Frequently Asked Questions
1.What is the More Women More Power campaign?
The More Women More Power Campaign is calling for women to occupy 50 per cent or more of seats in all parliaments and elected bodies. One World Action is campaigning for radical measures to enable women to participate fully in political decision-making at the local, national and regional and international levels. We believe that pushing for women’s greater representation and participation in politics will help end centuries of discrimination and will contribute towards more robust democracies and equitable development worldwide.
2. Why demand 50% or more women in parliaments/elective bodies? Why not, say, 30%?
Women make up more than half the world’s people.It is just and sensible that women, in all their diversity, should be fairly represented in decision-making bodies.Without more women in political decision-making positions, the discrimination that women face in society, the economy and political life is very unlikely to be discussed and addressed fully.
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“Achieving the goal of equal participation of women and men in decision-making will provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society and is needed in order to strengthen democracy and promote its proper functioning.”Beijing Platform for Action, 1995, agreed at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women.
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3. How does a politician’s gender matter? Shouldn’t we judge them by their ideology, track record and integrity?
Ideology, track record and integrity are all important.However, there are differences between women and men, not only biological, but also based on gender.Women experience inequality and discrimination in social, economic and political arenas simply because they are women. Therefore, radical steps need to be taken to achieve equal rights and opportunity in politics.
4. Is there any evidence that more women in government can make it better?
Funny how we never ask whether men in government make it any better.
But yes, there IS evidence from countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Scandinavia and from the UK and elsewhere that certain vital issues such as violence against women, rape, sexual and reproductive health and rights, equal pay, marriage, divorce, child-care, parental leave, pensions, and many others, receive priority when more women are in government.
This is not to say that women can only speak about these issues. Women have important contributions to make on global and domestic issues such as the economy, trade, foreign policy, climate change, defence.
5. What about other minorities? Shouldn’t there also be increased representation for other groups who experience discrimination based on ethnicity, race, age and religion?
For a start, women are not a minority; women are over half of all people.Increasing representation for various minorities does not necessarily mean that women will get in. Women are also discriminated against within their own racial, religious and economic groups. In the More Women More Power Campaign we are arguing for equitable representation for the diverse range of women from different social, racial, ethnic, caste and religious communities, and for women who are disabled or living with HIV/AIDS.
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The Women’s Convention (CEDAW)
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was signed on 18th of December 1979.It has been ratified by almost all countries worldwide.
Article 7 says that all States who ratify the Convention “shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to women, on equal terms with men, the right:
(a) To vote in all elections and public referenda and to be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies;
(b) To participate in the formulation of government policy and the implementation thereof and to hold public office and perform all public functions at all levels of government;
(c) To participate in non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with the public and political life of the country.”
Article 8 of the Convention says that women should have “the opportunity to represent their Governments at the international level” on “equal terms with men and without any discrimination”.
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6.Isn’t racial or ethnic discrimination a more urgent issue to address through affirmative action?
No. Giving women more voice and presence in political life does not in any way diminish the need to address any other kind of prejudice.
Take the recent Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama conundrum: we accept without question that black people have been oppressed and are entitled to the full range of liberties and rights in a democracy. Why should discrimination against women be any more acceptable and less urgent?
7. Where do gay people fit in the More Women More Power scheme?
All people, regardless of sexual orientation, have the right to fair representation. That includes lesbian women, gay men and transgender people.They can of course organise separately if they wish to make sure their rights and interests are met.
8. How can the 50 per cent or more target be implemented in the UK? Haven’t similar measures failed before?
The UK has never taken measures to ensure that women are fully represented in political decision-making.The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 allows political parties to take positive action in the form of All Women Shortlists to increase women’s representation.Sadly, some political parties have not acted on this.
“All Women Shortlists as the quickest and most effective means of delivering equal representation, pointing out that the Labour Party's use of such equality guarantees has been central to the increased number of women in Westminster, the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. Another measure of interest is the Liberal Democrat's use of sex quotas at the shortlisting level, which helps to counter electorate discrimination.”Lis Astall, UK Managing Director, Accenture.Foreword, Women at the Top, 2005, Changing Numbers, Changing Politics?Hansard Society, London, 2005
Quotas have been used in many countries, for example, in South Africa at local, provincial and national levels, in Bolivia, in India and Bangladesh at local levels.Quotas are a form of positive action meant to correct inequalities which systematically exclude women from elected political positions.
9. What if there are no qualified women to fill half or more than half of parliament or any political body?
Are you kidding?The world is full of amazing, talented, experienced and qualified women who are kept out of politics simply because they are women! Merit is not the issue, discrimination is.
Some oppose positive action for equality on the grounds that it goes against the principle of meritocracy. The argument is that if women are ‘good enough’, they will be elected.
This is a flawed argument with a built-in bias. It assumes that there is a level playing field between men and women when the field is lopsided the world over, with women facing discrimination from infancy onwards. The few women who succeed in politics have had to overcome enormous odds; to date, the good judgement of voters has not been enough.
10. There have been prominent women politicians in the UK and other countries who behaved just like male politicians.Is there a guarantee that women politicians will be any different from men?
Many women politicians conform to the traditional way of conducting politics in order to get on.Most of the time they have no choice—there are very few predecessors to model themselves on and very few allies to support them once they are elected. If we radically increase the number of women in political office, we will have a critical mass of women whose political survival will not be dependent on ‘old boy’ networks that dominate our institutions. There will also be greater chances for women politicians from diverse backgrounds outside political families and traditional elites.
11. Which countries have implemented or are aiming for 50 per cent or more women in government?
In Spain, the Equality Law passed introducing the "principle of balanced presence" and required political party electoral lists to have a minimum of 40% and a maximum of 60% of women or men as candidates in general, regional, European and local elections. The impact was dramatic:women are now 36.3% of the Spanish parliament and hold nine ministerial posts (eight are held by men).
The Africa Union (AU) has adopted a Gender Parity Principle for all its decision-making structures.That means that all bodies and committees of the AU will have equal (or as near equal as possible) numbers of women and men.The AU recommends strongly that all Africa governments should take steps to do the same in their local and national government structures, government and parliamentary committees.
Some parts of the UK have made progress through similar measures. Women are 34.1% of the Scottish Parliament and 46.7% of the Welsh Assembly. This was achieved through some political parties adopting all-women shortlists and constituency twinning.
The UK is very happy to advise other countries about democracy but sadly is slow to take its own medicine. We need radical steps to reach 50 per cent or more, as other countries have. The UK is lagging far behind: it is number 59 in the ranking of women representatives in parliament, far behind some EU countries and developing countries.
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENTS WORLDWIDE
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Ranking
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Country
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% women
(lower or single house)
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1
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Rwanda
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48.8%
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2
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Sweden
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47.3%
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3.
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Cuba
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43.2.%
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4
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Finland
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41.5%
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5
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Argentina
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40%
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9
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Spain
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36.3%
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12
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Mozambique
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34.8%
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15
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South Africa
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33%
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20
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Tanzania
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30.4%
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26
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Afghanistan
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27.7%
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39
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Honduras
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23.4%
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49
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China
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21.3%
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54
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The Philippines
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20.5%
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59
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UK
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19.5%
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61
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Nicaragua
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18.5%
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67
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Bolivia
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16.9%
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75
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Zambia
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15.2%
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87
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Malawi
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13%
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92
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Guatemala
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12%
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105
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India
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9.1%
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Situation as of July 31, 2008
* Does not include the 36 special rotating delegates.
Source:Women in Parliaments:World Classification (Inter Parliamentary Union)
http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm
12. What can we do to make More Women More Power a reality?
Take an active part in the More Women More Power Campaign!
Send the More Women More Power postcard to your MP asking her/him to write to the Secretary of State for International Development pressing for more aid to go to programmes which promote and support women’s political participation at national and local levels.
Sign the More Women More Power Pledge calling on the UK Prime Minister to take immediate action to implement Article 7 of CEDAW through measures such as legislative action on quotas, all-women shortlists or constituency twinning.
Organise a local More Women More Power Campaign meeting in your political party, workplace, community or college. Contact Carla at to co-ordinate.
