Women Representation in Politics
Context:
Despite women making up 52% of voters and the workforce, none of the 38 candidates in Sri Lanka’s upcoming presidential election are women. This contrasts sharply with the country’s history, as Sri Lanka elected the world’s first woman prime minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, in 1960. However, women remain underrepresented in Sri Lanka politics, currently holding just 5.3% of parliamentary seats.
UN- WOMEN Report on State of women in politics worldwide:
- Heads of State/Government:As of June 1, 2024, 27 countries have 28 women serving as Heads of State and/or Government,
- 18 women as Heads of State and 15 as Heads of Government, and gender equality in these roles is projected to take 130 years to achieve at the current rate.
- Women in Cabinets:As of January 2024, women represent 23.3% of Cabinet Ministers leading policy areas. Only 15 countries have 50% or more women in Cabinet positions.
- The most commonly held portfolios by women include Women and gender equality, Family and children affairs, Social inclusion and development, Social protection, and Indigenous and minority affairs.
Women in National Parliaments:
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- Women make up 26.9% of parliamentarians in lower or single houses, an increase from 11% in 1995.
- Six countries, including Rwanda, Cuba, and Nicaragua, have 50% or more women in their parliaments, while 22 countries have surpassed 40% representation.
- On the other hand, 21 countries have less than 10% women in parliament, with two having no female representation at all. Gender parity in legislative bodies is projected to be achieved by 2063.
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Women in Local Government:
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- Women hold 35.5% of seats in local deliberative bodies globally. Three countries have reached 50% representation, while 22 countries have exceeded 40%.
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Barriers to women entry in politics:
- Quota: Insufficient for Meaningful Change
- In 2016, Sri Lanka set a 25% quota for women in political representation. This quota introduces a numerical shift, it is not enough for substantial change. There is a need for active efforts to bring women into politics and leadership roles.
- Patriarchal Party Structures as a Barrier
- The patriarchal nature of Sri Lankan political parties remains a significant obstacle.
- Men perceive politics as a domain outside the domestic sphere, resistant to equal sharing with women. This cultural mindset limits women’s entry into politics, making it especially difficult unless they hail from political families. Often, women are included only to fill seats, rather than being valued as key players.
Simone de Beauvoir, in her book The Second Sex, famously stated that the “personal is political.” This perspective aligns with the challenges faced by women in Sri Lanka. Politics, much like the household, is seen as a male-dominated space, yet women’s issues and lived experiences in the domestic sphere are inherently political. Overcoming patriarchal structures in politics requires recognising that personal struggles, such as exclusion from leadership, reflect broader systemic inequalities that must be addressed for true gender equality.
Simone de Beauvoir’s Perspective: “The Personal is Political”
Steps taken to enhance women’s representation in politics:
- Electoral Reforms: Implementing gender parity electoral laws, as seen in Mexico, can significantly increase the number of women in political leadership positions.
- The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act 2023, commonly known as The Women Reservation Act of 2023, marks a significant milestone towards empowering women in the political process.
- The act introduces Article 330-A, providing for the reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, and Article 332-A, which mandates the reservation of seats for women in State Legislative Assemblies. Additionally, Article 239-AA has been amended to reserve seats for women in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
- Party Support: Political parties can play a crucial role in promoting women’s participation by providing support and resources to women candidates.
- Labour Party (UK): The Labour Party has implemented a system of all-women shortlists for selecting candidates in certain constituencies, significantly increasing the number of women MPs elected.
- Developing rules guaranteeing representation: Guaranteeing a minimum representation of women in party decision-making bodies.
- Germany’s Green Party: It has instituted a “dual presidency”, with a man and woman co-chairing the party.
- Parties from Hungary and the Czech Republic to Norway and Iceland have adopted voluntary quotas.
The Fifteen: The Lives and Times of the Women in India’s Constituent Assembly By Angellica Aribam and Akash Satyawali highlights the role of women in the Indian Constitution Making
Notable Figures and Contributions: