Resources on Women and Parliamentary Politics

Global Database on Quotas for Women created in 2003 by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) together with the University of Stockholm Provides details of statutory, constitutional and party provisions for parliamentary quotas around the world, just select the country you are interested in.

Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers (available in English, French, Spanish and Bahasa Indonesia) updated in 2002. Provides case studies and strategies for making women MPs more effective.

Percentage of women in national parliaments in descending order ranked by percentage in lower house in 181 countries. Did you know, for example, that Rwanda overtook Sweden in September 2003 as the country with the highest proportion of women in its national parliament (lower or only chamber)?

Women presiding officers

Women heads of government and women ministers (including lists for specific portfolios such defence and finance)

WomenWatch created by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women in 1997 and now a joint venture of the UN's Interagency Network on Women and Gender Equality. It provides a wealth of information on the UN's activities in promoting gender equality and gender mainstreaming. The many links include one to the CEDAW website, Poland became the 58th country to ratify the CEDAW Optional Protocol in December 2003.