It should be noted that the Charter stipulates in Article 28, that one of the fundamental elements in the promotion and practice of democratic culture is the full and equal participation of women in the political life of their countries.

To this effect, the Permanent Council, with the collaboration of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy and the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission of Women, will hold a special meeting on "The Participation of Women in Political Processes" which will focus on this subject from academic, political, and civil society perspectives.

In keeping with the provisions of Article 28 of the Democratic Charter, the meeting will seek to develop an overview of the current role of women in politics and its impact on democratic development in the hemisphere, while at the same time, identifying strategies to promote the full participation of women.

As the Inter-Parliamentary Council declared in its Resolution on Women and Political Power (April 1992) "The concept of democracy will only assume its true and dynamic meaning when legislation and politics are determined by both men and women, equally considering the interests and abilities of both sectors of the population." However, the representation of women in democratic institutions still has not achieved parity in this hemisphere. For example, according to information received from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as of October, 2002, women comprised only 17.6 percent of the national parliaments of the Americas. This figure places this region as one of the regions with the highest representation of women in parliaments, second only to the Nordic countries. Nevertheless, it is not only a question of the number of women participating in politics, but also their impact and real influence. Equally worrisome is the continuing decline of electoral participation by women in rural areas of many countries of the hemisphere.

This panel will provide a general overview from a principally academic perspective, including a description of the current levels of representation of women in both elected posts and high-level government positions, as well as in their voter turnout. Likewise, this panel will identify political, systemic (the electoral system), economic, and cultural obstacles that explain this phenomenon.

A study of the Inter-American Dialogue in August 2000 notes that women comprise between 30 and 40 percent of the membership of political parties in Latin America. According to a July 2001 report by this same organization, their presence in the decision-making ranks, however, can be reflected in the shape of a pyramid, with the numbers decreasing the closer one gets to the top. Nevertheless, women's participation in political parties is increasingly becoming an issue of interest. This is reflected in quotas and party wings systems for women, for example. There is still much left to be done, but it is important not to ignore the accomplishments of the last few years.

This panel will include the participation of distinguished women politicians who will address questions such as: What is the real influence of women in the democratic process and in decision-making processes? What lessons have been learned in terms of women's participation in politics? In particular, the panel will focus on still existing obstacles to women assuming leadership positions within political parties and being nominated and running as candidates for popular election.

Organized civil society has had an important impact on the evolution of democratic institutions in general, and especially on the role women have assumed in them.

This section will address the analysis of obstacles facing women in the political arena from the perspective of civil society. Thus the panel will discuss specific initiatives to increase women's participation in politics, and will identify best practices in legislation, promotion, training and electoral reform presented or put into practice through institutions of the State or civil society that have contributed to increasing the presence and impact of women in politics in the region.

Representatives of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy and the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission of Women will be invited to comment briefly on the panel discussions as they pertain to the consolidation and promotion of democracy. From the discussion, strategies for countries in the inter-American system to support an increased and more effective participation of women in the democratic political systems of the hemisphere will be identified.