The Representation of Women in Australia: Meaning and Make-Believe

Under-representation of women is an inherently ambiguous slogan with a number of layers of meaning. When we seek to increase the presence of women in parliaments, it is not only for reasons of justice or recognition; we are also usually seeking to make parliaments more responsive to women in the community. Elected women, however, confront many conflicting pressures and loyalties. In this context, what structures serve to strengthen the responsiveness of parliamentarians to women in the community? This article explores strategies available for moving the issue of representation beyond numbers to accountability for policy, drawing on evidence from Australia and a number of other countries.