Since the end of World War II—and particularly since the early 1990s—the world’s national legislatures have experienced (some gradual, others quite dramatic) rises in levels of women’s descriptive representation.
But - there is no simple link between descriptive representation, on one hand, and women’s leadership, substantive representation, or equality within legislatures, on the other. Women who overcome barriers to election often encounter new obstacles once they take their parliamentary seats.
