How gender barriers affect the careers of women in government

Debates about gender equality in politics often focus on the number of women elected to parliament or the number of women who hold positions in government. Yet as Corinna Kroeber and Joanna Hüffelmann explain, these debates often overlook the more subtle impact that gender barriers can have on women’s political careers. Drawing on a new study, they show that women in government are often obliged to hold junior roles for longer than their male colleagues before gaining prestigious positions.