Take Five: Sonia Palmieri : “Women need a support network of like-minded politicians to help navigate these challenges, because facing delegitimization alone can be disheartening and may even push women to leave politics altogether.”

Sonia Palmieri is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Pacific Affairs in the College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University. Her research examines the social and cultural factors influencing women’s leadership in political institutions, including gender-sensitive parliaments. Sonia Palmieri joined a two-day Expert Group Meeting organized by UN Women to address one of the most persistent barriers to gender equality in political and public life: discriminatory social norms. The event held on 4-5 February 2025 brought together feminist scholars, policymakers, activists, and practitioners to chart a path forward for transforming social norms and ensuring women’s full and effective political participation. This experts’ meeting was organized under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership, funded by the European Union, which is a collaborative global effort aimed at advancing women’s full and effective political participation and decision-making at all levels, especially those most often left furthest behind.

1. Can you explain what gender sensitive parliaments are and how they contribute to the political empowerment of women? 

Gender-sensitive parliaments have become a new norm, a standard for what a good parliament should be. At its heart, it is a parliament that recognizes its responsibility to advance gender equality. In theory, this might sound simple. In practice, however, a gender-sensitive parliament must actively reorient and transform how it functions – legislates, represents, conducts oversight - and communicates, in a way that consistently prioritizes gender equality. This is challenging because politicians come from diverse backgrounds with varying perspectives, and not everyone enters Parliament with the goal of advancing gender equality.

2. How can parliaments make gender equality a concrete and central aspect of their institution?

First, parliaments seeking to become gender-sensitive make a public commitment to gender equality. They can do this by developing strategic or corporate plan, or even a national strategy to embed gender sensitivity in their work. 

However, becoming gender sensitive also requires practical transformation in parliamentary operations. For example, oversight bodies are necessary to ensure that parliament follows through on its gender equality commitments. A good example comes from Sweden, where a Speaker’s Reference Group was established to continuously assess and evaluate Parliament’s strategic plans on gender equality. They explore how the parliament operates, review its outputs, and identify areas for improvement.

In summary, for a parliament to become gender-sensitive, it needs a clear commitment to gender equality, and transformation of working methods, including an accountability mechanism with monitoring and evaluation.

3. Pervading gender norms are one of the most enduring and difficult constraints women face in politics, including in parliaments. Could you tell us how these work?

Sadly, even after being elected, women still face social norms that cast them as different or less ideal representatives. They are often perceived as lacking the right skills or connections, which fuels critiques of their presence in political spaces. This belief translates into marginalization from decision-making—they may struggle to secure executive roles, chair committees, or serve as presiding officers.

Women are also delegitimized when they speak in the Chamber. It’s not uncommon for them to be interrupted, overpowered by noise in the chamber, or met with verbal objections and hostility, all tactics to undermine their authority. Even when elected, they are repeatedly made to feel that they are not the "ideal" political actor.

4. How can we challenge this?

We must resist in multiple ways and having allies is essential. Women need a support network of like-minded politicians to help navigate these challenges. Facing delegitimization alone can be disheartening and may even push women to leave politics altogether.

Of course, finding allies across political parties isn’t always easy, as party competition can sometimes prevent solidarity. However, women in parliament can unite against sexist or misogynistic behavior, creating a sense of collective resistance. It is also crucial for men to recognize and reject these behaviors. Parliaments need clear Codes of Conduct and enforceable rules to ensure a respectful environment for all. Unfortunately, enforcement is where politics often overrides the basic level of decency that should underpin any legislative body.

5. What advice would you give to women parliamentarians?

When entering public institutions, no matter in which part of the world you sit, find your friends and allies both inside and outside the parliament, because you are going to need a support network! Make sure to identify your own personal coping mechanisms that will keep you and your mental health in check while identifying reliable sources of gender-sensitive advice and information to help you do your job effectively.