Round table "Women in politics: why are they under-represented?"

Women are generally under-represented in political offices worldwide, and their under-representation becomes larger in more senior positions. Economic literature investigates causes of this underrepresentation and divide them into “supply-side” and “demand-side” factors: the former include women’s potentially lower willingness to run for political office, whereas the latter include voters’ and party leaders’ prejudices against women in politics. Understanding the underlying causes of women’s under-representation in political institutions is crucial in order to design the most effective policies to address the existing gender gaps.

At the round table, participants will discuss the gender gap in politics in Eastern European countries, policies that have been proposed or used to empower women in politics, and review the evidence on their effectiveness when available. 

Moderator

Natalya Volchkova (NES, VAVT)

Experts:

Irina Denisova, NES and MSU

Natalya Firsova, NES

Pamela Campa, SITE, Sweden

Lev Lvovskiy, BEROC, Belarus

Dominik Gerber, BICEPS, Latvia

Davit Keshelava, ISET, Georgia

Khrystyna Holynska, KSE, Ukraine (TBC)

Aleksandr Grigoryan, AUA, Armenia

Monika Oczkowska, CENEA, Poland

Agneta Dreber, former Mayor of the City of Stockholm, co-founder of the Stockholm Party

Kori Udovički, former Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, CEVES, Serbia (TBC)