Empowering Equal Leadership: The Urgent Need for Gender Quotas to Achieve True Political Equality

In 2024, at a time when many people think gender inequalities are a problem of the past, women's representation in politics and leadership roles remains low. Tactics like gender quotas are crucial and often the most effective way to achieve gender parity for which every country should aim for.

In only 5 presidential elections, out of 31 carried out this year, women have been elected. In Moldova, Maia Sandu has been nominated for a second term of presidency. In Iceland, Halla Tomasdottir became the second woman to be chosen president. In Mexico, North Macedonia and Namibia it was the first time that a woman had been elected a president.

The women's representation in legislature have declined to 27% in 2024. Out of 39 countries with available data, 15 of them showed an increase and 24 decrease in women's participation in national parliaments. There is a visible pattern that countries without gender quotas are the ones that generally face problems with women's participation in decision-making. Other challenges keeping women from politics are gender-based electoral violence and insufficient political will to make change.

There is a global need to take action to achieve gender parity. Gender quotas have proven to be most successful in increasing women's representation. Moreover, research also has shown that women-led local councils experience better outcomes, like improving childcare coverage in Norway or improving drinkable water projects in India. Women in parliaments also advocate for important gender equality issues like violence prevention or electoral reform.

Bold actions, legal reforms, and societal shifts are needed for gender equality in leadership to become a reality.