This work examines the role of women's organizations in the 2000
elections in Croatia in an effort to understand when and how they play a
significant role in promoting democracy and, in particular, the election
of female candidates. Croatia offers a crucial case for the study of
gender and democratization because it challenges two significant
generalizations from the comparative literature on postcommunist
transitions: first, that women's organizations have been more likely
to succeed in postcommunist countries where democracy has proceeded the
furthest and, in particular, where ethno-nationalist conflict and
ideologies are least salient; and, second, that widespread opposition to
gender quotas in postcommunist countries prevented their use as a tool for
promoting women's equality. What conditions were present that
facilitated the effectiveness of women's organizations in Croatia in
promoting their goal of electing more women? Four factors are key to
explaining their success: the organizational strength and unity of
women's organizations; the extent of involvement by international
organizations and donors; the perceived central role of women's
organizations in democratization; and, finally, the character of their
alliances with political parties.An earlier
version of this paper was presented at the Thirteenth Berkshire Conference
on the History of Women, Scripps College, June 2–5, 2005. I would
like to thank Lisa Baldez, Karen Beckwith, Charlie Kenney, Carol Lilly,
Andrew Halterman, and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable
comments on earlier drafts of this article.