This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/01/world/most-nations-miss-a-goal-for-women-in-leadership.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Most Nations Miss a Goal for Women in Leadership Most Nations Miss a Goal for Women in Leadership
(about 1 hour later)
UNITED NATIONS — The corridors of the United Nations hummed on Monday as hundreds of men, in polished wingtips and natty ties, arrived here for the annual conclave of lawmakers from around the world.UNITED NATIONS — The corridors of the United Nations hummed on Monday as hundreds of men, in polished wingtips and natty ties, arrived here for the annual conclave of lawmakers from around the world.
By now, the other half of humanity was to be better represented in their ranks. Yet despite a promise made by world leaders two decades ago to have women make up at least 30 percent of their national legislatures, most of the world’s parliaments remain largely the province of men. The conference at the United Nations reflected just that.By now, the other half of humanity was to be better represented in their ranks. Yet despite a promise made by world leaders two decades ago to have women make up at least 30 percent of their national legislatures, most of the world’s parliaments remain largely the province of men. The conference at the United Nations reflected just that.
Among 190 countries, only 44 legislatures have met the 30 percent goal, or less than a quarter, according to an analysis by the Inter-Parliamentary Union. They include Rwanda (nearly 64 percent of members of its lower house of Parliament are women) and Bolivia (53 percent). Among 190 countries, only 44 legislatures have met the 30 percent goal, according to an analysis by the Inter-Parliamentary Union. They include Rwanda (nearly 64 percent of members of its lower house of Parliament are women) and Bolivia (53 percent).
The United States is not among those who met the target. Among members of the United States House of Representatives, 19 percent are women, and in the Senate, the figure is 20 percent. In India, the world’s most populous democracy, women’s representation is even lower: 12 and 12.8 percent, respectively, in its lower and upper houses. The United States is not among those that met the target. Among members of the House of Representatives, 19 percent are women, and in the Senate, the figure is 20 percent. In India, the world’s most populous democracy, women’s representation is even lower: 12 and 12.8 percent, respectively, in its lower and upper houses.
Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, speaker of the national assembly of Mauritius, nudged her male colleagues from around the world to take up the cause in their own countries.Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, speaker of the national assembly of Mauritius, nudged her male colleagues from around the world to take up the cause in their own countries.
“Be advocates for gender equality,” she said in her speech to the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. “Persuade boys and men that our countries and our world can only benefit from equal opportunity and rights. We urge you to lead by example.”“Be advocates for gender equality,” she said in her speech to the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. “Persuade boys and men that our countries and our world can only benefit from equal opportunity and rights. We urge you to lead by example.”
Some of the lawmakers who followed her echoed that call: Baroness Frances D’Souza, speaker of the British House of Lords, for instance, spoke of the need for legislatures to institute laws to staunch violence against women. But by and large, the speakers addressed everything other than how their countries planned to address the gender imbalance in their own legislatures. Some of the lawmakers who followed her echoed that call: Baroness Frances D’Souza, speaker of the British House of Lords, for instance, spoke of the need for legislatures to institute laws to stanch violence against women. But by and large, the speakers addressed everything other than how their countries planned to address the gender imbalance in their own legislatures.
In a draft declaration that had yet to be finalized, the conference of the speakers of parliament agreed to give themselves another five years to reach the 30 percent target. In a draft declaration that had yet to be finalized, the conference of the speakers of parliament agreed to give themselves five more years to reach the 30 percent target.
“We deplore the excruciatingly slow progress in securing a greater presence of women in parliament and commit to redoubling our efforts to reach, as a global average, the internationally agreed target of 30 percent of women members in parliament by 2020,” the draft declaration said.“We deplore the excruciatingly slow progress in securing a greater presence of women in parliament and commit to redoubling our efforts to reach, as a global average, the internationally agreed target of 30 percent of women members in parliament by 2020,” the draft declaration said.
It included no specific recommendations. It is not enforceable.It included no specific recommendations. It is not enforceable.
There has been some progress since world leaders agreed on the 30 percent target in 1995 at the landmark Beijing women’s conference. At that time, only 11 percent of the world’s lawmakers were women, and that figure has doubled to 22 percent in 2015, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.There has been some progress since world leaders agreed on the 30 percent target in 1995 at the landmark Beijing women’s conference. At that time, only 11 percent of the world’s lawmakers were women, and that figure has doubled to 22 percent in 2015, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Gender-based quotas for political parties and national legislatures have spread over that period, and they are credited with lifting women’s representation. Yet in many countries, quotas have been ignored or unenforced, analysts say, and the representation of women has begun to slow down, prompting the Inter-Parliamentary Union to wonder aloud in a report released earlier this year whether the world had hit some sort of “glass ceiling” when it came to women in parliament. Gender-based quotas for political parties and national legislatures have spread over that period, and they are credited with lifting women’s representation. Yet in many countries, quotas have been ignored or unenforced, analysts say, and the representation of women has begun to slow down, prompting the Inter-Parliamentary Union to wonder in a report released this year whether the world had hit some sort of “glass ceiling” when it came to women in parliament.
“Women face a host of difficulties in gaining access to parliament: cultural norms, gender roles, party practices, lack of financial support, and a traditionally masculine work environment — which together tend to favor and attract men and discriminate against and discourage the participation of women,” the report said.“Women face a host of difficulties in gaining access to parliament: cultural norms, gender roles, party practices, lack of financial support, and a traditionally masculine work environment — which together tend to favor and attract men and discriminate against and discourage the participation of women,” the report said.
The representation of women in parliament does not directly reflect the status of women in that country. In Afghanistan, where measures of women’s health, education and well-being are among the worst in the world, 27 percent of the nation’s lower-house lawmakers are female, slightly better than Australia, where by most standards, women are far better off. The representation of women in parliament does not directly reflect the status of women in that country. In Afghanistan, where measures of women’s health, education and well-being are among the worst in the world, 27 percent of the nation’s lower-house lawmakers are female, slightly better than in Australia, where by most standards, women are far better off.
The latest statistics suggest that women are underrepresented in both democratic and authoritarian states. Women made up 31 percent of the parliaments of both Zimbabwe and New Zealand, for instance.The latest statistics suggest that women are underrepresented in both democratic and authoritarian states. Women made up 31 percent of the parliaments of both Zimbabwe and New Zealand, for instance.
When world leaders descend here at the end of September for the annual summit of the United Nations General Assembly, the share of women are expected to be far worse. Among its 193 member states, only 10 heads of state are women. When world leaders descend here at the end of September for the annual summit meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, the share of women is expected to be far worse. Among its 193 member states, only 10 heads of state are women.