What the Lack of Women in Politics Means

There has been remarkable progress of women in professional fields, but unfortunately, politics is not of those fields. Women in politics are faced with discrimination, social stereotypes, and double standards. People pay more attention to how women are dressed  rather than their ideas and what they are trying to accomplish in office. This is detrimental because we need women in politics. The participation of women in politics allows for diversity in terms of views and perspectives that can help progress political agendas because when women are involved in government decision-making, they bring awareness to many issues that would otherwise not be spoken about, such as women’s rights. 

When women are in politics and  utilize their backgrounds and beliefs, changes can be made because diversity allows for collaboration. For instance, in South Africa, women leaders of all races, ethnicities, and political beliefs were key in developing a national security framework that was based on human needs and development. In Pakistan, the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, which is a multi-ethnic and multi-party political caucus, is leading rehabilitation efforts in areas that are affected by humanitarian crisis or extremist violence.

María Fernanda Espinosa, the former President of the United Nations General Assembly, claims that  90% of the Heads of Government are men. With almost 100% of world leaders being a man, women are left on the outskirts of politics, not because they are not interested or uneducated, but because there has been minimal progress that allows a woman to be in office. As a result, Espinosa calls on world leaders to demonstrate the political will that is needed to change history. Espinosa also claims that the majority of countries have never been governed by women, and if the current trend continues, then it would take 100 years to achieve equality. 

People’s interests and priorities are also shaped by their social, economic, and ethnic differences. Female legislators come from various backgrounds, and as a result, they can bring an array of issues. This is beneficial to the Democratic systems because Democratic systems benefit from having people from diverse backgrounds because not only is everyone represented, but women in politics can bring in their different life experiences that can help shape political institutions.

 

 

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