It is generally acknowledged that women need to reach a critical mass of at least one third of the seats of a legislative body in order to be able to exert a real influence on the decisions taken by this body (Rec(2003)3, Explanatory memorandum, I B, 12). In 1995 the Beijing Process strived for 30% women’s parliamentary representation, and also the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) refers to the “critical mass” of 30 to 35 per cent women’s participation (see General Comment No. 23 (1997) on political and public life).