It will be 50 years before parliaments in the Asia-Pacific region achieve gender balance if women’s participation remains at its current pace, according to a new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Half of the more than 4.2 billion people living in the Asia Pacific region are female, yet just over 18 percent of national parliament members are women, while the global average is slightly less than 20 percent, according to the UNDP report on gender equality in elected office, which proposes a six-point plan to fast-track greater involvement of women.
“Development cannot be effective if decision-making excludes 51 percent of the world’s population,” the report said.
“Legislative bodies with members drawn from diverse backgrounds and outlooks are generally more innovative.”
Read more at Trust Law, published 20 September 2012.
It will be 50 years before parliaments in the Asia-Pacific region achieve gender balance if women’s participation remains at its current pace, according to a new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Half of the more than 4.2 billion people living in the Asia Pacific region are female, yet just over 18 percent of national parliament members are women, while the global average is slightly less than 20 percent, according to the UNDP report on gender equality in elected office, which proposes a six-point plan to fast-track greater involvement of women.
“Development cannot be effective if decision-making excludes 51 percent of the world’s population,” the report said.
“Legislative bodies with members drawn from diverse backgrounds and outlooks are generally more innovative.”
Read more at Trust Law, published 20 September 2012.