Women's Challenges in Election Campaigns: A "Battle" with Prejudice and Inequalities

In Albania, women’s political participation has increased significantly, especially following the introduction of gender quotas and reforms aimed at equal representation. However, the path to fair electoral competition for women remains difficult and fraught with challenges that go beyond the vote. They face entrenched prejudice, discrimination, unequal funding, societal pressure, and difficulties in balancing work and personal lives.

A still uneven arena

Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku describes the political race for women as a field that remains dominated by men, despite improvements in their representation. “There has been significant progress in Albania, but the reality is still challenging. Political culture still maintains deep-rooted prejudices about the role of women, making it more difficult for them to compete on equal terms,” says Tabaku. According to her, to have a fair race, the presence of women alone is not enough, but structural changes are needed that enable their effective participation in decision-making.

During election campaigns, female politicians face a number of prejudices that often do not apply to their male counterparts. “One of the most common is the idea that women are not strong enough to lead,” Tabaku explains. According to her, attention often shifts from the political program to the personal lives of the candidates, including their appearance, family and private lives. Female politicians are labeled as “emotional” or “unsuitable” for important decision-making and face a higher level of public criticism.

One of the biggest challenges for women in politics is family pressure and the challenge of balancing political commitments with personal life. “Balancing political career and family life is a challenge. I have sought and built strong support from my family, which has helped me manage my political commitments without feeling constrained,” says Tabaku. She emphasizes the importance of changing the narrative about women in politics and promoting a society where family responsibilities are shared more equally between men and women.

Twice the work for the same respect

Women in politics often face the need to work twice as hard to gain the same respect and support as their male colleagues. “As a woman in politics, I often have to demonstrate more competence, commitment and preparation to receive the same level of respect as my male colleagues,” Tabaku says. She sees this as a harsh reality stemming from a political culture where women are still seen as the exception rather than the norm in important leadership positions.

Another challenge women face in politics is the lack of a strong solidarity network. “Women need to support each other, encourage participation and promote each other’s achievements,” says Tabaku. Another major problem is the unequal funding for women candidates. “Political financial networks are largely dominated by men, and women often do not have the same access to financial resources or powerful economic backers,” she explains.

Funding and gender quotas: Women's representation in politics risks remaining superficial

Gender quotas have been a tool to increase the number of women in politics, but they have not always contributed to their real empowerment in decision-making. “In some cases, quotas are used as a propaganda tool, where women are placed on lists simply to fulfill a legal requirement, without having any real impact,” Tabaku estimates. According to several studies by the Women’s Network “Equality in Decision-Making”, with the support of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), gender quotas, as a single mechanism, are not sufficient to guarantee the meaningful participation of women in politics. While quotas are often implemented to fulfill legal requirements, political parties often exploit legal loopholes to avoid genuine commitments to gender equality.

Another dimension of women’s electoral strategies is the use of social media and the distribution of promotional materials. The study found that a higher percentage of women and girls, 82.98%, reported using social media compared to 72.34% of men and boys. Also, 68.09% of women and girls distributed promotional materials, compared to 57.45% of men and boys. Women tend to choose these lower-budget strategies to compensate for the lack of human and financial resources. “Social media is a tool that helps to compensate for the lack of human resources in reaching online voters and the community,” explains Tabaku.

Another notable difference between male and female candidates is the size of their campaign teams. Male candidates tend to form larger teams. The average number of individuals in male candidate teams is 24.92, while for women it is 13.09. This difference reflects the fact that women often prioritize using more affordable tools, such as social media, to bridge the gap in financial and human resources available to them.

Despite many challenges, women are increasingly demonstrating that they can be successful leaders and have a significant impact on politics. To achieve true equality, further reforms, cultural changes, and greater support for women who choose to engage in this field are needed. Politics should not remain a male-dominated field, but a space where women and men have equal opportunities to contribute to the development of the country.

Prepared by: Elva Kurti