The EU Mutual Learning Programme in Gender Equality – Women in politics – Lithuania – 3-4 June 2025

While the overall trend in Europe in the past has been one of increasing female participation in politics, recent years have witnessed a stalling or even reversal of hard-won gains, proving that progress is never guaranteed, and proactive measures remain necessary. Against this background, government representatives and academic experts of 14 EU Member States gathered in Vilnius to review good practices from the co-host countries Lithuania and Belgium and to discuss ways forward.  

The Lithuanian case shows that civil society has the potential to spark positive change: a recent initiative set out to encourage women to enter politics while reducing gender stereotypes through educational and advocacy activities. Titled ‘Women’s Political Participation: From Analysis to Action', the project was implemented with the government’s support. It delivered three analytical reports, several information campaigns, a podcast, and received coverage on radio, television and printed media. It also led to a policy discussion in the Lithuanian Parliament which resulted in the adoption of a declaration proposing measures to increase gender balance. The recommendations which emerged from the project included relevant legal amendments, training programmes, public awareness campaigns and networks for women politicians to provide mutual support.

The Belgian experience illustrates how quotas can boost women's political participation. Initially introduced in 1999, quotas led to a significant increase in the representation of women in the legislative and executive bodies to which they were applied. In the years that followed, further requirements were added and the measures were expanded to different levels of government. Alongside this, other proactive measures to support women in politics have been taken, such as regulations on parental leave in Belgium’s parliaments, procedures to discipline MPs who display sexist misconduct, peer support mechanisms in some parties, as well as training and mentoring programmes.   

Seminar participants discussed the need for formal measures such as gender quotas and institutional reform for more gender-sensitive political parties and parliaments, as well as mechanisms to diversify candidate selection, structures to support female politicians throughout their careers, and initiatives to tackle online hate speech and combat gender stereotypes. Participants also discussed strategies for winning widespread support for such steps among policymakers, party officials and the public. Among the main conclusions of the discussion were the importance of treating women as a heterogenous group and formulating solutions accordingly, as well as viewing equal participation for women as a central part of efforts to build and sustain strong, diverse and inclusive democracies that are truly representative.