ATHENS, Greece (AP) 鈥 Voters around the world who worry about growing threats to democratic freedoms should consider electing more women in countries' national elections this year, the United Nations deputy secretary-general said Wednesday.
Amina Mohammed also said the increasing frequency of online threats made against female candidates is offsetting other gains.
鈥淎dvancing women鈥檚 participation is critical not only because women are significantly underrepresented in decision-making, but also because the future of democracy and achievement of peaceful societies depends on it,鈥 she said.
She spoke by video link to a conference in Greece on women鈥檚 participation in politics.
More than 鈥 home to half the planet鈥檚 population 鈥 are holding national elections in 2024, including India, Mexico and the United States, along with the European Union.
The global proportion of female lawmakers stood at 26.9% in 2023, a fractional increase from the previous year, according to this month by the Switzerland-based Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The world average for women鈥檚 representation in legislatures stood at 11.3% in 1995, but candidate quotas have helped to raise the rate in many countries over the last three decades, the IPU said.
Mohammed said the U.N. is currently advising more than 20 countries on how to help increase women鈥檚 participation in parliament.
More representative parliaments would help bolster democratic institutions, Ethiopia's president, Sahle-Work Zewde, told the Athens conference. She is one of a tiny number of women in leading government positions in Africa.
鈥淭he current narrative is that we are in an era of democratic backsliding,鈥 she said.
鈥淲hen democracy is under threat, it will have a negative impact on women,鈥 she said. 鈥淚n any given country, women constitute the majority of the electorate. This is a fact. (But) only a few men make it to the top position 鈥 So things have to change.鈥
The two-day event, organized by a global network of women politicians called Women Political Leaders, ends Thursday.
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