The underrepresentation of women in politics is a universal phenomenon, of which Portugal is no exception. Women in politics in Portugal, continue to be a minority, not only because they are less numerous than men in the context, but, above all, because they continue to struggle to legitimize their place.
At the level of Portuguese national parliament, as of today, women represent only 37,2% of the participants (Flor, 2022). At local level, the number of Mayor positions held by women is 28 of 308 existing chambers (Peralta, 2021). The position of Prime Minister in Portugal was held by a woman only once, in 1979, by Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo (RTP, 2022) and no woman has ever held the position of President of the Republic in Portugal (Santos, 2017). Furthermore, the distribution of ministerial portfolios continues to be dominated by men in portfolios such as defense, justice, and foreign policy, while women occupy portfolios such as education, health, and culture (Santos, 2017).
We can say that measures such as the “Voluntary Party Quotas” and the “Parity Law” have promoted gender equality in politics. Despite a positive evolution in recent years, the asymmetry between women and men in politics results of very complex processes and the interaction of cultural, situational, institutional, structural, and ideological factors, deeply rooted in social structures.
Given the awareness of this inequality, Portugal can and should adopt a more proactive stance, using action measures, to solve this social problem. Firstly, it is necessary to advocate for women’s political participation through gender mainstreaming mechanisms, which aim at promoting and monitoring policies that stimulate gender equality in national policies. Nevertheless, these measures need must be taken carefully, not to further challenge male-centric attitudes and instigate hatred (WFUNA, 2017).
Moreover, it is crucial to generate state funding of initiatives that promote women’s participation in the political environment. This measure should increase support and provide networks where women hoping to join politics could have a safe space to share experiences. The structure of the political meeting, the schedules and duration are also an obstacle for most women as they struggle to reconcile work and family. With such high standards for women, it becomes almost impossible for them to perform to their best abilities and still balance home life (Agência Lusa, 2020). As such, these struggles should be taken into consideration and women should not have to choose between politics and the personal aspects of their lives.
Co-written by Católica Equality for Business club and Nova Women in Business Club:
Rita Mendes & Catarina Baltazar
References
· Agência Lusa. (20 de Agosto de 2020). Participação política das mulheres ainda esbarra em obstáculos. Observador.
· Flor, A. (31 de Janeiro de 2022). Há menos mulheres no Parlamento. Público.
· Peralta, H. (10 de Março de 2021). Apenas 69 mulheres foram eleitas presidentes de câmara. Diário de Notícias.
· RTP. (2022). Biografia de Maria de Lurdes Pintassilgo.
· Santos, M. H. (25 de Setembro de 2017). A Participação das mulheres na política – um olhar especial no poder local.
· WFUNA. (2017). Increasing Women’s Political Participation. White&Case.