ices ▁that ▁imp eded ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁women ▁and ▁disc ou rag ed ▁women ▁from ▁offering ▁their ▁candid acy . ▁ ▁In ▁both ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁women ▁MP s ▁elected ▁were ▁selected ▁from ▁all - w omen ▁short lists . ▁ ▁The ▁increase ▁in ▁women ▁in ▁politics ▁brought ▁increased ▁parliament ary ▁priority ▁to ▁issues ▁such ▁as ▁women ' s ▁health , ▁domestic ▁violence ▁against ▁women , ▁and ▁child care . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁increased ▁number ▁of ▁women ▁MP s ▁and ▁greater ▁focus ▁on ▁women ' s ▁concerns ▁likely ▁resulted ▁in ▁increased ▁female ▁support ▁for ▁Labour ▁at ▁the ▁pol ls . ▁ ▁AWS ▁may ▁also ▁have ▁made ▁it ▁easier ▁for ▁women ▁to ▁be ▁selected ▁non - all - w omen ▁short list ▁seats . ▁The ▁short lists ▁also ▁gave ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁British ▁female ▁Home ▁Secretary , ▁Jac qui ▁Smith ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Other ▁countries ▁Many ▁countries ▁today ▁use ▁political ▁gender ▁quot as . ▁Among ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁use ▁party ▁res erv ations ▁for ▁female ▁candidates ▁by ▁political ▁parties ▁were ▁Norway , ▁Sweden ▁and ▁Den mark . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Labour ▁Party ▁mand ated ▁that ▁" at ▁all ▁elections ▁and ▁nomin ations ▁both ▁sex es ▁must ▁be ▁represented ▁by ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 0 ▁per ▁cent ", ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁the ▁Swedish ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁Work ers ' ▁Party