Today, globally there are more women in public office than at any previous point in history. Over 10,300 women serve as national parliamentarians, making up over 22 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide and more than doubling the proportion in 1995. This is nowhere near parity and the rate of change is still too slow, but it is progress.

Alarmingly, almost universally, increased women’s representation is accompanied by Gender-Based Violence. It is visible in different forms—in the escalation of harassment and aggression in various media, intimidation and sexual and physical violence against public women..