Advancing Women’s Political Representation and Democracy | CFR Conversation with Cynthia Richie Terrell
At the Council on Foreign Relations, RepresentWomen’s Cynthia Richie Terrell joins Linda Robinson to discuss why women’s political progress is stalling worldwide — and the structural reforms needed to strengthen democracy.
Event:Advancing Women’s Political Representation and Democracy
Speaker:Cynthia Richie Terrell – Executive Director, RepresentWomen & Co-Founder, FairVote
Presider:Linda Robinson – Senior Fellow for Women and Foreign Policy, Council on Foreign Relations
Progress toward gender-balanced leadership has stalled worldwide—even as democracy itself faces mounting challenges. In 2024, only five women won presidential elections out of thirty-one held globally, and U.S. voters elected fewer women to the House of Representatives than at any time in the past two decades.
In this conversation, hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, Cynthia Richie Terrell joins Linda Robinson to discuss:
- Why women’s political representation is stagnating in the U.S. and abroad.
- The systemic barriers that keep women from running, winning, serving, and leading.
- How reforms such as ranked choice voting, proportional representation, and caregiving supports can accelerate progress.
- What it will take to strengthen democracy by ensuring women are fully represented at every level of government.
RepresentWomen’s mission is to expand women’s political participation and modernize democracy with structural reforms that level the playing field. This event highlights both the urgency of reform and the global strategies that can deliver more representative leadership.
