Find a complete reporting on this conference on the right side (Reporting - Gender Learning Day 2020).

The ongoing COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the indispensable c​ontributions of women’s leadership on the frontlines be it as policymakers, homemakers, caretakers, business owners or health and other essential service providers. At the global level, prior to the crisis, international studies reported an increase in inequality, fragility and declining civic space. Where democracy is in decline, we can observe the emergence of authoritarianism, conservatism, patriarchy, and radicalization, with particularly negative impacts on women, and other marginalized groups. This is evidenced by the increase in different forms of violence against these groups, and a regression in Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) and an especially persistent and significant global gender gap in Women’s Political Empowerment (WPE). 

While there is increasing data and evidence supporting the business case for Women’s Economic Empowerment, insights and analysis related to the case of Women’s Political Empowerment remain limited. What research and practice indicate so far is that when women are better represented, decisions taken tend to benefit a broader spectrum of society, contributing to more inclusion, cohesion, equity and security. However, what is women’s political leadership, what types of leadership exist, for example in national/subnational, formal/informal political ‘institutions’ (i.a. the executive power, parliaments, committees, political parties, political movements or campaigns, informal political leadership positions), as well as in spaces of political deliberation, bargaining and decision-making. In addition and importantly, what are the framework conditions and other decisive factors, which most enable women’s leadership role? What motivates or encourages women to assume, exercise political leadership, and what incentivizes political ‘institutions’ to accommodate, promote female leaders?

SDC wishes to explore these questions further, and in doing so contribute to bridging the information gap related to better understanding and therefore better addressing Women’s Political Leadership in the different contexts and programs it and its implementing partners operate in globally.