the functioning that
they deem valuable.
Women, as the conventional primary caretakers of children,
often have a more prominent role than men in advocating for children, resulting
in a "double dividend" in terms of the benefits of women's
representation. Female representatives not only advance women's rights, but
also advance the rights of children. In national legislatures, there is a
notable trend of women advancing gender and family-friendly legislation. This
advocacy has been seen in countries ranging from France, Sweden and the
Netherlands, to South Africa, Rwanda, and Egypt. Furthermore, a number of
studies from both industrialized and developed countries indicate that women in
local government tend to advance social issues. In 1954, the United Nations
Convention on the Political Rights of Women went into force, enshrining women's
equal rights to vote, hold office, and access public services as provided for
male citizens within national laws.
There is growing recognition of the untapped capacity and talents
of women and women’s leadership. Over the last two decades, the rate of women’s
representation in national parliaments globally has incrementally increased
from 11.8 percent in 1998 to 17.8 percent in 2008 to 23.5 percent in 2018. Some
regions have seen particularly dramatic increases, such as Sub-Saharan Africa,
where in the last 20 years the number of women in parliaments has risen from 11
to 23.6 percent, and the Arab States region, which has seen an increase from
3.1 to 17.5 percent. Total global representation is still well below the 30
percent benchmark often identified as the necessary level of representation to
achieve a “critical mass” – a considerable minority of all legislators with
significant impact, rather than a token few individuals – not to mention
falling short of women’s representation as half of the world’s population. The
full and equitable participation of women in public life is essential to
building and sustaining strong, vibrant democracies. Accordingly, the
meaningful participation of women in national, local, and community leadership
roles has become an important focus on global development policy. Still, some
may ask why it matters if women become political leaders, elected policymakers,
or civil society activists. Why does the world need more women involved in all
aspects of the political process? Women’s political participation results in
tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen
needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and a more
sustainable future. Women’s participation in politics helps advance gender
equality and affects both the range of policy issues that get considered and
the types of solutions that are proposed. Research indicates that whether
a legislator is male or female has a distinct impact on their policy
priorities. There is also strong evidence that as more women are elected to
office, there is a corollary increase in policy making that emphasizes quality
of life and reflects the priorities of families, women, and ethnic and racial
minorities.
In the words of the National Democratic Institute’s (NDI) Chairman
Madeleine Albright, women in power “can be counted on to raise issues that
others overlook, to support ideas that others oppose, and to seek an end to
abuses that others accept.” Further, in NDI’s 35 years of work in over 100
countries around the world, we have found that, more than men, women tend
to:
● Work across party
lines
● Be highly responsive to
constituent concerns
● Help secure lasting
peace
● Encourage citizen confidence
in democracy through their own participation, and
● Prioritize health,
education, and other key development indicators.
● Women’s engagement is
crucial—and it is important to recognize that women are not a homogeneous
group. Depending on whether women are young or older, educated or uneducated,
live in rural or urban areas, they have very different life experiences that
lead to different priorities and needs. Moreover, not every woman elected to
parliament or another legislative body will place women’s issues or rights at
the forefront of her own agenda. Clearly, women’s representation is not the
only factor, but it is a critical factor for the development of inclusive,
responsive, and transparent democracies.
So, why women in politics? The positive impact of women in
politics is undeniable. Kofi Annan noted, “study after study has taught
us, there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of
women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity or to reduce
child and maternal mortality. No other policy is as sure to improve nutrition
and promote health, including the prevention of HIV/AIDS. No other policy is as
powerful in increasing the chances of education for the next generation.”
Further, as Madeleine Albright has stated, the world is wasting a precious
resource in the dramatic underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, often
resulting in the exclusion of women’s talents and skills in political life.Male
and female legislators must work together in order to solve the myriad of
problems in their countries. In order to meet worldwide development goals and
build strong, sustainable democracies, women must be encouraged, empowered and
supported in becoming strong political and community leaders.
At the executive levels of government, women become prime
ministers more often than they become presidents. Part of the differences in
these roads to power are that prime ministers are elected by political party
members themselves while presidents are elected by the public. In 2013, women
accounted for 8 percent of all national leaders and 2 percent of all
presidential posts. Furthermore, 75 percent of all female prime ministers and
presidents have taken office in the past two decades. Since 1960 to 2015, 108
women have become national leaders in 70 countries, with more being prime
ministers than presidents. Individual female executives usually come from the
most elite backgrounds, as is evidenced by their high levels of education and
close relationships with politically prominent or upper class families. The
general status of women in a country does not predict if a woman will reach an executive
position since, paradoxically, female executives have routinely ascended in
power in countries where women’s social standing lags behind men’s.
From centuries the patriarchal values have been deeply rooted in
our minds, which set the gender roles subliminally. Our society is accustomed
to see women playing the roles of mother and wives in the small area inside
home, where politics is considered as the public domain owned by men. Even in
decision making, men tend to impose their decisions on women. A research done
by the SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) in 2015 found out
that the husbands of EWR (Elected Women Representatives) play a significant
role in decision making. This finding delineates the extreme reflection of
patriarchal ideologies in our society, where the women that we assume to be
powerful are actually voiceless. A country of 163 million people where half of
the population consists of female voters, the poor representation of women in
politics shows ineffectiveness of Constitutional laws, unfairness and injustice
towards them. Moreover, it also reflects improper practice of democracy which
invokes inequality of the gender roles and biases towards men in the field of
politics.
The journey of women in politics is neither new nor complete—it is
a continuum of courage, resistance, and transformation. The undeniable progress
made in recent decades shows that change is not only possible, but inevitable
when societies commit to inclusion. From national parliaments to grassroots
activism, women are increasingly stepping into roles once deemed unreachable,
bringing with them diverse experiences and a deep commitment to equity,
development, and peace. To reimagine politics is to dismantle the barriers that
exclude women, amplify the voices that have long been silenced, and build
systems where leadership reflects the full diversity of its people. The future
of governance must be one in which women are not just participants, but
powerful architects of change.
MAISHA TASNIM RAFA
Apprentice Lawyer, Dhaka
judge court,
LL.B. Graduate, American International