10 of the most inspirational political events of 2018

8. Mothers in politics made big gains

Even today, throughout the world, there are precious few women in politics. It seems strange on the face of it, given that women and girls make up about half the human population. It should follow, then, that any representational form of government should have an equally gender-balanced composition.

Of course, the simple math of population isn’t the only factor. Historical barriers, like education, access to public forums, and generalized sexism have made it tremendously difficult for women to become political figures. Things are getting better, with more and more women winning office all over the globe, but the numbers remain uneven.

One of the more significant factors has proven to be motherhood. While not all women can or care to have children, those that do face an additional and considerable barrier to political careers. Politicians often face long hours and intense working environments. That rarely works for women in a society where they are expected to take the lead on parenting and childcare. Where is the Capitol daycare, for instance? The physical demands of pregnancy and childbirth also traditionally stood in the way.

While there are still many blockades to full participation for all women in politics, two women showed that it wasn’t impossible to be both mothers and leaders. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth while in office, becoming only the second ever female elected head of state to do so.

In the United States in April, Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), became the first U.S. Senator to give birth while in office. Her return to work came with a new rule allowing Senators to bring children one year and younger onto the Senate floor. The change was applauded as a step in the right direction for politicians who are still breastfeeding young children.