The principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”[1] is at the heart of democratic systems, which have been shaped, historically, by institutions, social movements and people claiming for human rights. Gender equality advocates have led and continue to lead a battle in favor of social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, under the belief that “women’s rights are human rights”[2]. The women’s suffrage movement moved forward the human rights agenda with the struggle for the right of women to vote. In 2015, Saudi Arabia allowed women to vote for the first time, joining the majority of countries worldwide, where it is common that national constitutions and legal frameworks enshrine the right to vote of men and women in terms of equality. Most countries also recognize women’s right to stand for election, their right to express opinions or their right to association and peaceful assembly and, therefore, women should supposedly be free and able to contribute to the political and public life. However, formal recognition of women’s political rights is far from translating into an effective participation of women in practice. 

Globally, women only represent 6.6 percent of heads of state, 5.2 percent of heads of government[3], 24.3 percent of parliamentarians[4], and the proportion of women elected to local government is unknown.[5] Despite formal recognition of their political rights, available data shows that women continue to be excluded from the political and democratic process and that decision-making continues to be male-dominated. 

Some of the barriers that women currently face when entering the political arena include, among others, widespread violence, gender blind legal frameworks, lack of formal and political education, existing practices within political parties that lead to women’s exclusion, gender biased media coverage of the electoral process and restricted access to campaign funding. The male dominance of the political and public space is ultimately the result of deeply entrenched cultural expectations on the roles that women and men should play in society. In patriarchal systems, men tend to have predominant roles in political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control over property, and hold power over most decisions in life, while women are excluded from the decision-making process and relegated to caregiving roles.

Women have historically suffered and continue to suffer from discrimination and violence in public and private life. However, in the last century traditional gender roles started to be questioned by women’s movements that claimed for equal rights. In the long run, they contributed to positive social change and were central in the construction of more inclusive and democratic societies. Despite persisting inequalities and uneven advances, women’s rights found a place in the political agenda and mentalities all over the world started to experience a deep shift.

The adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1979 was a historical landmark that allowed the specific recognition of women’s human rights, including political rights. Another turning point was the Fourth World Conference on Women, where governments joined forces to commit to gender equality and to “ensure the full implementation of the human rights of women and of the girl child […].” The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action established the target of gender balance in decision-making and recognized that “women’s empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making process and access to power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace.”

Although women remain underrepresented in decision-making positions, progress has been made in recent decades as debates emerged over how descriptive or numeric representation in parliaments and decision-making institutions can translate into substantive representation in a way that women’s interests and claims are reflected on legislation and decisions adopted by the elected body. The critical mass theory provides insight on this matter, arguing that certain levels of representation are required for women’s voices to be heard. On the other hand, research has shown that “critical acts” in terms of women’s substantive representation are possible even without reaching critical mass representation.[6]

Political and electoral participation of women is not only restricted to representation in decision-making institutions, since women can also exercise their participation rights during elections in different capacities, including as voters, candidates, elected officials, electoral administrators, observers and civil society representatives, among others. A comprehensive approach to women’s political participation needs to take into account all stages of the electoral cycle, comprising the pre-electoral, the electoral and the post-electoral periods. All throughout the process, the engagement of various stakeholders, from EMBs to political parties, the media, or civil society, is key to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the long run. 

In the last years, there has been a shift from women’s issues to the broader notion of gender equality, and the perspective has evolved from women only to both women and men as beneficiaries of equal rights. More and more men are slowly but steadily starting to get engaged in the search for equality, challenging traditional notions of patriarchal masculinities and promoting a deep positive transformation of social attitudes and norms. Through the global commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, which are underpinned by gender equality and women’s empowerment as a key to development, men are increasingly championing for gender equality.

Understandings of gender beyond the binary logic have also started to emerge, taking into account the rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBTI persons often suffer from discrimination and violence and their participation rights are undermined. At least 75 countries have criminalized same-sex relations[7] and hate crimes against this community are on the rise across the globe. In spite of these barriers, the effective participation of LGBTI persons remains an important aspect in the construction of truly democratic systems, based on the principle that no one should be left behind. The efforts made by numerous EMBs around the globe to promote the political inclusion of these communities are based on the conviction that inclusive electoral processes require the participation of all citizens, as well as the respect of their human rights.