A Comparative Analysis of Women's Representation in Parliaments in the Context of Democracy

This study investigates the relationship between women's representation in parliaments and democratization processes, aiming to identify the key factors influencing women's political participation in different democratic contexts. The analysis focuses on variables such as levels of democracy, the duration of democratic experience, economic development, electoral systems, gender quotas, and government systems, based on data from 142 countries between 2000 and 2020. Three models were employed in the study: the first model includes all countries, the second focuses on countries with high levels of democracy, and the third examines countries with low levels of democracy. To assess the effects of these variables on women's representation, the study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Robust OLS, and Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) methods using STATA software. The findings reveal no statistically significant relationship between women's parliamentary representation and a country's level of democracy, economic development, or government system. However, a positive and significant relationship between gender quotas and women's representation is observed in both Model 1 and Model 3. Additionally, proportional representation electoral systems demonstrate a notable effect on women's representation in Model 1 and Model 2. These results indicate that democratization alone is insufficient to achieve gender equality in political representation, but institutional arrangements, such as gender quotas and electoral systems, play a crucial role in promoting women's parliamentary representation. This study provides empirical findings on the interactions between gender representation and democracy, contributing significantly to the existing literature. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights for policymakers aiming to strengthen women's roles in political decision-making processes.