Globally, wide gaps exist between men’s and women’s participation in leadership roles. This paper explores women’s access to leadership in Madagascar through an examination of women’s participation in politics and government. Research across the literature found three major reasons for women’s political participation: gender quotas, kinship and societal upheaval. However, upon examining Madagascar, women’s participation in leadership involves factors, which were not fully explored in this literature. The historical legacy of Madagascar and women’s social and political activism were the principal factors in women’s participation in leadership. The findings might have implications in explaining women’s access to leadership roles
