Enhancing Women’s Political Participation: Legislative Recruitment and Electoral Systems

Citation:

Matland, Richard E. 2005. “Enhancing Women’s Political Participation: Legislative Recruitment and Electoral Systems.” In Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers, edited by Julie Ballington and Azza Karam, 93-111. Stockholm, Sweden: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).

Author: Richard Matland

Abstract:

The following two chapters examine strategies to overcome the obstacles to political participation outlined previously. This chapter focuses on two issues. First, we examine the principal steps involved in the process of recruiting to countries’ legislatures. Second, we look at the effect of a country’s electoral system. Which electoral systems are best suited to securing the election of women, and why? What specific factors should women be concerned about in the design of electoral systems? By addressing these questions, we hope to provide some insight into the effective and practical strategies that can be used to increase women’s parliamentary representation.

Keywords: political participation, women in politics, electoral systems

Topics: Gender, Women, Governance, Elections, Political Participation

Year: 2005