Page 30

CGH13_ebook

E q u i t a b l e g o v e r n a n c e a n d wome n ’s l e a d e r s h i p i n t h e C ommo nwe a l t h between women and men. By 2005, bi-annual reporting to finance ministers on progress in implementing GRB among members was instituted. Similar strategies are being employed by the Commonwealth Secretariat to increase women’s representation in decision making. The realisation is that overcoming the complexity of barriers that create and sustain women’s exclusion from leadership demands strategic, multi-pronged and systematic approaches. • Adoption and implementation of national gender policies – Several member countries have formalised gender equality through the adoption and implementation of national gender policies for women’s equality and at least 26 member countries are drafting their national gender policies • Affirmative action policies – At least 60 per cent of countries have adopted voluntary and legislative/constitutional quotas to advance women’s representation in decision-making. Reservation of seats and constituencies has proved successful in Rwanda, Swaziland and Uganda national elections, and in Bangladesh, India and Lesotho local governance. Such policies have created opportunities for women to participate in politics and hold leadership positions, thereby strengthening their capacity to participate in mainstream politics effectively. Moreover, such policies should be strengthened by providing capacity building and leadership training for women • Capacity building for women – Some countries have provided leadership and management training for women, to equip them with qualities of self-confidence, assertiveness, budget management, public speaking and legislative arrangements. Australia, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago have increased the representation of women in local governance without introducing affirmative action policies. This has been achieved through civil society capacity building efforts for women, which can be emulated across member states • Financial resources – Limited access to resources impedes women’s equal participation in politics and decision-making roles. A dedicated fund should be set aside through state or party mandates to support women’s advocacy and political campaigns. Women entrepreneurs can also support women’s candidacies • Mass mobilisation of women – To lobby political parties to mainstream women’s agenda in party manifestos and electoral campaigns • Appointing women leaders into positions of authority – This has proved effective in increasing the participation of women in decision-making, thereby acknowledging the effective contribution of women in leadership and conflict transformation • Involving male champions – It is critical and practical for men to serve as agents of change for the inclusion and effective participation of women at all levels and across all sectors starting from the home References ‘An Illustrative Trends Analysis on Women’s Political Development in the Commonwealth 2004–13’, unpublished paper by the Commonwealth Secretariat June 2013. Electoral Institute for Southern Africa http://www.eisa.org.za Gender Links ‘Gender, Elections and Media Factsheet’ www.genderlinks.org.za Inter-Parliamentary Union ‘Women in Parliaments’ http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm Lisa Irvin ‘Challenges and Strategies for Democratic Participation’(July 2006) The Republic of Uganda Ministry of Local Government ‘Challenges Confronting Women Leaders in Local Government – The Uganda Experience’ (May 2008) UN Economic Commission for Africa ‘Beijing Platform for Action +15 Africa Synthesis Report’, 2009, p. 15. Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 29 'Kemi Ogunsanya is adviser (Gender and Political Development), Social Transformation Programmes Division, Commonwealth Secretariat.


CGH13_ebook
To see the actual publication please follow the link above