The experience of one major player in the field of parliamentary activity in general, and women parliamentarians in particular, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), was the subject of Chapter 6. IPU stresses the need for partnership between men and women as an essential factor in accomplishing change and impacting on politics. IPU's work further validates the emphasis made in earlier chapters regarding the crucial role international inter-governmental organizations can play in caucusing, networking, and responding to women's common needs, i.e. in serving as an instrument to enhance the work of women parliamentarians.

IPU's Meeting of Women Parliamentarians for example, brings to light another relatively little known and yet important reality. Caucusing is not only a forum of women MPs who come together and share experiences and strategies to enhance their representation, but it is also of benefit to the organizational structures which service women's needs. This is particularly the case when there is a need to fine-tune the responsiveness to changing contexts, political realities and consequent needs of women parliamentarians. Co-ordinated effort in this regard should occur at various levels, the local, regional, and international, and must build on, rather than replicate, the pioneering work that has already been carried out.

Looking beyond numbers does not mean that numbers no longer matter. On the contrary, numbers are integral to making an impact on politics. After all, half the world's population cannot but be a critical mass. On the eve of the elections for the European Parliament, women are urging that there be equality of representation between men and women. Despite the relative progress some European countries have made with respect to women's political representation, the basic structures within which women work, whether it is the party or the parliament, remain in the words of one Euro-MP, "very difficult to work in ... and still not used to having women". Although women have come a long way in their political struggles and they realize that there is a long road ahead, it still must be stressed that the quality of the performance of the few that have made it into parliament is crucial to furthering the effective participation of the many.

Translating the power of numbers into the power of action for women, by women, and in partnership with men, is what the next millennium will be about. We hope that with this handbook we have helped to point the way towards what will be a long and fruitful democratic process.