Subject Guides: Women in Politics: Women in Comparative Politics

General

Quotas

Quota Project - Provides worldwide quota provisions for women in parliament. Browse by country name or quota type

Gender Quotas and Democratic Participation by Louise K. Davidson-Schmich
Call Number: E-book

ISBN: 9780472119745

Publication Date: 2016-03-08

Drawing on interviews with, and an original survey of, potential candidates in Germany, Louise K. Davidson-Schmich investigates the extent to which quotas and corresponding increases in women's descriptive representation have resulted in similar percentages of men and women joining political parties, aspiring to elected office, pursuing ballot nominations, and securing selection as candidates. She also examines the effect of quotas on discriminatory selection procedures.
Inclusion Without Representation in Latin America by Mala Htun
Call Number: Print: Library Stacks JL966 .H78 2016

ISBN: 9780521870566

Publication Date: 2016-01-14

This book analyzes why and how fifteen Latin American countries modified their political institutions to promote the inclusion of women, Afrodescendants, and indigenous peoples. Through analysis and comparison of experiences in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, the book accounts for the origins of quotas and reserved seats in international norms and civic mobilization.
Breaking Male Dominance in Old Democracies by Drude Dahlerup (Editor); Monique Leyenaar (Editor)
Call Number: Print: Library Stacks HQ1236 .B64 2013

ISBN: 9780199653898

Publication Date: 2013-08-16

This book analyses the longitudinal development of women's political representation in eight old democracies, where women were enfranchised before and around World War I: Denmark, Iceland, Germany, The Netherlands, New Jersey (USA), New South Wales(Australia), Sweden, and the United Kingdom. These countries/states have all followed an incremental track model of change in women's position in political life, but have followed different trajectories. This slow development stands in contrast to recent examples of fast track development in many countries from the Global South, not least as a result of the adoption of gender quotas.
Gendering Diplomacy and International Negotiation by Karin Aggestam (Editor); Ann Towns (Editor)
Call Number: e-book

ISBN: 9783319586816

Publication Date: 2017-11-17

This path-breaking book addresses the oft-avoided, yet critical question: where are the women located in contemporary diplomacy and international negotiation? The text presents a novel research agenda, including new theoretical and conceptual perspectives on gender, power and diplomacy. It also brings together a wide range of established International Relations scholars from different parts of the world to write original contributions, which analyze where the women are positioned in diplomacy and international negotiation. The contributions are rich and global in scope with cases ranging from Brazil, Japan, Turkey, Israel, Sweden to the UN, Russia, Norway and the European Union. This book is very useful for International Relations students and other similarly interested scholars. It reaches out to a broader community of practitioners with an interest in the practice of diplomacy and international negotiation.

Multi-National Organizations

United Nations Women
UN Women advocates for legislative and constitutional reforms to ensure women’s fair access to political spheres—as voters, candidates, elected officials and civil service members. We collaborate with UN country teams and work with civil society on programmes so that elections uphold women’s rights, including to vote and campaign free from electoral violence.
iKNOW Politics
Four partners – International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) joined forces in 2007 and created the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics) to advance women in politics worldwide.
The online knowledge hub acts as a one-stop shop for experts in the area of women’s political participation, as well as a platform that fosters exchange, dialogue and knowledge creation for all who are engaged in promoting women’s political participation.
International IDEA
International IDEA is concerned about the process of building democracies, the democratic reform process, the design and effective functioning of political systems, institutions, and political parties, as well as enhancing voter confidence and participation. This website features guidelines, case studies and reference materials.
PARLINE Database on National Parliaments
The IPU is the international organization of Parliaments. It works in co-operation with the United Nations, regional inter-parliamentary organizations, and international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
The PARLINE database contains information on the structure and working methods of 271 parliamentary chambers in all of the 193 countries where a national legislature exists. Rich search functionality and related content sections.

Women in Politics: Individual Nations

Female Heads of State as of June, 2020

- Zuzana Čaputová, President of Slovakia

- Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

- Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh

- Erna Solberb, Prime Minister of Norway

- Saara Kuugongelwa, Prime Minister of Namibia

- Bidhya Devi Bhandari, President of Nepal

- Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of Myanmar

- Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan

- Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia

- Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister of Serbia

- Halimah Yacob, President of Singapore

- Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand

- Katrin Jakobsdottir, Prime Minister of Iceland

- Paula-Mae Weekes, President of Trinidad and Tabago

- Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados

- Sahle-Work Zewde, President of Ethiopia

- Salome Zurabishvili, President of Georgia

- Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia

- Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark

- Sophie Wilmes, Prime Minister of Belgium

- Jeanine Anez, President of Bolivia

- Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland

- Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of Greece