Gender parity: Why it is important and how to make it happen

About the event

Achieving gender parity in political decision-making is no longer only a goal — it is now widely seen as a basic standard of a healthy democracy. When women are under-represented, democratic institutions lose legitimacy, policy debates narrow and public trust suffers.

International human rights standards, including CEDAW General Recommendation No. 40, now highlight parity as the benchmark for fair and inclusive representation. They also call for action to remove the barriers women face in electoral systems, political parties and parliaments.

To support this shift, ODIHR has developed a seven-step Gender Parity Roadmap — a practical tool that national stakeholders can adapt to their own context. It covers everything from assessments and constitutional principles to political party commitments, gender-sensitive parliamentary procedures, the role of male leaders and how to track progress.

This online seminar will explain why parity matters for the quality of democracy, share examples of what works in practice and explore how the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and ODIHR can help national parliaments design and implement effective parity action plans.

Who can take part

• Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and their staff
• Members and staff of national parliaments, especially those working on gender equality
• Representatives of OSCE executive structures and delegations
• International organisations and civil society groups working on gender equality in politics

Practical information

The seminar will take place online via Zoom and will be held in English.
Further details and the agenda are available here and at the top of this page.

Contact

For registration and participation questions:
Hana Đogović — hana.dogovic@oscepa.dk

For content-related questions:
Saša Gavrić — Sasa.Gavric@odihr.pl