Women in Local Politics, 2014

The research project "Women in Local Politics" was initiated as a means of putting political recruitment, and especially women's representation in local politics on the agenda. The project aimed to study factors that influence variation in representation in local politics, especially in connection to nominations of candidates on list proposals ahead of the municipal council election in 2015. A large part of the project included, for the involved researchers, to visit the municipalities that agreed to participate in the project. Altogether 72 municipalities were in January 2014 invited by the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation to participate - all municipalities with a share of women at less than 30 percent in their municipal councils. 46 municipalities agreed to participate. In the municipalities that participated in the project, one of the researchers held a presentation for the municipal council where research based knowledge on the representation of women in local politics was presented. In this way, the presentation could shed light on opportunities and obstacles for women in local politics, and what might contribute to a more even gender balance. Following the presentation there was a discussion between the political parties on how to promote gender equality in local politics. A survey was also conducted among local parties who attended the council meetings where researchers had presented. The study shed light on how the local parties and lists relate to and work with "the gender issue" at the local level. The project was funded by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and carried out by the Institute for Social Research and Uni Rokkan Centre.