본 연구는 할당제를 통해 정계에 진입한 비례대표 여성의원들과 맑은넷 출신 여성의원들이 여성계를 위해 어떤 법률안을 얼마나 많이 발의하였는가 하는 문제의식에서 출발하였다. 여성단체가 할당제와 맑은넷 운동을 벌인 이유는 여성을 가장 잘 대변할 수 있는 것은 여성이라는 논리가 내재해있었기 때문이다. 16, 17대 국회에서 여성의원에 의해 대표발의된 법률안을 분석대상으로 한 본 연구는 여성의원이 증가함에 따라 여성관련 법률안이 증가하였는지 살펴보았고, 어떤 내용의 입법안을 발의하였는가 분석하였다. 이같은 분석을 통해 여성의원의 대표발의 활동에 있어서 여성의원간에 어떤 차이가 나타났으며, 궁극적으로 할당제를 채택한 것이 효과가 있었는가 하는 것을 분석하였다.

This study is about the experiences with electoral gender quotas(hereafter quotas) both before and after the introduction of quotas in Korea. A wide range of issues for and against quotas were discussed in the process of the country`s quota campaign. Among them, the notion that women`s interests can be best represented by women was frequently used by women`s movement organizations in persuading the state actors to adopt quotas. On the other hand, among the opponents of quotas there was the fear that quotas were going to lead to tokenism or become a mechanism sustaining patronage politics pre-existing in the Korean political parties. Therefore, whether or not women legislators elected on the basis of quotas have actually contributed to advancement of women`s interests has become a key question in assessing the effect of quotas in Korea. In this context, this study examines the effect of quotas by looking at the parliamentary performance of the women legislators elected in the 16th and 17th general election held in 2000 and 2004, the first and the second election following the adoption of quotas in Korea. Especially at the 17th election, there was Clean-Net women`s movement, which motivated and proposed a list of women candidates to the political parties. Therefore, it is meaningful to investigate how women legislators from this list performed during the 17th National Assembly compared with other women. In this study the parliamentary performance of the women legislators are examined mainly depending on how many they have initiated gender equality bills, how many of them have actually been passed, and how many they are influenced by women`s issues. The preliminary findings of the study seem to inform that many (not all) women legislators, have been active in initiating gender equality bills and getting them passed, as well as in performing other gender related activities in parliament. This sustains one view at least that quotas bring positive effects in terms of enhancing not only the number of women legislators but women`s interests.