Women's political participation in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown over the past 25 years, yet it faces rising discrimination and violence amplified by cyberspace. A UNDP report notes that, despite gains like 36.5% of congressional seats held by women in 2024, digital violence intimidates and discredits female leaders. These attacks, including cyberstalking and deepfakes, discourage involvement and reinforce inequalities.
Over the past 25 years, women's representation in Latin American and Caribbean politics has advanced significantly, particularly in legislative roles. A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report states that in 2024, the region held the highest global proportion of congressional seats by women at 36.5%, exceeding the 33.3% in OECD countries and the worldwide average of 27%. The share of female supreme court magistrates rose from 5.5% in 1998 to 28.2%, and cabinet positions from 17.1% to 30.4%. Yet, only 15.9% of mayors were women.
This progress has been overshadowed by rising discrimination and political violence, accelerated by digital spaces. The report outlines attacks such as cyberstalking, gender-biased misinformation, threats, and non-consensual sharing of personal information, aimed at intimidating and silencing women in public life. The growth of artificial intelligence tools, like deepfakes, has lowered barriers and expanded the speed and reach of such assaults.
An examination of social media accounts of women in public roles across five countries found that up to four in ten interactions were hostile, emphasizing personal insults over policy debates. Collected in 2024, an election year in four of the five nations, the data illustrates how polarization heightens online violence, often by questioning women's mental health, merit, or intellectual capacity to undermine their performance.
Nevertheless, public views are shifting positively: a Vanderbilt University study shows that in 2023, just 26% of regional respondents believed men make better political leaders, down from 35% in 2008. The UNDP calls for policies addressing ongoing violence, including content detection, psychosocial support, stronger regulations, platform accountability, and regional cooperation to foster best practices and empower women.
