Summary

This first thematic report of the Working Group recorded achievements in women’s political representation and articulated the further challenges to women’s equal, full and effective participation in political and public life in the context of democracy and human rights, including in times of political transition. The Working Group identified critical issues to address in eliminating the structural and social underpinnings of gender discrimination in political and public life and presented a framework to eliminate discrimination in law, with some examples of good practices. Despite decades of efforts, the Working Group noted  that women in every part of the world continued to be largely marginalized from the political sphere.