Issue no.: 2 | December 2008

Outlook

Women in Democratic Governance: A South Asian Experience

Prof Susheela Kaushik (President, Centre for Development Studies and Action, India)

South Asia is a region where parliamentary democracy and monarchy have co-existed for quite a long time. Having been directly ruled by Great Britain, five of the seven countries have inherited democratic governance as a part of a set of values. Bhutan and Nepal were the only two countries with a monarchy. In subsequent decades, however, this record was broken by the recurrence of military rule, dictatorship and periods of emergency. However, democracy has always bounced back.

Recent Developments in South Asia and Women's Participation

Democracy in South Asia presently has a chequered career. Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are facing powerful challenges, in the form of civil war and violence in Sri Lanka; fundamentalism and violence in Pakistan; and in Bangladesh, the normal functioning of democratic processes has been suspended in the name of anti-corruption. These developments are threatening democracy and people's rights. At the same time, there have been very encouraging and progressive developments in the region that augur well for democratic governance. Nepal and Bhutan are moving towards democracy and have given up monarchy. Bhutan had its first national elections on 24 March 2008, under a universal adult franchise. Nepal attempted to revive its democracy through elections to the Constituent Assembly on 10 April 2008. Pakistan like Nepal is seeking to overcome violence, forget its scars and search for peace after elections to its National Assembly, on 18 February 2008. Though facing many social challenges, India is steering its democratic polity confidently.

Political Parties and Women

More women can emerge in the decision-making levels of a democratic polity, if the political parties take more women on board. It is now a matter of agreement all over the world, that women are not merely capable but have an invaluable role in the management of politics, and in accomplishing good governance. However, the political parties need to work for women's political empowerment, by integrating a large amount of women in their party apparatus at all levels, by helping them and nominating them to various levels of decision making like the elected bodies, and by articulating through them the alternate perspectives, views and experiences for better governance.

In all the South Asian countries, almost all the parties have constituted women fronts. While they are quite active, in articulating women's issues and mobilizing the women votes, their impact on the main parties by way of political decisions is minimal. Some of the parties utilized them to bring more women into the party fold, but their role in getting them tickets was limited.

Elections and Women

Though in all the South Asian countries, women are counted as equal citizens and provided constitutionally with legal and political rights, they actually do not seem to count much in the political process. Neither the male politicians nor the political parties seek them out except during the elections. At the time of elections, women politicians or female relatives/ campaigners of male politicians reach out to them. The feudal, patriarchal culture of the region, which isolates and shuts women, is partly responsible for this. Also, the parties take women for granted, believing that women either do not vote or vote according to the men's dictates/ advice.

The low percentage of women turnout, then assign them low priority and women's votes do not count that much in the elections. They have not yet emerged as powerful vote banks as Dalits or other caste groups in the constituency. Women are also not organized as a political group or electoral category though there is a strong women's movement in general, at least in the five countries of the region. However, of late, there has been a greater recognition of women's votes, and also the value of voting by women. In Pakistan, more women have turned out to vote after Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

Women and Political Violence

A factor threatening women's participation is the existence of violence in politics. Violence, which has been criminalized, has become a part of politics. During elections, violence becomes manifold. Not only women but men also find it difficult to contest against violence, money and mafia groups. In the case of women, threats of violence take vicious forms from character assassination to threats of rape and molestation, kidnapping of children and close relatives, open physical abuse in the streets. Women are likely to be subjected to various ways of torment. Many women shirk politics and view it as bad, dangerous and immoral; that it is meant only for men. Unless the political system finds a way against the role of money and violence in our public lives, women cannot really participate effectively and efficiently in governance.

Suggestions for Increasing Women's Role in Democratic Governance

Many suggestions have emerged from time to time both from the women's movements in the various countries, as well as other agencies.

• For participation in election and the legislative bodies
  • By stipulating a certain percentage of total membership in Parliament and state assemblies (Quota system) which can be done by reserving the constituencies in direct elections for women, or by nomination.
  • By the constitution or a law that will require every party to put up a certain percentage of women candidates (as in Nepal).
  • By increasing the total number of members in the Assembly and giving the extra seats to women. This can be done by nomination (as in Bangladesh and Pakistan) or by direct elections.
  • By introducing double member constituencies' in which one man and one woman will be elected from each constituency. This will provide 50 percent of total seats to women, without increasing the total number of seats. (None of the South Asian countries have adopted this).
  • By allocating a certain percentage to women where there already is a reservation practice in operation.
  • By Proportional Representation System (including the list system) as in Germany and other European countries.
  • Many activists and reformers have been demanding national funding and public donations, particularly for the women candidates and those from the weaker sections. (Many European countries like Germany have such public funding)

  The above methods can operate well only if the participation of women in politics is considered as necessary, and if there are enough women trained and sensitized towards the political process. Otherwise most of them (particularly the ones who are based on nomination or indirect elections) become merely ornamental, as the choice is made on grounds other than political experience, training, contribution.

• Roles and Contribution of Women to Political Parties
  • Recruitment of a large number of women as members in the party.
  • Affirmative action of bringing more women members at the decision making level in the party forums, central executive bodies, (like working committees, politburo, central committees etc).
  • Encouraging and identifying women who have served as elected members and chairpersons in the local governments and making them members of the political parties of national and state levels.
  • The women's movement and politically active NGOs and women leaders in the parties create a lobby.
• Gender sensitized environment and a political ethos that is convinced of the need for more women visible in the political processes
  • The women's movement and politically active NGOs and women leaders in the parties create a lobby.
  • Women politicians need to squarely face and negate not merely the patriarchal opposition from male (and at times even women) politicians, but also from families, religious and customary values and practices.
  • Remove the apathy and indifference of many good natured men and women politicians who are not opposed as such. A need to convert them to active and vocal supporters and lobbyists for women's causes.
• Women Quota in Tickets by Political Parties
  • As an alternate to the reservation of 33 percent for women in seats to parliament and state assemblies (which will require an amendment to the constitution), there is a suggestion to reserving the same in the lists of contestants prepared by the parties.
• All the countries need to adopt a charter of women's rights and a holistic policy for the empowerment of women
  • Values like citizenship right, economic equity and social justice are essential in providing opportunities and women's access to democratic governance.
  • The nation also needs to enforce the rules and maintain law and order situation.
  • Election codes have to be strictly enforced, and role of money and muscle power banned.
  • Women and others from weaker sections should be protected and enabled to vote freely, contest boldly and perform their functions fearlessly.