Promoting inclusive participation in parliamentary life: gender equality, accessibility and inclusive policies
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly
debate on 26 June 2025 (26th sitting) (see Doc. 16183, report of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination,
rapporteur: Ms Maryna Bardina). Text
adopted by the Assembly on 26 June 2025 (26th sitting).
1. Parliaments in Europe remain male-dominated,
including in leadership and decision-making positions, and such
under-representation of women in parliamentary life undermines democratic
institutions and processes. Equal participation of women and men,
in all their diversity, in every area of society and employment,
is a human rights issue: their equal representation in parliamentary
life is essential for well-functioning democracies and good governance.
2. Parliaments are also workplaces where many elected representatives
and members of staff are parents. However, requirements such as
physical presence, the absence of adapted infrastructures (including
childcare facilities and areas equipped for breastfeeding) and accessible
premises create additional barriers to participation in parliamentary
life, especially for women, further exacerbating their under-representation.
3. Members of parliament, like all persons in employment, need
a healthy and sustainable work–life balance. Yet family and care
responsibilities continue to affect mostly women’s participation
in parliamentary life. Male parliamentarians need to be key actors
in bringing about transformative change to parliamentary life and
working together with women to achieve gender equality in parliaments.
4. At the same time, inclusion is not limited to levelling up
women’s participation in parliamentary life and accommodating the
needs of young parents. The specific needs of other groups, such
as persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility,
either as members of parliament or parliamentary staff, must also
be considered.
5. The Parliamentary Assembly underlines the need to meet relevant
targets under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
by 2030, including Target 5.5 (under SDG 5) “Ensure women’s full and
effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at
all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public
life”; Target 10.2 (under SDG 10) “Empower and promote the social,
economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex,
disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status”;
and Target 16.7 (under SDG 16) “Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory
and representative decision-making at all levels”.
6. The Assembly welcomes the Pact for the Future, adopted by
the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, and its Action 8
about the need to ensure women’s full and effective participation
and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision
making.
7. The Assembly further welcomes General Recommendation No. 40
on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making
systems, adopted in October 2024 by the United Nations Committee
on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
8. The Assembly refers to the Kigali Declaration, adopted at
the 145th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in October
2022, entitled “Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments
as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world”.
10. The Assembly calls on the member and observer States of the
Council of Europe, and States whose parliaments enjoy observer or
partner for democracy status with the Assembly:
10.1 with regard to gender equality,
to:
10.1.1 ensure the balanced participation of women and
men in all areas of parliamentary life, especially in decision-making
roles;
10.1.2 set up a gender parity goal for political representation
in national parliaments, conduct an assessment of the situation
at the national level and develop a strategic plan to reach this
goal through specific measures;
10.1.3 analyse the composition of national parliaments with an
intersectional perspective, collect disaggregated data and support
research on the participation of women, including those from under-represented
groups, in political decision making;
10.1.4 consider using the available tools drawn up by the IPU,
the European Institute for Gender Equality and the Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe to assess the representation of women
and men in national parliaments, so that appropriate measures can
be put in place;
10.1.5 raise awareness of the impact of sexism and gender-based
violence on political life, including on the level of participation
of women parliamentarians;
10.1.6 promote and support networks of women parliamentarians,
including women’s caucuses in national parliaments;
10.1.7 develop specific programmes to engage male politicians
as transformative actors, working together with female leaders to
achieve gender equality in politics;
10.1.8 review national legislation and repeal, where applicable,
legal measures restricting the right of women parliamentarians with
children to participate in business trips and carry out paid overtime
work to which they have agreed;
10.2 with regard to the accessibility of parliaments, to:
10.2.1 make both the parliamentary buildings and the work of
parliaments fully accessible to persons with disabilities and reduced
mobility, including members of parliament, parliamentary staff and
visitors;
10.2.2 establish clear rules and procedures so that members of
parliament and parliamentary staff can enter the premises with children
and infants;
10.2.3 formally allow for breastfeeding in parliamentary premises
and consider providing nurseries, baby feeding and changing rooms;
10.2.4 encourage co-operation between parliaments and relevant
non-governmental organisations to carry out audits on the accessibility
of parliamentary premises and work;
10.3 with regard to inclusive policies in parliaments, to:
10.3.1 develop internal policies aimed to facilitate a better
work–life balance for members of parliament and parliamentary staff,
including the regulation of working hours aimed at preventing late
sessions and meetings, and setting the sittings schedule based on
the school calendar;
10.3.2 adopt the necessary measures so that parliamentarians
and parliamentary staff can benefit from parental leave;
10.3.3 consider establishing procedures for substitution/proxy
voting or distance voting in certain cases;
10.3.4 review the implementation of Assembly
Resolution 2155 (2017) as
regards the accessibility of electoral processes, information and
procedures; and take the necessary measures to address any existing
gaps;
10.3.5 promote support networks for minority groups in national
parliaments;
10.3.6 adopt, review and/or update, as appropriate, codes of
conduct for parliamentarians and staff members to address violence,
sexual and psychological harassment, sexism and discriminatory behaviour,
and introduce reporting procedures and sanctions in case of breach,
in line with
Resolution 2274 (2019);
10.3.7 organise training on inclusiveness, intersectionality
and gender equality, covering relevant policies and reporting mechanisms,
for all members of parliament and parliamentary staff.
11. The Assembly also encourages political parties in Council
of Europe member States to:
11.1 adopt
measures to promote the participation of women and persons from
under-represented groups in their internal structures, including
at leadership levels;
11.2 assess and develop a long-term strategy to address the
needs of persons from under-represented groups, such as persons
with disabilities and those facing multiple and intersectional discrimination,
with a view to facilitating their participation in political life;
and organise capacity-building trainings, in accessible formats,
to enable such participation;
11.3 establish rules for the selection of candidates for elections
with a view to ensuring the active promotion of gender equality
and diversity;
11.4 review their internal composition, policies and working
practices, for example through the use of ODIHR’s assessment tools,
with a view to determining measures to increase participation and representation
of women and men from diverse backgrounds;
11.5 put in place internal codes of conduct, including sanctions,
complaints procedures and trained contact persons, prohibiting violence,
harassment, sexism and all other forms of discrimination, and collect
data on incidents and the outcomes of reported cases;
11.6 implement targeted actions to engage male political party
leaders as allies, who work with female leaders to abolish the harmful
practices and stereotypes that persist in the organisational culture
of political parties.
12. As regards its own functioning, the Assembly invites its political
groups to consider implementing the measures listed in paragraph 11
above, as appropriate.
13. The Assembly asks its Secretary General to:
13.1 consider carrying out a new
joint study with the IPU to assess the progress made in combating sexism,
harassment and violence against women in parliaments in Europe,
following an intersectional approach;
13.2 consider carrying out a gender-sensitive audit (using
the tools referred to in paragraph 10.1.4 above) and an inclusivity
audit of the Assembly;
13.3 provide training to staff to raise awareness of the needs
of members, experts and visitors with disabilities and reduced mobility
who participate in Assembly meetings and events;
13.4 consider possible measures to make the Assembly’s work
accessible to persons with visual impairments.
14. The Assembly invites the Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities
and the Bureau of the Assembly to consider taking the necessary
steps to enable the online participation in committee meetings of
members who are unable to attend in person due to care responsibilities,
including caring for children under the age of 3.
