Caroline Hubbard is the senior gender adviser and deputy director for the Gender, Women and Democracy Program at the National Democratic Institute, where she has worked since 2010 to support the aspirations of women to lead in legislatures, parties, electoral processes, and civil society.
Women participating in politics have navigated unique challenges and opportunities from the coronavirus pandemic. Governments around the world should take these steps to safeguard women’s political inclusion during the pandemic and beyond.
Women’s political participation is not only a human right, but also key for sustainable development and a thriving democracy.
Women around the world face especially high hurdles to participating in political parties. But political transitions are moments to break patterns of exclusion. Why do some parties that form in these transitional periods establish rules and norms that promote women’s participation, while others do not?