Women and Leadership: The State of Play and Strategies for Change

7

WILL GENDER BALANCE IN POLITICS COME BY ITSELF?

Drude Dahlerup

When it comes to gender quotas, some see this development as a specter haunting the world; others welcome it. The fact is that in spite of all controversies, gender quotas for public positions are being introduced all over the world at an amazing speed. During the last fifteen years about 100 out of the world's 192 countries have introduced some kind of quota provision in an effort to remedy women's underrepresentation in political institutions.¹

All over the world, concern is growing about women's lack of influence in political decision making. The widespread use of electoral gender quotas illustrates increasing impatience with the slow speed of improvements in women's representation. ...