Gender-sensitive Parliaments

This domain explores the activities carried out by the parliament to oversee gender equality in government action, to monitor the implementation of international conventions and agreements, ; to monitor the gender impact of legislation and arrange gender-oriented stakeholder consultation.

Oversight of government action is one of the core functions of parliaments and a crucial issue for transparent and non-corrupt democracy. Oversight can be defined as any activity that involves examining the expenditure, administration and policies of the government. Oversight activities include, for example, questioning ministers, holding public hearings, reviewing reports from government departments, and examining audit reports (International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics: 2016). Overseeing the executive’s actions in respect of gender equality specifically allows parliaments to effectively foster that equality while simultaneously increasing their own gender-sensitivity (International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics: 2016). 

Further information on the parliament function of oversight can be found on the knowledge platform of AGORA.