Securing Her Place

Reversing Women’s Underrepresentation in Politics and Government

WE HAVE A PROBLEM

America has a gender gap problem in politics and government. For years, women have been underrepresented in politics and government, stemming from gender inequality. Although this problem has improved significantly since the 1700s when women had to fight to be seen as humans with voting rights, America is still gradually progressing in the right direction. On January 20, 2021, America recently elected its first female vice president - Kamala Harris - which was a step closer to breaking "the glass ceiling." However, there is still a huge gap between men and women. These challenges manifest both in politics and political appointments. According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), 25 percent of the 100 seats in the United States Senate and 28 percent of the 535 seats in the U.S. Congress are held by women. Although women constitute 48 percent of Cabinet appointments in Joe Biden's administration - double the numbers during Donald Trump's tenure - there is still a considerable gap to narrow in elective politics and political appointments. 

The prevailing gender gap has several ramifications. For instance, CAWP data shows racial dimensions of the gender gap problem. Black and Hispanic women are at a significant disadvantage to their Caucasian counterparts. According to the CAWP, of the 152 women in Congress in 2023, 26 are Black, 18 are Hispanic, seven are Asian American, two are Native American, and one is multiracial. This representation does not mirror the U.S. population. These U.S. Congress figures highlight how U.S. women of color are more disadvantaged and 'set back' than Caucasian women.

Other disparities are based on age, education, marital status, and income levels. These disparities define and model the women who can access positions in politics and government. Therefore, the gender gap problem is deeper and more complex than is immediately obvious. 

Women's underrepresentation in politics and government is not peculiar to the United States. It is a global problem. According to the United Nations, "fewer than a third of the UN member states have ever had a female leader… women currently serve as the head of government in just 13 of 193 member states in the United Nations." This gender gap problem is heightened in more religious and conservative countries and also in countries with a lower economic level. For instance, countries like Saudi Arabia only lifted the ban restricting women from driving cars in 2017. Given that these countries had strict religious beliefs on women's rights, it would take many more years for women to be treated as human equals before the fight for political equality begins. Similarly, economically challenged countries tend not to have female leaders even when they have female activists.

ROOT CAUSES

Several studies on women's underrepresentation in politics and government trace the problem to a few underlying factors. The first leading cause of the gender gap in politics and government is women's relatively low ambition for politics compared to men. The Citizen Political Ambition Study by Richard L. Fox and Jennifer L. Lawless found that women are less encouraged to participate in politics and government. As such, many women do not deem themselves qualified to hold these roles. These beliefs mainly stemmed from assuming that these are male roles. There is also an over-admiration of men while women accept to play second fiddle.

Voters' bias is another root cause of the gender gap in politics and government. The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems highlights the importance of voters' bias in understanding women's underrepresentation on the political stage. The book presented evidence of voters' bias against female political candidates and deduced that voters' bias resulted in women's under-representation among politicians. 

The political parties have their bias as well. The party leaders play a crucial role in selecting candidates and party representatives. Party leaders could gate-keep potential female candidates, fuel voter bias, and strategically consider male candidates to maximize votes. These factors impact women's representation in politics and government, hence perpetuating the vicious cycle of female exclusion and male dominance of elective politics and political appointments. 

SHATTER THE GLASS

Even though this issue has prevailed for many years, different solutions can be considered when trying to solve this problem. Various non-profits have worked with other organizations and political parties to inform women about this issue and aid them in developing successful political careers. For instance, the National Democratic Institute and many similar organizations help female politicians pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, this organization only provides training programs for women. There is still a need to solve the institutionalized system of oppression. There is a need for programs that actively address various voter and party biases.

Girls Across Borders- an organization that connects girls for societal impact and positive change - is concerned about this issue. Hence, we call on all governments and concerned organizations to address this challenge. The interventions may include instituting and enforcing a gender quota on representatives in politics and government. Such a program will show women they have a valid right to be in the room. It is a step closer to breaking the glass ceiling that stunts female progress. It will bring us closer to ending gender inequality and make the government and political stage more diverse.

Sources

cawp.rutgers.edu. (n.d.). women in the U.S. Senate 2023. [online] Available at: https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/levels-office/congress/women-us-senate-2023.

 cawp.rutgers.edu. (n.d.). Women officeholders by Race and Ethnicity. [online] Available at: https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/women-officeholders-race-and-ethnicity.

 UN women (2023). Facts and Figures: Leadership and Political Participation. [online] UN Women. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures.

 Fox, R.L. and Lawless, J.L. (2004). Entering the Arena? Gender and the Decision to Run for Office. American Journal of Political Science, 48(2), p.264. doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/1519882.

 Herron, E.S., Pekkanen , R.J. and Shugart, M.S. (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems. [online] Oup.com. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/27944?login=false [Accessed 25 Dec. 2023].