Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 6th March. The Inter Parliamentary Union on Tuesday reported that progress on women’s representation in national legislatures was “slow and mixed” in 2023, registered a growth of 0.4 per cent over the preceding year.
IPU said in its latest report on Women in Parliament that the global proportion of women in the world’s voting chambers inched up to 26.9 per cent on the back of elections and appointments through the year.
The growth was similar to the increase in 2022, but slower than the two years prior, IPU said.
The agency noted that both 2021 and 2020, the increase was 0.6 per cent.
Rwanda led the world ranking with women accounting for 61.3 per cent of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, followed by Cuba and Nicaragua with 55.7 per cent and 53.9 per cent, respectively, the IPU report stated.
Americas maintained its long-held position with the highest representation of women, at 35.1 per cent, it added.
IPU is an international organization distinct from the United Nations.
Both organizations share common goals and objectives related to empowerment and more inclusive decision making, and work towards promoting dialogue and cooperation among nations.
IPU has a special status at the UN, with a standing invitation to participate as an observer in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly.
The IPU report noted that several high-profile women leaders had left the political arena in 2023, many of whom cited burnout and increasing online harassment as the main reasons for leaving.
Jacinda Ardern stepped down as Prime Minister of New Zealand and decided not to stand again for her parliamentary seat earlier this year.
Sanna Marin, the former Prime Minister of Finland who was voted out of power in the April election, also resigned as an MP and decided to quit politics. Several prominent Dutch women MPs also stepped down IPU reported.
The report noted that some parliaments undertook measures to increase safety measures, such as the (national parliament) of Iceland which adopted a strategy and action plan against bullying and sexual and gender-based harassment.
The IPU report highlighted that gender issues emerged high up the list of voter priorities during election cycles last year, notably women’s reproductive rights in countries where abortion remains a contentious issue.
In the Polish elections the issue was central after a 2020 court ruling, supported by the government at the time, whose policies and legislation severely restricted access to abortion, the agency said.
IPU report suggested that this was one factor which led the ruling party to lose power as the ruling was followed by massive protests across the country led by women and young people.
Javier Milei who promised a referendum to repeal more progressive laws on abortion that had been put in place in 2020, was elected President of Argentina, he received a boost in support from male voters, especially young men, the IPU concluded.
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