In what country are women the most politically empowered?
Data Scavenger Hunt
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, your big brain and any links below::
The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project publishes data and research on democracy and human rights. It relies on evaluations by around 3,500 country experts and supplementary work by its own researchers to assess political institutions and the protection of rights. In what country are women the most and the least politically empowered today.
What story does this chart tell about regional/continental differences in women’s political empowerment?
How does the United States compare to other wealthy countries regarding women’s political empowerment?
Women’s political empowerment is based upon the extent to which women enjoy 1-civil liberties (like freedom of speech), 2-can participate in civil society (organizations that are not associated with government—including schools and universities, advocacy groups, professional associations, churches, and cultural institutions), and 3-are represented in politics (by voting, joining interest groups or political parties, etc.). Which of these three areas do you think is the most important?
At the bottom of the chart above, hit the button that says “play time-lapse” and then describe the story of women’s political empowerment over time.
Both women and men are likely to live longer when a country makes strides towards gender equality, according to a new global study that authors believe to be the first of its kind. Why do you think that is?
Explain why more women from Afghanistan, Yemen, and Haiti (just to name a few countries with very low levels of women’s political empowerment) don’t move to countries with higher levels of women’s political empowerment?
Why do you think some regions have higher levels of women's empowerment than others?
Look at the chart of GDP per capita by country below.* Draw a conclusion about the connection between income and women’s political empowerment.
Explain why women’s political empowerment has generally increased over time and predict what will happen to women’s political empowerment in the future.
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Think of the ways you personally could be involved (virtually) to increase the political empowerment of women in your country and around the world. For example, the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund is an innovative partnership empowering local women around the world to be a force for crisis response and lasting peace. The UNWPHF offers lots of ways for you to take action online. Or maybe you have ideas about other ways to empower women politically. Share one of your ideas with your classmates about what you could do to empower women politically.
Get Creative
Imagine the difference of the day in a life of a woman in Afghanistan versus in Denmark. Describe some of the key differences in their political empowerment in their daily lives.
Learn More*
Check out all the cool Our World In Data interactive charts on women’s rights and these reports from V-DEM.
