Women, Political Participation and Democratic Backsliding

Women’s self-help groups give women political agency

In representative democracies, elected representatives are tasked with representing the political will of constituents. In many countries, the family home is another layer of representation, with the men representing the family’s political agency. This leaves women systematically excluded, especially in traditional social structures and rural communities. Research in India shows that connecting rural women through women’s self-help economic groups can increase women’s political agency, increasing their participation in community political events and engagement with local political representatives. The research further showed that this was due to an increased ability of women to engage in collective action with other women, information transfers between the women, and better civic skills and confidence. This research reminds us that we can empower inclusive democracy by creating inclusive societies.

Gender-washing protects autocrats and enables democratic backsliding

Women’s increased inclusion is a key goal in the process of improving democracies. However, aspiring and existing autocrats may use gender inclusion to maintain their power and undermine democratic institutions. A review of modern autocrats shows how autocrats increase women’s political and civic rights strategically to protect their own power, for example by maintaining the perception of democracy through seats reserved for women who are appointed after the election by the victorious party. Similarly, women’s rights and political leadership are often used to improve international standing without threatening autocrats’ hold on power. A review from Turkey also shows how the government increased women’s rights to strengthen their democratic base, and then, once in power, reinterpreted laws and promoted conservative women’s groups while undermining established women’s civil groups.

Head over to DRGLinks to learn more about gender inclusive democracy!