The World Bank's World DevelopmentReport (WDR) on gender equality and development identifiedwomen's voice, agency, and participation as a keydimension of gender equality and as a major policy priority.Agency, as defined in the WDR2012, is the ability to useendowments to take advantage of opportunities to achievedesired outcomes. In particular, WDR2012 focused on fiveexpressions of agency: women's access to and controlover resources; freedom of movement; freedom from the riskof violence; decision-making over family formation; andhaving voice in society and influencing policy. An importantexpression of women's agency is women's politicalparticipation and their ability to fully engage in publiclife. This background paper focuses on women s ability toplay a public role in politics and to influencepolicy-making. Using the data available, it examines thecurrent status of women in politics and makes the case forthe full and equitable participation of women in publiclife. It reviews the direct and indirect barriers that existto prevent women's political participation and analyzesstrategies that have been used to increase it. Finally, thepaper identifies the connections between the fiveexpressions of agency and priorities for future work.
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