WOMEN LEADERS IN PARLIAMENT


levels, and not just in the traditional disciplines either. Boys were the new underachievers. While the girls were doing better, the boys were doing something which I refer to as “self-marginalization.” Too many boys were drifting into antisocial behaviour, drugs, violence, et cetera. And even while this new trend of male marginalization was taking root, even up to now, as in the world of law, the cream was not rising in the corporate world, the public service or the world of politics.


In fact, what we’ve seen in politics is that the fortunes of women candidates change from election to election with the percentage of women in Parliament going up and down. Even in Dominica we have moved from 20 per cent female representation in Parliament to a mere 12.5 per cent today. Of course, this lack of sustainability is most unsatisfactory. The lesson to be learned here is that mechanisms for maintaining and increasing whatever gains are made should be deemed to be necessary components of whatever strategies are devised. Furthermore, such mechanisms must be ongoing even after set targets have been met.


before the eyes of Caribbean society; but very few were taking notice. Before more females could graduate from university, there had to be more girls graduating from college and high school. Girls were surpassing boys in academic achievement from primary to secondary and even tertiary


I was recently (once again) complaining to one of my male parliamentary colleagues about the dearth of women in our Parliament, and in reply he asked: “What do women bring to the parliamentary table that men do not”? I replied: “You’ll never know if you don’t put women there.” That may have seemed like a cop-out response,;but I just wanted him to consider that he could not condemn what he did not know. Despite my colleague’s sentiments, there is a growing awareness of the significant contribution of women in political and other leadership positions at community, national, regional and even international levels. Striving for gender equality is therefore not just a noble goal, but a demonstration and acceptance that co-operation between the genders enhances the possibility of the advancement of society generally.


At the Commonwealth Women


Parliamentarians business meeting last year, the discussion session centered around the question: Is there such a thing as a woman’s agenda (in Parliament)? In response, some women said that setting


“...what we’ve seen...is that the fortunes of women candidates change from election to election with the percentage of women in Parliament going up and down. “


forth a woman’s agenda (and I am paraphrasing here) would further marginalize women. Others expressed the view that Parliament was established by men, run by men and the decisions taken by men need not be for the benefit of women. Therefore, such decision-making ought to be filtered through gender lenses so as to maximize the benefits accruing to society overall.


All participants, however, agreed that women’s participation in Parliament is crucial and that CWP Members themselves ought to take the lead in encouraging and empowering women, especially young women, to become involved in politics.


Implementing the strategies There are as many strategies devised, as there have been countries effecting ways, for encouraging more women into politics and Parliaments and I am sure all of us know some if not all of them: Quotas, affirmative action, constitutionally laid out percentages, political party arrangements, et cetera. My personal choice, in the absence of affirmative action and quotas, is the 3 M’s: mentoring, motivating and mobilizing. I am particularly keen on the mentoring


idea. When I speak to women MPs most tell me there was a woman they admired who influenced their decision to enter politics.


I am pleased to note, then, that the Commonwealth Secretariat’s PoA has been extended to foster greater empowerment of women and to adopt other strategies for increasing our numbers in the political arena. Such forward movement on the part of highly regarded organizations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations gives added credibility to the gender equality ideal. What is more, the re-socialization element and the role adjustment aspect which are so crucial to bringing about greater acceptance of and less discrimination against women as politicians have a better chance of taking place, and in turn assist in engendering sustainability. However, even as we strive to encourage more women into politics and Parliaments, let us consider Rwanda. When the Rwandan conflict was over, the country’s women took on the responsibility of rebuilding their country.


Their progression into Parliament to continue that building process was inevitable. Has the Rwanda experience translated into tangible gains for the women of that country? I would imagine that it has uplifted the profile and status of women in that country generally,; but I’d like to know: what else?


Is it soon enough to know how the high percentage of women in the Parliament has been able to make a difference in the lives of the average Rwandan young girl? This is a story the world needs to know. And it must be told by our Rwanda sisters themselves. It is one movie I’m patiently waiting for.


And so, as 2015 approaches and our countries will be called to account, how many countries will have attained the desired goal of 30 per cent women in their Parliament? Some countries will, but most won’t. Rwanda, keep that 56 per cent flag flying. We need to reflect on it every so often so that our countries’ aspirations may be maintained.


The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two | 117


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