WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS: THE IMPACT OF GENDER QUOTAS AND OTHER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION MEASURES TO INCREASE FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN ELECTED OFFICES

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the impact of gender quotas and other affirmative public policies, such as campaign financing and incentives for participation, on raising female representation in elected office, addressing the persistent challenge of women's underrepresentation stemming from structural inequalities and historical barriers. The central objective is to understand how such measures influence the composition of parliaments and decision-making bodies, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these policies in different democratic contexts. The methodology employs a comparative and bibliographic analysis, examining the implementation of candidate quotas (such as the 30% minimum required in Brazil by Law nº 9.504/97) and the proportional allocation of electoral resources. Preliminary findings indicate that, despite quotas being crucial strategies to enforce inclusion, their full effectiveness is often limited by structural resistance, the practice of fictitious ("shell") candidacies, and the need for stricter enforcement, resulting in a disproportionate growth in female candidates compared to women elected. The conclusion suggests that full representational equality requires an integrated set of actions, including equitable financing policies and the combat against political violence, and recommends continuous improvement of legislation, possibly considering seat quota models to ensure the consolidation of fairer and more representative democracies.