Women In Politics: Policy Commitments Need to Be Implemented

Women In Politics: Policy Commitments Need to Be Implemented

In response to the story (Fiji Times 15/7/13) regarding women’s political participation in Fiji.

Shamima Ali is correct in reflecting the generational barriers to women’s political participation including the lack of broad range support for women’s participation in political leadership, as well as consistent negative perceptions within Fiji society today of women who dare to challenge the status quo.

These barriers have failed to recognize and on build on the solid foundation of women’s political agency which has been visible throughout the generations and still prevails today - whether it is the mother’s clubs organising school fees programmes or women and young women’s activist groups, and the progress in  forging multiracial collectives and co-operatives.

This was echoed at the 4th Fiji Women’s Forum (April 8th -10th, 2013) when participants noted with deep concern the disproportionate representation of women in parliament: “Women make up 50% of Fiji’s population and are leaders in every aspect of our society and yet, since independence, the percentage of women in parliament has never reflected this reality.”
 
The collaboration reflected through the Fiji Women’s Forum highlights the strategies required to create awareness on women’s political participation in national democratization processes, identify strategic approaches to increase women’s participation in all electoral processes and continue to forge a collaborative approach amongst women sharing skills, resources and building greater solidarity.

Having collaborated in 2012 to through a range of strategies which included mobilization and delivery of over 125 rights-based civic education campaigns and programmes, the production of democratic advocacy materials and the facilitation of over 650 individual and group submissions that contributed to over 7000 submissions received by the 2012 Constitutional Commission, the co-convenors of the Fiji Women’s Forum were clearly deeply disappointed that the women’s values and priorities which were reflected in women’s submissions to the People’s Draft Constitution, 2012, was rejected resulting in the invisibility of women in the current Government Draft, 2013.

What we require is greater and more consistent compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Fiji ratified in 1995. Which is why I turn to the issue of government’s own policy commitments to gender equality in decision making.

The Ministry of Women as the key gender advisor to cabinet and government has a vital role in ensuring government’s treaty and policy compliance particularly to ensure the equal participation in decision making at all levels of society.

This is specifically enshrined in the government’s own National Women’s Plan of Action (WPA) (2010 – 2019) with a specific strategic objective to “ensuring free and fair general elections and appropriate representation in Parliament and Cabinet” as well as supporting equality in local level decision making.

I therefore agree with the strategic actions identified in the WPA which clearly states that to make women visible in formal decision making in Fiji requires:
(a) regulation with provisions for substantial representation of women in political hierarchy
(b) constitutional provisions for affirmative action programmes and Temporary Special Measures and
(c) affirmative action for change that will enable women’s participation in Parliament.

However I am uncertain as to what specific programmes and strategies the Ministry of Women has been undertaking to ensure these commitments are reflected in Fiji’s democratization process.

Given the political reality that in the 2006 national elections of the 311 candidates only 27 were women, it makes good sense that the Ministry of Women assists in advancing the call of the Fiji Women’s Forum for temporary special measures to bring about “50-50” representation both in national parliament as well as in local governance structures.

Ultimately the transformative change  we need for gender equality in political participation is not just about the policies of parties.
Yes we need to ensure that party structures are inclusive and human rights based and that they will enable women to step into the political arena or as Dr Luveni says “to be publicly involved in politics”.

The women of Fiji also and rightfully expect that the commitments in the National Women’s Plan of Action are not simply words on paper but are enshrined in the electoral system and pave the way for a democratization process which addresses the historical barriers and enables the change in our political processes by supporting the advancement of women in all political structures and systems.

ENDS

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