ABSTRACT
In the 1990s the issue of the parliamentary representation of women became the focus of much international and national attention. The arguments for increasing women’s representation often went beyond basic justice arguments to suggest that women would make a difference to politics. In particular, it was often suggested that the presence of women was essential to ensure that women’s interests were represented. Nevertheless, and leaving aside the vexed notion of ‘women’s interests’, it was soon recognised that the presence of women in legislatures does not necessarily result in increased attention to issues of special concern to women in the community. ‘Standing for’ is not the same as ‘acting for’ and there is a difference between the descriptive representation of women and what is termed the substantive representation of women. Indeed, the presence of women may provide an alibi for policies that are far from women-friendly.
