Women make up 51% of the population of Northern Ireland. Women should, therefore, make up 51% of elected representatives in our various political institutions, from local councils to MPs. It is evident that more women in politics are not just advantageous for women, it is extremely positive for everyone. Evidence suggests that women in politics work in more bipartisan ways and adopt a more democratic governing style. Due to this women are much better at creating coalitions and reaching consensus.
Women in politics tend to spend more on education and healthcare and higher numbers of women in politics have actually been linked to healthier populations. Due to this, countries that are led by women are handling the current coronavirus crisis much better. Research has shown that counties that are led by women locked down much earlier. They reacted much quicker and decisively to the crisis and as a result, women-led nations suffered half as many deaths on average as those led by men.
So why do we need more women in politics? It’s simple, as half of the population, women deserve to make up half of our elected representatives. When women are fairly represented it is not just women that benefit – Everyone does!
50:50 NI 