SMALL BRANCHES CONFERENCE: 3 - WOMEN‘S REPRESENTATION IN SMALL STATES
Further, through political parties,
women’s groups can influence youth leaders and aspiring politicians to harness the energies of youth leaders to advocate for gender equality and other forms of direct action to encourage the participation of young women to prepare for future national leadership roles. Women’s organizations need to prioritize key needs for the inclusion of women in political processes and recommend region-wide policies. They can also press to increase their access to resources – financial and technical – by creating a database of specific challenges facing women and document strategies and programmes developed by and for women to meet these challenges. These key issues and strategies can be shared with political parties in an effort to sensitize and influence their constituencies and key stakeholders on the importance of sharing the political space with women.
Moving successful women into politics Women over 40 to 45 years of age are considered ideal candidates because most of them already have established careers and reduced family responsibilities. Their talents and experiences in professional fields in government, corporate/private sector and civil society can be tapped into to help them run for political office. Moreover, they tend to be more financially stable and have greater roots in their communities. These women are leaders by their own right and have a loyal constituency which can leverage their political candidacy. The conference noted that the
challenge is that most of these women have limited experience in politics and public service; hence capacity-building is critical to build confidence and expertise in this work area. Women can be referred to existing training programmes, leadership institutes and fund-raising schools nationally or internationally. Some countries have provided
leadership and management training for women to build the capacity of female political aspirants, equipping
Women in their 40s are considered ideal candidates for entering politics, having already established a career as well as having strengthened their roots in their communities.
them with qualities such as self- confidence and assertiveness. A pool of eminent women leaders
across Commonwealth regions can serve as experts by providing regional perspectives and to impart the skills essential for political development, electoral campaigns, voice projection and diversification of abilities. Aspiring women can have opportunities for leadership and share success stories on the benefits of public service. Women leaders should be sensitized to support women aspirants in their political journey. Further, by encouraging women to take up political office at all levels, it gives them the mandate as elected officials to change and amend repugnant laws to the advancement of all women. Moreover, financial support is pertinent for women’s political and electoral campaigns. Women entrepreneurs could serve as donors by establishing specific funds or fund- raising campaigns to support female political aspirants. Civil society can play a crucial role
in highlighting gender disparities. Women’s groups need to increase pressure through networking and advocacy on gender mainstreaming, protection of women’s rights and prioritizing media mobilization on women’s roles in political processes. The media need to improve the
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status of women by advocating that women’s issues involve both men and women to hasten change in customs, beliefs and values. The media should be encouraged to project women in a positive way, support their election campaign(s), and act as an agent for change on gender equity through portraying women in their multiple roles and highlighting positive achievements. Lobby groups should advocate
a fifty-fifty campaign in favour of “one man and one woman”, regardless of the electoral system adopted. Furthermore, civil society organizations should provide training in political and electoral processes, public speaking, media skills, civil rights and conflict resolution. Civil society needs to strengthen its partnership with governments, Parliamentarians and political parties for effective action and influence on gender equality.
Institutional approaches The conference noted that many women in dominant patriarchal societies still face many challenges ranging from oppressive cultural traditions to illiteracy, domestic violence ans religious structures. Women’s organizations need to involve influential men as champions to act as agents for change by
increasing the capacity of men to understand the challenges facing women, and involving them in signing international protocols. In this way, they would be able to understand the socio–cultural divide and be encouraged to embrace conventions and statutes that protect women such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Women’s groups should also
mobilize personal and community networks to ensure the broad participation of women in political processes and promote awareness of electoral rules and regulations. These challenges and strategies can be leveraged by all party leaders to educate the electorate on the importance of including women as part of its national development priorities and define specific contributory roles to accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality at all levels of decision. Parliaments are well placed
to provide a strong role model for government agencies and other organizations in mainstreaming gender through their own institutional processes and practices. Gender mainstreaming interrogates the gender-neutrality of institutions, particularly through their internal structures, working arrangements,