democracy and women

Across the globe, women in politics deliver more to their constituents:  they introduce more bills, attend more sessions, and deliver more public  goods. 

 Even having women run for office benefits the functioning of a  democracy. In the United States, men tend to know more about politics  than women, but when a woman is running, this political knowledge gap  shrinks or even disappears for that state or district. Women politicians  also inspire higher levels of political participation among all  citizens, but especially among women and girls. As the number of U.S.  citizens represented by women in Congress or in gubernatorial office  increases, the participation gap (in voting, donating money, working for  a political campaign, and other political activities) between men and  women closes. 

Seeing women in office makes women aspire to political careers and makes  them believe they can govern. This role-model effect also increases  women citizens’ external efficacy (the feeling that one has the power to  change things politically). This effect persists even among women  living in districts without women representatives. As political  theorist Jane Mansbridge has written, women’s presence as candidates and  officeholders changes our sense of who has the “ability to rule.”