Nora,
Sadly our church progresses ever so slowly, that this is probably the best we can get so far, and that is, trying to have a more geographically balanced College of Cardinals.  This is not even the 'baby-steps' that you mentioned.  But Pope Francis is trying to break the dead-lock of European/North American ecclesiastical politics. 

When can the laity [men and women] get their ideas even considered by the hierarchy?  Only the Holy Spirit knows, and even She's not too sure.