Face to Face
CHANDNI JOSHI
Chandni Joshi is the former Regional Program Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in the South Asian Region .She has lobbied on behalf of women and their families at major international conferences including the Earth Summit in Rio (1992) and the Fourth World Conference on women in Beijing (1995). She also served in high-level government positions including her role as Joint Secretary and Chief of the Women Development Division at the Local Development Ministry of Nepal
Creating a space for women in the development dialogue, Joshi has worked to give a voice to the disadvantaged and marginalized groups like tribal women, peasant women, migrant women workers, survivors of trafficking and violence, home-based workers, HIV-positive women and women in conflict and disaster situations. South Asia Partnership-International interviewed Ms. Chadani Joshi who is a member of Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWIP) Advisory Group.
What is your opinion on Violence Against Women and Violence Against Women in Politics?
Violence Against Women and Violence Against Women in Politics is a serious crime. However, these issues were not talked about earlier. In the Global Context as well, Violence Against Women was considered to be a private and domestic matter not to be discussed outside domicile. However, after the Beijing conference, the discussion on 12 critical areas concerning women, lead to the revealing public discussions on violence against women.
Violence Against Women and Violence Against Women in Politics is a serious crime. However, these issues were not talked about earlier. In the Global Context as well, Violence Against Women was considered to be a private and domestic matter not to be discussed outside domicile. However, after the Beijing conference, the discussion on 12 critical areas concerning women, lead to the revealing public discussions on violence against women.
Violence against women are not only the issues of women rather these issues cost the nation. Thus Violence Against Women are national and regional issues. In context with Violence Against Women, Violence Against Women in Politics is a major belligerence that women face today. So the issues of violence faced by women in politics are very critical and discourses on these issues are very necessary.
When talking about Violence Against Women, beating, rape and physical violence are only taken as violent behavior. However, the sarcastic remarks that women face and the mental torture that they have to experience are also Violence Against Women. So Violence Against Women has to be looked from wide perspective and the definition of Violence Against Women needs to be broader. Violence Against Women should be treated as a serious crime and the presence of impunity against the criminal exercising this crime should not exist. Criminals indulged in this type of serious crime should be punished.
Women, especially women in South Asia do not prefer politics as a career option. What is your opinion on this and what measures do you think are required to encourage women in politics?
There are two things needed to encourage women into politics. The first thing is, there needs to be Role Models. For example, in context of Nepal we need leaders like Chitralekha Yadav, Kamla Pant, Urmila Aryal etc who are candid and open. The second very important thing is safety-nets for women in politics. There needs to be women caucuses across party line. Women need to take politics as good career option because unless women themselves are in decision-making who is going to make decisions or laws suitable for women
Women, especially women in South Asia do not prefer politics as a career option. What is your opinion on this and what measures do you think are required to encourage women in politics?
There are two things needed to encourage women into politics. The first thing is, there needs to be Role Models. For example, in context of Nepal we need leaders like Chitralekha Yadav, Kamla Pant, Urmila Aryal etc who are candid and open. The second very important thing is safety-nets for women in politics. There needs to be women caucuses across party line. Women need to take politics as good career option because unless women themselves are in decision-making who is going to make decisions or laws suitable for women
What do you think can be done to combat the issues of Violence Against Women in Politics?
One thing important to observe is that though women in politics face various form of violence they hardly speak about it. So something very strong needs to be done to break the silence. Women’s body is taken as matter of honour. We can observe as women are linked up with honour, they keep quiet and hardly speak up about the violence they undergo everyday. The data reveal that every third woman faces some kind of violence from family, society, partners etc. That’s why what I think is a strong support system for women and especially women in politics are required. Women also need to realize that if they speak up, it will encourage others as well. Organizations and government bodies should be united to combat issues of Violence Against Women in Politics.
It is also important to create a violence free environment for women in politics. For example, in the regional conference, Invisible Faces of Violence on Women in Politics: Breaking the silence, Dr. Masouda Jalal, a presidential candidate from Afghanistan shared that not only her life but also the life of her husband and children were threatened during her career in politics. These issues need to be closely examined and suitable environment for women in politics needs to be created. It can be observed in the political parties that there are women who have been involved in the parties for years but they are never given any rights to make decision within the party. These kinds of practices, which deprive women from their rights, are violence. I would like to share about case study done in India, Punjab. According to the case study, it was found that meetings were intentionally arranged during the late hours, so that women Sarpanches (leaders) could not participate in the meeting even if she wanted. This kind of unfriendly environment for women in politics discourages women to participate in politics. Hence environment where women can flourish in politics needs to be created. Moreover networking and coping mechanism for women in politics is also very vital to combat the issues of Violence Against Women in Politics.
What is your view on affirmative actions taken towards women in politics?
Affirmative actions and laws towards empowerment of women in politics is a must requisite. Women have been suppressed for years and this needs to be compensated by affirmative laws and actions. Even the states discriminate women .For example, in the Public Service Commission, women after 30 years cannot join the services. This hampers women’s participation in public life.
Discrimination against women in politics doesn’t only cost women but it costs the nation as well. Moreover, what I think is that women who have faced violence needs to be healed otherwise they cannot work. It is necessary to look at the gaps in legal provisions, international standards and violence during the electoral processes concerning women in politics. One of the very important causes for the violence and discrimination faced by women is in the mindset of people. For example in a country like India where 71st and 72nd amendments have been made and one million women have emerged in Panchayat Raj, people still hesitate to give 33% seats to women in parliament. This kind of mindset of the people needs to be changed. The moral of women leaders needs to be boosted and skill-developing trainings in areas like communication for women in politics is necessary.
You were the Regional Programme Director of UNIFEM. As someone who has expertise in the field of women empowerment, do you think there are stereotypes in media against women? If yes, how should these stereotypes be addressed? What should women leaders and candidates do while facing such challenges?
Yes, I think the media stereotypes women. What I think is that the media itself has to actualize their mistakes rather than some third person criticizing them. Regarding this matter, I would like to share an experience of a workshop held in India by UNIFEM. Prominent companies like Coke, LIC, NIIT etc. women activists, women leaders etc were invited. In the first session the companies were asked to show their ads. The ads were not at all gender-sensitive. One of the interesting ads was from IT Company, which said: “Now I have completed my studies, I have a career, a house and a wife”. However, after the fist session there was a gender sensitive discussion and the companies were made aware about their wrong notion. Then they were again asked to show their ads. Later they were ashamed to show their ads. Hence, consistent awareness raising to the media from gender perspective is very vital. I would also like to add that focus should be cast on education and family upbringing in order to overcome stereotypes, as this can be efficient only if it starts at early stage. Women leaders should not be disheartened by the portrayal of stereotypes.
Would you like to add any comments? A very strong and united effort is needed to end Violence Against Women and Violence Against Women in Politics .As SAP-I has been working as a facilitator and catalyst to end Violence Against Women in Politics, these activities need to be done in larger scale. Women have been facing violence since generations. As a result, they have been habituated to violence and they accept it as a part of life. In India a survey revealed that 57% of the women thought that it was all right if their husband slapped them .So these kind mindset needs to be erased and violence against women needs to be treated as a big crime. It is necessary to penetrate upwards and downwards i.e., to policy makers as well as grassroots level making them aware that violence against women is crime. Two-way communication is important. Lastly, people working against violence faced by women should not be frustrated. Since Violence Against Women is deeply embedded in our structure and system there needs to be strong legal and justice system to erase it from its root.
