Even though women’s involvement in politics is crucial, the rise of female leaders has leveled off globally, and their representation in the national parliaments has remained constant.
Globally, women have a small presence in political offices, and their underrepresentation grows as they ascend the political ladder. However, research has shown that having more women in parliament helps bring more attention to women’s issues.
The need of female participation in politics
Participation of women in politics is a fundamental requirement for gender equality and genuine democracy. It promotes women’s direct participation in public decision-making and ensures greater accountability to women. Increasing the representation of women in political leadership roles is a good first step, but this is only the beginning of ensuring that women are heard and considered at all levels of decision making.
What is necessary are gender-sensitive governance reforms that make all elected officials more effective at promoting gender equality in public policy and ensuring their implementation.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama recently gave a speech in Australia, where he outlined his plan to restore democracy around the world and set it on a course toward long-term stability and global peace.
“I am actually convinced that if we could try an experiment in which every country on Earth was run by women for just two years … I am confident the world would tilt in a better direction.”
Former Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop, Obama’s interviewer, responded that female leaders only need six months. However, data indicates that even the considerably more modest goal of achieving gender parity in global leadership stands faraway.
Female representation rate in politics
By the end of 2022, 34 women had served as heads of state and/or government in 31 countries. 2023 sees the departure of Jacinda Ardern, Sanna Marin, and Nicola Sturgeon from high office, resulting in a decline in the number. Currently, only 12 UN member states are led by women, compared to 17 in 2022. According to the United Nations, gender equality in the highest positions of authority will not be achieved for another 130 years at the current rate.
As of 1 January 2023, according to data compiled for the first time by UN Women, 22.8 percent of Cabinet members overseeing Ministries are women. There are only 13 countries where women hold at least 50 percent of Cabinet Minister positions leading policy domains.
In recent years, the increase in the number of female leaders across the globe has stalled, and in 2023, a number of significant female leaders have vacated their positions and been replaced by males. In January, Jacinda Ardern resigned as New Zealand’s prime minister, stating that she “no longer had enough in the tank” to fulfill her duties. Natalia Gavrilita resigned as prime minister of Moldova in February, citing “Russian aggression” as the reason.
Nicola Sturgeon, resigned as Scotland’s prime minister in February after more than eight years in office, citing “time was right.” Then, in April, Sanna Marin lost a close election in Finland, ending her tenure as the youngest prime minister in the world.
Where the bias stands?
Pew Research’s 2018 survey reveals how women executives are deemed unqualified for certain positions. The majority of US voters, when asked, stated that there is no distinction between male and female political figures. The only exceptions were education and healthcare, where women were believed to be more effective, and national security and defense, where males were believed to be more capable.
Dr Federica Caso, a lecturer in international relations at La Trobe University, warns that the increasing militarisation of the world as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could spell uncertainty for all female world leaders.
“Sanna Marin pushed for Finland to enter Nato … but generally speaking, voters tend to see men as more reliable on defence and security,” she says. Caso also asserts that women face biases regarding how they should act, especially from the media.
Ardern confronted unprecedented personal attacks in New Zealand politics. In 2022, the police reported that the number of threats made against the prime minister had nearly tripled over the preceding three years. In her resignation announcement, Ardern stated that threats to her safety were not the reason for her decision to resign, but that they did “have an impact.”
Marin was subjected to intrusive and frequently sexist surveillance of her private life and behavior, perhaps most notably when facing an official investigation following the release of a video depicting her drinking and dancing with friends. Whereas men leaders are considered to be “just leading a normal life outside of responsibilities” regarding all their personal activities, female leaders seem to face much hatred for the same thing!
Caso states that sexist media coverage may interfere with the ability of female leaders to generate funds and secure donations for election campaigns. It is difficult to continue swimming against the current when you are continuously challenged on the basis of your gender rather than your policies.
The unequal pressures of family obligations and caring responsibilities are also cited as a potential cause for the brief tenure of female leaders, which Pew Research reports to be a median of 2.1 years. “We don’t want to generalize, but even at the top of politics the labor of care work still often falls on women,” says Caso.
The paradox
Gender-balanced societies have better health, stronger economic growth, and increased security, according to 2021 research from the European Parliament. Female populations have significantly superior outcomes when they are represented in decision-making positions. In Norway, for instance, a study discovered a correlation between the number of women on municipal councils and the level of childcare coverage provided.
Caso cautions against lumping women into a singular group, but notes that “studies also suggest that women tend to negotiate and mediate more, so when there are difficult positions on the table, they tend to be more diplomatic”
Despite the fact that the number of female foreign ministers is several times greater than the number of female leaders, significant barriers persist. UN Women data indicates that women are still far more inclined to be handed cabinet portfolios related to family and children’s issues or women and gender equality than positions in foreign affairs, defense, or the economy.
This means that women still face greater obstacles on the traditional path to power, which entails advancing through government and high cabinet positions.
Some nations have implemented gender quotas in an effort to advance equal representation. According to a 2021 United Nations study, countries that enacted candidate quotas saw an increase in women’s representation. But the statistics remain stark: only 13 nations have attained gender parity in their cabinet. Even more disparate is the representation of women in national parliaments: as of 2023, only six countries have parliaments with at least 50 percent female representation.
