This book chapter explores female representation in politics in South Africa and Uganda, where women have approximately 30% representation at both national and local level. The chapter explores how politics and institutions help in advancing women's interests by looking at the ways democratic political institutions can affect citizen participation. Using a conceptual framework to analyse the accountability and agency given to women to determine the effect of women's political effectiveness, the findings determine that women’s voices do not lead to better outcomes automatically as gender biases still exist that continue to diminish the impact of female voice within politics.