Women's Political Participation, Representation and Well-Being: Learning From China's Villages

UN agencies have called for an increase in the proportion of women in government in order to reduce gender inequities in development. This call is based on the assumption that women in government 'naturally' represent other women and further their well-being, but that assumption is yet to be tested in authoritarian developing states. Based on a comparative qualitative study of village government in China, this project develops and tests a framework for analyzing interactions between women's political participation, representation and well-being. Project findings will aid Australian and international efforts to promote gender-equitable governance in developing countries with different political systems.