Adding to the feminist literature on women’s underrepresentation in parliaments around
the world, this thesis presents Belize as an elucidative case. Primary and secondary data
were used to identify the barriers to women’s electoral success. Interviews were
conducted between May 2013 and February 2014 in Belize. An extensive review on
feminist literature outlined three types of barriers: (1) cultural; (2) structural; and (3)
institutional. The literature and primary data led to the conclusion that the largest barrier
in Belize is institutional where the political party is the critical gatekeeper to women’s
success