DEVELOPMENT: Women’s Touch Enhances Political Life

By Gustavo Capdevila Reprint | | Print |

Gustavo Capdevila

GENEVA, Mar 6 2000 (IPS) - Women enrich and broaden political processes, imbuing them with greater honesty and transparency, concludes a study by the world Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), released Monday as a prelude to the March 8 celebration of International Women’s Day.

If women are involved, politics tend to be more sensitive to the population’s needs, especially the needs of women and of society’s poorest, says the study, released in Geneva, home to the IPU, and in New York.

But despite the IPU’s findings, the representation of women among the world’s heads of state reached just 3.7 percent in mid-1999, including the presidents of Guyana, Ireland, Latvia, Panama, San Marino, Sri Lanka and Switzerland.

At that time, women prime ministers made up just 1.6 percent of the world total (Bangladesh, New Zealand and Sri Lanka), while the average portion of women legislators reached 13 percent.

The IPU report is based on questionnaires completed by 187 women politicians in 65 countries, representing a broad range of political ideologies.

The study’s authors point out that while gender equity may be incorporated into laws, the current obstacles and challenges women face in politics clearly show that principles of parity and equality in democracy continue to run up against the consolidated norms and practices that were dictated in the absence of women.

The blame for these obstacles, however, must not be placed on men alone, stresses the study. Women may act against their interests if they are blinded by their own enthusiasm and personal ambition, or pulled in many different directions political factionism.

A woman politician from Western Europe affirmed that when it comes to politics, women are less adversarial than men and more consensus-driven.

The IPU research established that women have been able to clearly see the transformations arising from their mere presence in the political arena and the results of their individual or collective political actions.

All of these elements, says the study, contribute to the gradual construction of a democracy based on gender equality.

One major consequence of women’s arrival on the political scene is the profound, though slow, evolution of political culture, as is evidenced by the use of language and customs.

One North American woman interviewed for the study confirmed “the virtual elimination of sexist language.”

“There used to be incidents in our parliament where the women legislators where called ‘slut,’ ‘bitch’ or ‘baby.’ A woman legislator was laughed at for raising the issue of violence against women,” she said.

But, she added, “men are more careful now. Their attitude has changed. There is be more moderation, less passion and more objectivity.”

IPU president Namja Heptulla, from India, said “there is greater participation of women today at all levels of decision-making and a greater commitment by governments to remove gender discrimination from the political system.”

“The feminist movement around the world has gathered momentum and it is encouraging to see that even men have come to accept women as equal partners in the progress of civilisation,” Heptulla stated.

The IPU study found that achievements by women politicians are especially evident in the areas of social security, gender equality, the fight to end violence and abuse against women and children, employment, services and the environment.

Though to a lesser extent, the participation of women has contributed to major advances in arms control and conflict resolution.

The testimonies collected by the survey reveal that women are convinced that their different perspectives and values contribute to politics traditionally run by men. As a result, women improve and broaden the process, making it more democratic, says the IPU document.

The study establishes that women still face an important question – one that should also be of concern to men: How can political life be better harmonised with family life?

Of the women parliamentarians surveyed, 73 percent (183 cases) are mothers, of which 34 are responsible for their home life and the care of at least one elderly person, while another five women legislators have handicapped family members in their care.