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No democracy without women
The next couple of years will see elections all over Southern Africa. Zimbabwean elections have been the most recent, Angola and Swaziland both have elections this year, and Malawi will go to the polls in 2009. In 2010, it will be Mauritius? turn. With the target of 30% and now 50% of women in decision-making, the question of women in politics is a vital part of the lead up to voting day.
Though Mauritian elections are two years away, the time is now to start making sure women take their place in leadership positions. After the 2005 elections, representation of women in Mauritian Parliament jumped from 5.6% to 17%, moving the country out of lowest to 5th place in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries regarding representation in Parliament.
The increased number of women did not happen on its own. Political leaders, at a workshop organised by Media Watch Organisation-GEMSA and Gender Links prior to the elections, took commitments to promoting women in politics. Will this tiny island nation make the mark in 2010? The workshop took place at a strategic moment, five months before the general elections. It attracted considerable media coverage. There was also some backlash from the then ruling alliance, which withdrew from the rest of the programme after presenting their views.
The same year that Mauritius missed the boat, Tanzania joined Mozambique and South Africa by reaching the 30% SADC target of women in decision-making. The Tanzanian cabinet since has 26 % women in cabinet and Mauritius has 10%. Two of their ministers Asha Rose Migiro and Sakhia Meghji are in Finance while our two are in Women?s rights and Social security.
The parliamentary session for 2008 kicked off with a good omen for women. PM Navin Ramgoolam suggested a quota for women and the opposition did not walk out. He told the house that as from May 2008 all parties will be contacted to find a consensus on this issue and the opposition agreed. It is not very often that both sides of the house talk the same language. Maybe they have realised that the tiger of the Indian Ocean is being sneered at for its poor performance of women in politics. Mauritius, considered the most democratic country in the SADC, has a lot to learn when it comes to gender.
In the report from the Commission on Constitutional and Electoral Reform, Albie Sachs wrote, ?Mauritius can justly be proud of the admiration, which its democratic life enjoys internationally. It cannot, however, hold up its head in terms of participation of women in political life.? At the 2005 workshop, Xavier Duval, who was in the opposition and is now deputy Prime minister and minister of Tourism, stressed on the ?chronic deficiency? in women?s representation. He said he believed in PR and t he party list. ?Let?s make the effort of party list so that more women can go into politics?, he implored political leaders present. He also said a woman could be nominated president or vice-president of the Republic, and ?why not speaker of the Legislative Assembly...?
Rhetoric and reality</B>
Unfortunately, politicians forget what they say. All we got is a woman deputy-Chief whip, Kalyanee Jugroo. Navin Ramgoolam, the then opposition leader, assured that his party was aware that ?the first past the post constitutes a major impediment for women while a proportional or a mixed system can be favourable to women. I hope that when we are in power we will have the consensus to introduce a PR system in our electoral reform?. Now that he is in power, we hope he makes sure a consensus is reached not only for the PR system but also for including women in the party list.
Rama Sithanen, deputy Prime minister and Finance minister, who recently obtained his PhD on electoral systems, can confirm that women get access through proactive measures, like the zebra or zip systems, that guarantees parties field women as candidates. We are three years late with the 30% SADC Declaration. Will we reach the 50% by 2015?
Paragraphs 211 and 212 of the Mauritius Government Programme 2005-2010 are in line with Article 14 of the SADC Protocol. The Protocol talks about State Parties ensuring that legislative and other measures are set up to achieve 50%, while the Government Programme talks about mainstreaming gender and sustainable action for social, economic and political empowerment of women.
In an interview for At the Coalface: Women in Local Government, Sheila Bappoo, minister of Social security and National solidarity, said: ?the curse of Mauritius is our patriarchal society coupled with our mentality at political party level. The lobbies, be it in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion are very strong and women do not form part of them. Male domination is anchored in our society.? The Labour Party amended its constitution in 2003 to make a special provision of at least 30% of women at all levels. ?The party?s constitution is one thing but fielding 30% candidates is another thing as ethnic lobby makes it very difficult for women,? she added.
The Mauritian Militant Movement is the only party that puts quotas for women?s participation in legislative and local elections. Yet, the 20% stipulated in its constitution has never been translated into action.
While we are two years ahead to election, we are just four months away from the SADC Heads of State meeting that will include the review of the Draft Gender Protocol. The question remains whether politicians will for once hold their heads and prove they can do it instead of the rhetoric and ink wasting? The time for action is now.
<B> Loga VIRAHSAWMY</B>
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