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‘Women
still marginalised’
The
Chronicle (Zimbabwe)
July 27, 2004
http://www.chronicle.co.zw/July/23/local_news/local1.htm
Women are still marginalised
by men in national decision making bodies, participants to the 6th Annual
General Conference of the SADC Electoral Commission Forum heard.
Presenting a paper
entitled "Elections Democracy and National Development a Gender Perspective,"
Dr Amy Tsanga, a senior law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe’s East
and Southern Africa Women’s Studies Centre, said the participation by
men and women in national decision making bodies was skewed in favour
of men.
Even though most SADC
countries had gender neutral electoral laws according the right to participate
equally to men and women, it had been realised that gender neutrality
in legislation did not translate into results that lead to the adoption
of more proactive measures to level the playing field, she said.
"Given the significance
of elections as a gateway to politics, the nature of the electoral system
has been found to be a significant variable in explaining the low rate
of participation by marginalised groups such as women compared to men,"
Dr Tsanga said.
She said most African
countries had special quotas for women representation in Parliament and
this had gone a long way towards achieving gender parity.
According to the 2004
Global Database of Quotas for women, South Africa had a 32,8 percent female
representation in parliament, Mozambique 30 percent , Seychelles 29,45
percent, Namibia 26,4 percent, Tanzania 21,4 percent, Botswana 17 percent,
Angola 15,5 percent, Zambia 12 percent, Lesotho 11,7 percent, Swaziland
10,8 percent and Zimbabwe 10 percent.
Dr Tsanga said although
the position of women had improved over the years, women still continue
to play a limited role in decision making bodies at national level.
While SADC countries
undertook to increase women’s participation to at least 30 percent by
2005 in the SADC Declaration of gender, few countries had met this quota,
she said.
"The women’s
convention is clear on the need for women’s participation in politics
and decision making. The protocol to the African charter on the rights
of women is also equally clear on the need for affirmative action in order
to increase women’s participation, yet the reality remains dismal,"
said Dr Tsanga.
The weak socioeconomic
position of women and a lack of higher education impinged on their confidence
to stand for higher political posts.
Dr Tsanga urged SADC
governments to put in place legislation which allowed for affirmative
action to ensure women’s participation in national decision making.
"Virtually all
SADC countries have ratified the convention on the elimination of all
forms of discrimination against women. The governments therefore have
an obligation to take appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination
against women in the political and public life. Given the existing low
figures on women’s participation, governments have to examine other alternatives
for improving the situation," she said.
Dr Tsanga said political
parties needed to adopt affirmative measures such as quotas to advance
the status of women.
"Quotas have
been considered essential in accelerating women’s advancements in politics.
In order for them to work, it is also important that there are sanctions
that can be taken when quotas are not respected," she said.
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