Women and political participation in the Mediterranean, Italy, Malta and Morocco as cases of study

Abstract

This dissertation attempts to study the extent of women's political participation across three Mediterranean countries namely Italy, Malta and Morocco. The equality of men and women in political life is a precondition for the realisation of democracy. Yet, in most Mediterranean countries, women still play a minor role in high level political decision-making despite the existence of international, regional and national legal instruments that aim at promoting their political representation. Barriers to women's political participation reside in prevailing socio-cultural attitudes, economic conditions as well as existing political structures. In view of women's under-representation in political life, special strategies should be implemented to correct these imbalances, such as the establishment of equal representation in political parties, the introduction of quota systems, adoption of measures aimed at reconciling family life and public life, implementation of an equality education system as well as the introduction of specific information and awareness raising campaigns for citizens in general and for women in particular. In fact the consolidation of the bases of democracy could not be maintained without the positive contribution of women to representational institutional activities and to decision-making positions in politics.