FEMALE


REPRESENTATION


Reading List


Kenyan women are entering leadership positions throughout society, such as athletics medalist Mercy Cherono.


Burness, C. 1997: “The majority as minority: Women and contemporary politics in Scotland, New Zealand and Finland, 1960-96”. Parliaments, Estates and Representation17: 207-21.


Dahlerup, D. 1998. “Using quotas to increase women’s political representation”. In A. Karam (ed), Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers, IDEA, Stockholm: 91-106.


Darcy, R., S. Welch and J. Clark. 1994. Women, Elections, and Representation. Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press. Hay, J.M. et al, (1984). African Women South the Sahara. London: Longman Group.


Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (2000). “Politics: Women’s Insight”. Reports and Documents, No. 36, IPU, Geneva.


Isika, M. (2006). Women, Department of Sociology, Project Paper, University of Nairobi, Kenya.


A number of Bills to address gender-based violence and human rights concerns have been enacted and others are in the process of finalization.


Building experience Civil society in general, including non-governmental organizations and women's groups, must play a role in advancing women's representation. Women must also think carefully about their own goals, strategies and tactics. There is therefore need for more of such women’s organizations to spearhead the formation of a cohesive women’s movement capable of influencing national decision-making processes and lobby for women’s representation in the political arena.


In order to empower and enable women to participate in politics, it is necessary to extend the scope of women's involvement at the grass- roots level in women's movements and among elected local bodies. Expanding the pool of women who are qualified for recruitment into political careers is needed. Common understanding of the concerns of women, gender awareness-raising, lobbying skills and networking are important in training women.


Women’s leadership schools play a special role, since they are the places where links can be made between the wider groups of women and women politicians; and they are very often the only place where women can be prepared and encouraged for a political career in Parliament. Special attention should also be given to the involvement of young women in political participation.


Universal empowerment Susan B. Anthony, a prominent American civil rights leader, once said:


"The day will come when man will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race."


Challenges and opportunities


do exist for women. A lot of work needs to be done to remove challenges to female participation in politics.


All stakeholders, the


government, non-governmental organizations, civil society,


Kaufman, A. (1997). “Differential Participation: Men, Women and Popular Power”. In Kaufman M. and Alfonso (eds.) Community Power and Grassroots Democracy: The Transformation of Social Life. IDRC, Zed. Pgs 151-170.


League of Kenyan Women Voters (1997), The Kenyan Women’s Manifesto (2005), Nairobi Kenya. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and League of Kenyan Women Voters.


Manuh, T. (1998). “Women in Africa’s Development: Overcoming Obstacles, Pushing for Progress”. In Africa Recovery Briefing Paper No. 11, April 1998, United Nations, NY.


Njeru, E.H.N (1998), “Women, Decision-Making and Poverty” in Bahemuka et al (Eds.) (1998) Poverty Revisited: Analysis and Strategies Towards Poverty Eradication in Kenya. Ruaraka Printing Press Nairobi.


Nzomo, M. et al. (1992), Women’s Initiatives in Kenya’s Democratization. The National Committee on the Status of Women (NCSW), Nairobi.


Wanyande, P. et al, (2007). Governance and Transition Politics in Kenya. University of Nairobi Press.


Rule, W. 1994a. “Women’s under-representation and electoral systems”. Political Science and Politics 27(4): 689-92.


Rule, W. 1994b. “Parliaments of, by and for the people: Except for Women?”. In Rule, W and Zimmerman, J. F. (eds), Electoral Systems in Comparative Perspectives: Their Impact on Women and Minorities, Greenwood Press, London: 15-30.


professional bodies and international agencies must come together at local, regional and international levels to improve the


lives of women.


Empowering women is empowering the household, the community and the society.


The Parliamentarian | 2010: Issue Three - Kenya | 23


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