Ahead of the parliamentary elections in Georgia, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Sweden are supporting political parties to empower women politicians and explore effective strategies for attracting, engaging, and promoting women candidates.
These targeted efforts envision consultations and training on introducing internal gender policies, while also fostering professional development opportunities for party members.
Additionally, UNDP and Sweden assist in strengthening women’s wings within political parties and support the establishment of these entities where they are lacking. As of 2023, parties such as “For Georgia”, “Georgian Dream”, “Lelo”, and the “United National Movement”, have initiated the integration of Women’s Political Organizations into their structures, with more planning to follow suit in 2024.
According to H.E. Anna Lyberg, Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia, women play a critical role in political representation, constituting half of the population in a country. In Georgia, women are significantly underrepresented in parliament, holding only one-fifth of the seats. “Political parties can change that by implementing robust internal gender policies to ensure meaningful equality for women politicians.”
Douglas Webb, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Georgia, noted that “Electoral gender quotas play a vital role in enhancing women’s political participation in Georgia, garnering support from citizens and political parties alike. However, for this mechanism to truly empower women in politics, political parties must actively seek improved methods for attracting, engaging, and promoting women candidates.”
Research conducted in 2022 by Sweden, the United Kingdom, UNDP, and the National Democratic Institute examined the impact of electoral gender quotas on Georgia’s political landscape. Despite broad support for gender quotas among political parties, the research highlights the need for stronger internal democratic mechanisms to advance gender equality and women’s participation effectively. It offers a comprehensive set of recommendations for political parties to identify and support active and talented women candidates, bridging the gap from party roles to political positions.
Background Information:
The Sweden-funded UN Joint Program for Gender Equality is a flagship initiative assisting Georgia in achieving meaningful gender equality in social, economic, and policy realms. The program is jointly implemented by three UN agencies – UNDP, UNFPA, and UN Women.
