Women in Politics: Beyond Quotas, the Challenge of Social Transformation (Op-Ed)

In Benin, the number of women in parliament has risen from six in 2019 to 28, a gain attributed to legal representation mechanisms. On October 25, 2026, in Savalou, National Assembly President Joseph Fifamin Djogbénou urged the Caucus of Women MPs to become a “public action group” promoting girls’ education, economic empowerment and women’s access to leadership. The op-ed suggests considering measures that reserve a share of public procurement for women-led businesses, drawing cautiously on initiatives in Togo and Nigeria’s Kaduna State. It argues that quotas should lead to tangible economic opportunities for women beyond their institutional representation.