One should not generalize but, case by case and to varying degrees in time and space, obstacles to the political participation of women can include division according to ethnic lines, entrenched traditional views, gender discrimination, intimidation, lack of access to technology, lack of capacity building opportunities, lack of confidence, lack of financial means, lack of political party support, lack of public/social support, and violence. Public policy has a role to play but would have to be implemented through institutions. To note, just because an issue has been identified as a public policy problem does not necessarily mean the only solution involves government.

Dear @Ansam Al Obidi

Yes, I do agree.

However, empowering actions need to consider dis-empowerment causes from a community up higher level to the government positions, including formal and informal institutional perspectives. Also, inclusive politics, particularly in developing countries, is highly based on calculations of political and economic power sustainance, i.e., the "empowerment" is subject to the ruling party's age continuations, not the actual development concerns. So, things are complicated and one should need to see things holistically.

Public policies need to recognize numerous chalenges women face in politics, but also in everyday life: being employed and running a family life, i equality in payment and career development and many others.

I do agree. The more a community confiscates the rights of women, the less humanistic it is. But I do not think the term empowerment is correct in any sense. It should be the return of human rights and gender rights to women. Le Vinh

I think economic empowerment is more important than political empowerment because in a family dominated by a male, actual political power to a female is bound to cause conflicts between the two which ultimately lead to severance of family ties or surrender of political power to the former. Economic empowerment gives the woman the sense of independence and ability to even stand out against the social stigmas associated with broken families. Thus economic empowerment must precede the political empowerment.

Dear colleagues... Thank you very much for all the contributions and comments that greatly enriched the discussion...I am very grateful to all...

يمكن تقليل الصعوبات من خلال توفير بيئة عمل مناسبة لإمكانية المرأة، ومراعاة الفروق الفردية..

Yes , women empowerment in politics. Is highly important.