Women in government in the modern era are under-represented in most countries worldwide, in contrast to men. However, women are increasingly being politically elected to be heads of state and government. In 2016, the global participation rate of women in national-level parliaments is 22.6%.[1] A number of countries are exploring measures that may increase women's participation in government at all levels, from the local to the national.Increasing women's representation in the government can empower women.[2] Increasing women's representation in government is necessary to achieve gender parity.[3] 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.[2] 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.[2] In India, for instance, greater women's representation has corresponded with a more equitable distribution of community resources, including more gender-sensitive spending on programs related to health, nutrition, and education.
Women face numerous obstacles in achieving representation in governance.[2] Their participation has been limited by the assumption that women's proper sphere is the "private" sphere. Whereas the "public" domain is one of political authority and contestation, the "private" realm is associated with the family and the home.[4] By relegating women to the private sphere, their ability to enter the political arena is curtailed.ender inequality within families, inequitable division of labor within households, and cultural attitudes about gender roles further subjugate women and serve to limit their representation in public life.[2] Societies that are highly patriarchal often have local power structures that make it difficult for women to combat.[5] Thus, their interests are often not represented.Even once elected, women tend to hold lesser valued cabinet ministries or similar positions.[4] These are described as "soft industries" and include health, education, and welfare. Rarely do women hold executive decision-making authority in more powerful domains or those that are associated with traditional notions of masculinity (such as finance and the military). Typically, the more powerful the institution, the less likely it is that women's interests will be represented. Additionally, in more autocratic nations, women are less likely to have their interests represented.[5] Many women attain political standing due to kinship ties, as they have male family members who are involved in politics.[4] These women tend to be from higher income, higher status families and thus may not be as focused on the issues faced by lower income families.
Women face numerous obstacles in achieving representation in governance.[2] Their participation has been limited by the assumption that women's proper sphere is the "private" sphere. Whereas the "public" domain is one of political authority and contestation, the "private" realm is associated with the family and the home.[4] By relegating women to the private sphere, their ability to enter the political arena is curtailed.ender inequality within families, inequitable division of labor within households, and cultural attitudes about gender roles further subjugate women and serve to limit their representation in public life.[2] Societies that are highly patriarchal often have local power structures that make it difficult for women to combat.[5] Thus, their interests are often not represented.Even once elected, women tend to hold lesser valued cabinet ministries or similar positions.[4] These are described as "soft industries" and include health, education, and welfare. Rarely do women hold executive decision-making authority in more powerful domains or those that are associated with traditional notions of masculinity (such as finance and the military). Typically, the more powerful the institution, the less likely it is that women's interests will be represented. Additionally, in more autocratic nations, women are less likely to have their interests represented.[5] Many women attain political standing due to kinship ties, as they have male family members who are involved in politics.[4] These women tend to be from higher income, higher status families and thus may not be as focused on the issues faced by lower income families.
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