Gender Quotas and Representation in Politics

The controversy over affirmative action policies, quotas, or reservations for historical injustice constitutes the most salient current battlefront in the conflict over the status of social justice. No debate has been more protracted or more riddled with complex issues. This chapter addresses three themes about the significance of gender in implementing quotas: The first is gender quotas as a form of affirmative action that reverse discrimination and increase women’s participation in political democracy. The second relates to how female legislators become equal players in the policymaking process through gender quotas. The third is the challenges of intersectionality and the gradual withdrawal of the state from some of these policies. The chapter relies upon various significant findings regarding quotas and affirmative action by addressing these themes. It argues that to make this strategy successful, the context in which quotas are debated and implemented has to be explored. The review of research suggests that quotas for women are broadly effective at achieving political equality and opening new avenues for representation. However, political institutions are gendered; therefore, the adoption of gender quotas is linked to the implementation processes. Even while women have access to quota seats, informal norms dilute the impact of the implementation of gender quotas. Breaking through male-dominated institutions often requires the presence of laws attacking gender discrimination. A closer look at explanatory accounts suggest that it might be helpful to encourage women’s participation in many forms of associations and grassroots organizations that can impact their role in decision-making in politics.