The IPU, an international organisation of 146 member parliaments is meeting in Cape Town this week, drawing more than a thousand delegates to the city. It was opened by President Thabo Mbeki on Sunday night.

Releasing the report titled "Equality in Politics" on Sunday, IPU Secretary-General Anders Johnsson said it clearly showed that there was an increase in the number of women in many parliaments across the globe and that women played a critical role in shaping policies. The study was conducted between 2006 and 2008 and involved 272 parliamentarians from 110 countries, 40 percent of whom were men.

Johnsson said the findings revealed that male members of parliament (MPs) agreed that the presence of women in legislatures had helped in terms of how laws were designed. "They concur that women bring something unique in politics. They tend to focus on issues affecting women, for instance gender violence. They want it addressed," said Johnsson.

Women MPs were assertive when it came to dealing with gender-related matters and made sure these issues were always high on the agenda.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde said South Africa has made great strides in women representation since the advent of democracy.

According to an IPU information document, more than 80 percent of the world's parliamentarians are men.