Women's Political Participation Research Articles

Banking concentration, information sharing and women's political empowerment in developing countries

PurposeThis article analyses the effect of bank concentration on women's political empowerment in 80 developing countries over the period 2004–2020.Design/methodology/approachBanking concentration (BC) is measured by the assets held by the three largest commercial banks as a percentage of total commercial bank assets in a country. We use several indices to measure political empowerment, namely: the political empowerment index, composed of three indices (i.e. the women's civil liberties index, the women's participation in civil society index and the women's political participation index). The empirical evidence is based on the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Fixed Effects (FE) techniques.FindingsThe following findings are established. Banking concentration reduces women's political empowerment. Furthermore, information sharing offices (i.e. public credit registries and private credit bureaus) mitigate the negative effect of bank concentration on women’s political empowerment. Information sharing thresholds that are needed to completely dampen the negative effect of bank concentration on women’s political empowerment are provided. Policy implications are discussed, notably: (1) that governments in developing countries increase competition by easing barriers to entry for potential banks, to facilitate the transition from confiscatory concentration to distributive concentration favorable to all stakeholders; and (2) information sharing offices should be consolidated beyond the established thresholds in order to completely crowd-out the unfavorable effect of bank concentration of women’s political empowerment.Originality/valueThe paper provides new empirical evidence that helps to advance the debate on the effects of banking concentration and information sharing in the banking sector on women's political empowerment in developing countries.

A model-based boosting approach to risk factors for physical intimate partner violence against women and girls in Mexico

AbstractThe goal of this study was to identify and describe the extent to which a comprehensive set of risk factors from the ecological model are associated with physical intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in Mexico. To achieve this goal, a structured additive probit model is applied to a dataset of 35,000 observations and 42 theoretical correlates from 10 data sources. Due to the model's high dimensionality, the boosting algorithm is used for estimating and simultaneously performing variable selection and model choice. The findings indicate that age at sexual initiation and marriage, sexual and professional autonomy, social connectedness, household overcrowding, housework division, women's political participation, and geographical space are associated with physical IPV. The findings provide evidence of risk factors that were previously unknown in Mexico or were solely based on theoretical grounds without empirical testing. Specifically, this paper makes three key contributions. First, by examining the individual and relationship levels, it was possible to identify high-risk population subgroups that are often overlooked, such as women who experienced sexual initiation during childhood and women living in overcrowded families. Second, the inclusion of community factors enabled the identification of the importance of promoting women's political participation. Finally, the introduction of several emerging indicators allowed to examine the experiences faced by women in various aspects of life, such as decision-making power, social networks, and the division of housework.

Slave trades, kinship structures and women's political participation in Africa

AbstractWe study whether present‐day women's political participation in sub‐Saharan Africa is associated to the temporary gender ratio imbalances caused by the transatlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades, taking into account pre‐existing gender norms influenced by kinship structures. To study the interrelatedness between historical exposure to the slave trades, patrilineality and their association to contemporary women's political participation, we use individual‐level data for 35,595 women from 28 sub‐Saharan African countries from three rounds of Afrobarometer surveys, georeferenced to historical ethnic region kinship and slave trade data. Our findings suggest that a woman's ethnic region historical exposure to the transatlantic slave trade is associated with an increase in her likelihood to vote today, however, only in non‐patrilineal ethnic regions. This effect is mitigated in patrilineal ethnic regions, where women have less decision‐making power. This paper contributes to the literature on the contemporary sub‐national effects of the slave trades and the historical causes of gender gaps in political participation.

The nonlinear road to happiness: Making sense of ESGD impacts on well-being

This study examines the heterogeneous impact of environmental, social, governance, and digital (ESGD) factors on subjective well-being across 86 countries from 2005 to 2019, using Method of Moments Quantile Regression. The results reveal complex, nonlinear relationships between ESGD factors and well-being. CO2 emissions display an inverted U-curve, suggesting eventual negative impacts after initial gains. Our findings suggest that renewable energy only benefits higher quantiles, revealing affordability issues. Social and governance factors like labor participation and women's political participation relate nonlinearly to well-being across income levels, reflecting employment quality and social norms differences. Similarly, digital factors improve well-being in high-income countries but not lower-middle-income nations, due to economic complexity gaps and the digital divide. A “digital economy paradox” emerges where more digital skills combined with limited digital economies decrease well-being in lower-middle income countries signifying the need for tailored digital policies. This study enhances understanding of links between ESGD factors and well-being patterns.

Contribution of Women in Political Movement of Nepal

This article explores the extraordinary contributions made by women to Nepal's political movement, demonstrating their fundamental influence on the political climate of the nation. The study investigates the varied political activism of Nepalese women through an analysis of historical accounts, academic research, and direct testimonies. In Nepal, women have been instrumental in political movements, community mobilization, and advocacy for social and political change. They have actively taken part in protests, rallies, and neighborhood campaigns, pushing back against patriarchal conventions and clamoring for equitable participation in governmental organizations. In order to advance gender equality and women's rights in the political sphere, the article examines the effects of women's organizations, women-led projects, and female activists. It looks at their initiatives to remove social constraints, boost women's political participation, and combat gender-based prejudice. This article also examines the obstacles women have had to overcome while examining the crucial role they have played in Nepal's political movement and their contributions to constitutional changes. The paper offers insights on the empowerment of women within the Nepali political system by a thorough analysis of scholarly research, historical records, and documented experiences.

Gender quota, women in politics, and gender parity in education

AbstractDo women in politics contribute to gender parity in education? This study seeks to provide an empirical answer to this question by examining whether women in politics (women parliamentarians) contribute to closing the gender inequality in education using a global sample of 191 countries from 1990 to 2020. We deployed the two‐stage least square (IV‐TSLS) technique and gender quota as an instrument to isolate the exogenous effect of women in politics on gender parity in primary, secondary and tertiary education. The findings from the IV‐TSLS estimators show that an increase in the number of female parliamentarians is associated with a significant increase in gender parity at all levels of education. These results survived several robustness checks, including using different estimators such as the Lewbel two‐stage least squares and the Kinky least‐squares estimators. Based on the quota type, we documented that women in politics significantly spur gender parity in education in countries with reserved seat quotas and not in countries with candidate quotas. We also found that the results differ across different geographical regions and income groups. The findings call on policy‐makers to address societal, legal and structural barriers limiting women's political participation to achieve gender parity at all levels of education.

From global trends to local realities: understanding women's political involvement for Indonesia's democratic progress

The urgency of this research lies in the need to understand the trends, contributions, and dynamics of women's political participation globally. This article aims to map studies that focus on women's political participation. Research methods include bibliometric analysis with data sources from the Scopus database. The study's findings reflect significant growth in women's political participation research, especially in recent years, with distribution varying by country and research theme. The research findings also show that although there are themes that have received attention, there are still areas that need to be explored further, such as intersectionality, gender equality, gender, and the impact of social media that provide insight into the complexity of women's political participation issues. This study recommends the need for increased research and local understanding of the factors influencing women's political participation in Indonesia to strengthen women's role in politics by learning from other countries that have successfully implemented inclusive policies. In addition, by involving various parties, including the government, research institutions, and civil society, Indonesia can create an environment that supports, empowers, and encourages women's political participation optimally. The implications of these findings not only help shape academic discourse, but also lay the foundation for concrete efforts to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment in the wider political sphere.

Patriarchal politics and women representation in governance in Nigeria, 1999-2023

In some parts of Africa, discriminatory laws and policies restrict women's access to certain occupations and limit their property ownership rights. This limits women's political and economic participation, decreases their income-earning potential, and perpetuates gender inequality, hindering economic growth and poverty reduction. Nigeria as a post-colonial state adopted a democratic system based on non-gender discrimination in political participation, which was modelled after the British parliamentary democratic system. However, in Nigeria, the colonial legacy of marginalization of women in politics was intensified at independence in 1960 based on the patriarchal traditional norms of colonial Nigerian society of male dominance. This inequality is particularly problematic, as it contributes to a cycle of poverty and discrimination that disproportionately affects women and their economic status and well-being. Therefore, this paper intends to unravel how gender disproportionate representation in power structures leads to the marginalization of women in governance in Nigeria. The paper was anchored on structural-functional theory as its theoretical framework of analysis. The paper depended on the documentary method of data generation, using secondary sources. Content analysis was employed for the analysis of data generated from documents. This study found that gender disproportionate representation in power structures skewed in favour of the male gender accounted for the marginalization of women in governance in Nigeria. The recommendation here is that a system of gender quotas should be statutorily instituted for public service appointments, leading to a just and equitable society for all in Nigeria.

Political Participation of Women in India

Political Participation of Women in India

The Complexity of Female Empowerment in India

On a global scale, India ranks very poorly in terms of gender equality. This overall indicator masks important heterogeneities across the separate measures of female empowerment. India scores very highly with regards to equality of civil liberties and the political participation of women. But the country falls well below the global average with respect to equal access to economic resources and protection from gender-based violence. These poorer empowerment indicators have persisted not only in the wake of strong economic progress, but also in the context of an impressive set of government led reforms and policies targeting women. These different initiatives have successfully augmented women’s agency in both the private and public spheres of life, but women and girls still face extreme discrimination and violence. The salience of restrictive local customs appears to be a core hindrance towards transformative change. This paper reviews the economics literature which examines this complexity across the different dimensions of female empowerment in India. It highlights the newly emerging research focused on ameliorating gender biased norms and discusses potential steps forward. JEL Classifications: J12, J16

Analyzing gender equality in the US and Indonesian parliaments through liberal feminism theory

Gender inequality is a persistent issue experienced by women worldwide, often intertwined with their limited participation in political spheres. This study examines the political involvement of women in the parliaments of Indonesia and the United States of America (USA) through the lens of liberal feminism theory. Employing qualitative decryption approaches with a comparative study design, data collected from both the Indonesian Parliament and the USA Parliament were understood, recorded, phrased, compared and analyzed within the framework of liberal feminism theory, focusing on the "Right in Public Life and Politics". The results of the study revealed that while the Government of Indonesia has enacted legislation mandating a minimum of 30% female representation in political parties, both the Indonesian and US parliaments exhibit disproportionately low levels of female members compared to their male counterparts. A notable distinction between the two lies in the parliamentary leadership, with Indonesia being led by a woman and the USA by men. To enhance women's political participation, it is imperative for both governments to rigorously enforce regulations and sanctions against political parties. Additionally, efforts to dismantle the prevailing masculine culture in various societies are crucial in order to foster gender equality and justice, thereby realizing gender democracy.

Komunikasi dan Partisipasi Perempuan Dalam Politik Elektoral

This research aims to investigate the background of women's participation in general and specifically, women who participate in electoral politics as legislative candidates. Using phenomenological methods, the study states that the backgrounds of women who are involved in electoral politics include following in the footsteps of other people who have already entered the world of politics, wanting women to play more roles, and being encouraged by other people. The participation of women in politics still mostly comes from external sources, rather than being purely driven by a desire to change women's conditions due to patriarchal relations in society. Meanwhile, the most common obstacles experienced by women in politics are the double burden of having to play both domestic and public roles, social and cultural inequality, and being underestimated as women. Regarding the communication strategy used by female legislative candidates, they stated that they communicate more with female prospective voters, explain programs related to women, children, and teenagers, and discuss issues related to women to attract votes. They believe that gender similarity helps them communicate effectively and achieve their political goals.

Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality through Political Participation of Women in Legislative Bodies: an Experience from India

The 5th goal of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) is aiming at achieving gender equality throughout the globe while encouraging and facilitating the empowerment of women in every corner of legislative bodies. On the broader objective of UN-SDG, India being a signatory has initiated a number of proactive steps to realize this vision. India, since its independence has taken a wider initiative for ensuring the fundamental right to equality in every sphere including equal opportunity in political representation and leadership. The State leaders realized the fact that less number of women is visible in the political leadership position and their representative roles in the decision-making bodies were found negligible as compared to males. Therefore, the paper includes various issues and problems that are acting as hindrances to the goal to be achieved. The paper shall try to provide appropriate recommendations for improving women's leadership skills with a number of policy options

Background, Recruitment, and Perceived Factors for Winning: A Qualitative Inquiry into the Perspectives of Local Women Politicians (LWPs) in Northern Mindanao, Philippines

Despite being globally acknowledged as one of the more gender-equal societies, the Philippines faces persistent challenges in achieving gender parity, especially in political representation, which necessitates a deeper investigation into women's political participation at the local level. This study delves into the nuanced dynamics of local women politicians (LWPs), examining their political background, recruitment into politics, and perceived factors for electoral success. Utilizing a phenomenological research design, the study aims to articulate and comprehend the essence of LWPs' lived experiences. Grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the methodological framework facilitates a nuanced understanding of individual and societal realms. Six LWPs from Bukidnon, Northern Mindanao, participated in the study to comprehensively explore commonalities and distinctions in their political experiences. The findings revealed five themes of LWPs' political background: apolitical origins, entry into politics during young adulthood, involvement in philanthropy, membership in political families, and substantial political experience. The political recruitment of LWPs is revealed through the support of the church and the influence of political families. Additionally, LWPs' perceived factors for winning in electoral politics encompass three key themes: membership in a political family, philanthropic endeavors, and the prevalence of money politics. The lived experiences of LWPs resonate with prior research on "kinship politics" in the Philippines, illustrating how political power is bequeathed, inherited, and cycled within prominent political clans. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on women's political participation by offering a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of the multifaceted factors influencing their engagement in local politics.

Sustainable development goal 5: Women's political participation in South America

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also called the 2030 Agenda, introduce a new development agenda focused on long-term articulated solutions. The agenda has adopted an inclusive and transversal project, which considers girls and women as essential to achieve sustainable development. Amongst their 17 goals, SDG 5 addresses gender equality and female empowerment. This paper emphasises SDG 5 and, more specifically, the 5.5 goal, which concerns female participation in political and leadership spheres. This research aims to indicate the female empowerment advances through the initial mapping of initiatives related to female representation in power spheres underway in South America. The methodology includes documentary and bibliographic research, supported by empirical data. The paper is structured into five sections: a historical review about development agendas, feminisms critical approaches, strategies to subvert gender inequalities in politics, other gender-sensitive public policies, and analysis of SDG 5 advances. The results point out gender is far away from parity, despite recent slight advances in South America. In addition, the increase of women in politics is seen as primordial to achieve gender equality.

Performance of Women-led Political Parties in Lesotho’s 2022 National Elections

Since the dawn of multi-party democracy in Lesotho in 1993, few political parties have been formed and led by women, and they are not doing well. The main political parties lack the political will and commitment to nominate women as leaders. In the elections of 7 October 2022, none of the main political parties were led by women and none of them won a single constituency. While many women-led parties could not make it into parliament, a few women leaders got into parliament through Proportional Representation (PR). Four women-led political parties contested the election, all of them performing dismally. It is important to explore why women-led political parties did not perform well, as Lesotho has signed and ratified international protocols on women’s empowerment and equality in politics, among others, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1325, the African Union (AU) Maputo Protocol, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on gender and development. All these urge member states to ensure meaningful participation of women in politics and elections, specifically as leaders. We assess the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) on gender equality and women empowerment to measure the progress Lesotho has made and the challenges yet to be addressed. This article explores factors that contributed to this poor performance and analyses the reasons for the poor performance by reviewing relevant documents regarding the performance of women-led political parties in Lesotho’s 2022 national elections.

Empowering Half the Sky: A Review on Women's Political Participation in India

Empowering Half the Sky: A Review on Women's Political Participation in India

PRIORITY DIRECTIONS PROVIDING EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN POLITICAL ADMINISTRATION AND THE ANALYSIS OF EXISTING PROBLEMS

Although women make up a significant part of the world's population, they are often excluded from political life and do not actively participate in the decision-making process that directly affects their lives. Expanding women's political leadership plays crucial role for realizing their rights. In this article, the tasks were set to analyze the factors that prevent women from participating in the process of making important political decisions, the obstacles to their holding top leadership positions. Gender gaps are widespread, mainly in the areas of economic opportunity, business and politics. Thus, the achievement of gender equality is a central indicator of the development of each country. The large-scale participation of women in politics is one of the effective ways not only in solving political, but also social and moral problems, protecting human rights, families, the elderly, motherhood and childhood. The article also provides conclusions and recommendations for increasing the level of women's participation in the political processes of countries.

Analisis Budaya Patriarki dalam Partisipasi Politik Perempuan: Studi Kasus Pemilihan Kepala Daerah Tahun 2005-2020 di Kota Depok

Patriarchal culture creates gender stereotypes, limited access to political networks, and a social stigma for women who want to be involved in political activities. The gender gap is also evident in political representation where women hold a smaller percentage of political positions than men. The city of Depok, as a buffer zone for the capital city, is still thick with this culture, as evidenced by the minimal participation of women in regional elections from year to year. This study will analyze the obstacles to women's political participation in Indonesia caused by patriarchal culture. The case study used is the 2005-2020 Pilkada in Depok City. This research is a qualitative - explanatory research using observation and literature studies to find a deeper understanding of the problems being faced. This study uses three main theories, namely the theory of patriarchy, political participation, and gender stereotypes. From the data that has been analyzed, the main cause of the low political participation of women in the Pilkada in Depok City from 2005-2020 is the strong patriarchal culture. Several factors cause the patriarchal culture to continue to develop in Depok City, namely gender stereotypes, low political education, double burden, and weak political party support for women during elections. This study recommends policy interventions in efforts to increase the level of education for women such as increasing women's representation in political parties, increasing the level of education for women, and empowering women in various sectors such as entrepreneurship, health, and so on to eliminate patriarchal culture and increase women's political participation in Indonesia.

Analysis of the Strength of Looks of Female Politician Candidates "Case Study of the Last Election in Jambi Province"

This study aims to analyze the impact of the strength of appearance capital on voter perceptions and its contribution to the success of female political candidates in the Jambi Province General Election. Appearance capital includes physical appearance, attractiveness, and other visual elements. This research uses a qualitative method with a descriptive type with a purposive sampling technique. Data collection was carried out through field studies and literature studies. Informants in this research included Jambi female politicians, academics, political observers, and the Jambi community. Researchers took these informants because they were considered the best in providing the information needed. The findings show that, although appearance capital can influence initial perceptions, other factors such as background, experience and political vision still play a crucial role in determining a candidate's success. This research can contribute in the form of new insights regarding the understanding of women's political participation in Jambi Province.