The Women’s Representation in Latin American Legislatures: Current Challenges and New Directions

Abstract

The growing number of women elected to national legislatures in Latin America has led to significant scholarly attention on the consequences of women’s
presence in office. In this essay, I offer a brief overview of the literature on women’s substantive representation around the world and evaluate research on Latin America, specifically, in the context of six current debates. I suggest several ways that scholars of women’s representation in Latin America can address the challenges provided by these debates and move the field in new directions. This will contribute to the growing literature on women’s substantive representation, keeps Latin America at the forefront of it, and helps scholars, activists, and politicians better understand how Latin American legislatures are representing women and women’s interests.