New Report Outlines Strategies for Improving Political Representation in Latin America
New Report Outlines Strategies for Improving Political Representation in Latin America
The Americas Society report shows minority groups are shut out of decision-making processes on the national, state, and municipal levels.
Experts suggest a path toward the advancement in politics of women, Afro-descendant, indigenous, LGBT, and disabled people. A March 27 launch event in New York will gather leaders who are the face of successful political representation in the region.
New York, March 22, 2017—The story of political representation is not unlike many narratives in Latin America. Progress has been made, with some notable success cases, but the region is still home to stark contrasts and there is much work to be done. Drawing on assessments from experts and evidence from leaders who have broken barriers, a new report by Americas Society with the support of the Ford Foundation identifies real strategies for electing and supporting minority lawmakers in Latin American politics.
The report, A Seat at the Table: Five Steps to Making Latin American Politics More Diverse, shows women and indigenous, Afro-descendant, and LGBT people are still too often shut out of decision-making processes on the national, state, and municipal levels, and outlines concrete recommendations to get the region’s democracies moving in the right direction. Those recommendations are:
- Commit to quotas. While every country in Latin America except Chile, Guatemala, and Venezuela has some form of legislated quota system in place to ensure women’s representation in politics, the results remain uneven.
- Enforce quotas. To avoid quota laws being mere window dressing it is necessary to identify and close loopholes.
- Form diverse alliances. One of the most natural ways for minority groups to win political support is by forming networks—and not always with the most obvious partners.
- Invest in safety nets. Policies ensuring inclusive economic growth are key to achieving parity in political representation.
- Foster solidarity once in office. Leaders need to remain aligned with their constituents and be advocates for equal representation at their new positions.
LIVE EVENT:
Political leaders Jaime Parada Hoyl from Chile, Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza from Mexico, and Edgardo Ortuño from Uruguay will gather in New York at Americas Society/Council of the Americas on Monday, March 27, 6:00 p.m. Marking the launch of A Seat at the Table: Five Steps to Making Latin American Politics More Diverse, these leading figures will share their experiences in politics and discuss the political panorama for the region’s underrepresented groups.
This event will be live webcast. This program will be conducted in Spanish. Copies of the report will be available.
Press inquiries:
AS/COA Media Relations | mediarelations@as-coa.org | +1-212-277-8384 or +1-212-277-8333.
