Women “strongly underrepresented” in provincial political roles

Women are “strongly underrepresented” in the country’s water boards and provincial councils, the executive branches of the Dutch provinces. Women do not make up a majority of members of any of the 12 provincial councils, or the 21 regional water boards, according to the Stem op een Vrouw foundation.

The organization promotes efforts to convince the electorate to vote for female candidates. It published the results of a study on Monday in the run-up to provincial council and water board elections on March 15. The organization researched the how many women held a seat in a leadership role.

Currently, 67 percent of all members of provincial councils are men and 33 percent are women. The male-female ratio differs widely per province. The proportion of women is highest in Utrecht, with 49 percent, and Noord-Holland, where 44 percent of council members are women. That rate falls to below 25 percent in Overijssel, Friesland and Zeeland, the three provinces with the least equitable ratios.

Women are even more underrepresented on the 21 water boards. On average, 28 percent of members are women and 72 percent are men. At 42 percent, the proportion of women is highest in the Amstel, Gooi and Vecht Water Board, which includes Amsterdam. In the Noorderzijlvest Water Board, in the province of Groningen, the rate is the lowest at around 14 percent.

The research by Stem op een Vrouw showed that Kees, Peter, Hans and Henk are currently the most common first names in the twelve provincial councils. Henriëtte, Mirjam and Wilma are the most common women’s names.