The balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making is a condition for justice and democracy.  Council of Europe standards provide clear guidance on how to achieve this essential goal.

In Council of Europe member states, men still represent on average approximately three quarters of members of national governments and parliaments. The realisation of a balanced participation of women and men in decision-making requires co-ordinated action in a wide range of areas and has been high on the Council of Europe agenda for decades. This includes the implementation of existing standards, but also supporting policies to achieve parity democracy.