I very much like your question, Aya, and the way you've phrased it. The existence of "systemic barriers" is something I witnessed first hand in politics at the local level although I was, thankfully, not thwarted by them! I'm also impressed by the quality of your previous OurSay questions . Nice to see there are relevant, well articulated thoughts being put forward when some others seem to have dropped the Ball, so to speak.

It is a shame we have quotas as this does not allow the best to be chosen only the persistent. any women chosen under a quota system will always be perceived as second best.

I'd emphasise "identifying and eliminating systemic barriers" - because they're what ensures that the same people make all the key decisions, working within the same system. We all know that we're not going to be able to solve many of the issues facing the globe unless decision-making becomes much more broadly based. If we start with barriers to women in politics, perhaps we can catalyse a virtuous spiral of inclusive decision-making, at all levels of government.