The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has developed a spectrum of activities to surface issues relating to gender equality, women’s political representation, and municipal gender mainstreaming and service delivery, in relation to the forthcoming local government elections.
Accordingly, the CGE and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) today convened a national political party dialogue. As a public platform this brought together leaders of key political parties, stakeholders in the gender equality sector, media representatives and ordinary women and men, to deliberate on the responsiveness of political parties’ manifestos and campaigns to issues relating to gender equality and the enhancement of the status of women. Under scrutiny as well was political parties’ promotion of gender equality and women’s representation, through their practice and party lists, and commitment to the principle of 50/50 representation.
Adv Pansy Tlakula, IEC Chief Electoral Officer, highlighted trends in women’s political participation and representation across South Africa’s national and provincial elections.
With women comprising the majority of South Africa’s population, as well as the majority of registered voters, it was disturbing to note that this has not translated into women’s equal representation as party candidates and public representatives. Adv Tlakula indicated that for the 2011 local government elections, women comprise 37% of proportional representative party lists - despite the recommendation in the Municipal Structures Act that parties should “seek to ensure” that 50% of their Public Relations candidates are women, and that these are evenly distributed on the list.
In its presentation on research into party manifestos, lists and municipal integrated development plans, the CGE reiterated that such findings indicate a clear need for legislation on 50/50, as policy guidelines and voluntary quota systems are not having the desired impact. In its review of party manifestos, the CGE indicated that in the main, parties have not mainstreamed gender throughout their proposed interventions. The focus of most manifestos was on service delivery issues, but no gender lens was applied to these, or specific reference made to their proposed impact on women. The same finding was evident in the CGE review of a sample of district municipalities’ integrated development plans (IDPs), across the nine provinces.
Very few municipalities appear to realise the importance of mainstreaming gender in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of their programmes. Few consider gender in their operational plans, noting for instance how the particular needs of vulnerable groups and women in particular will be addressed through service provision, such as the provision of electricity, water and sanitation. In the main, IDPs do not address gender mainstreaming in service delivery planning, do not refer to the National Gender Policy Framework, the Gender Policy Framework for local government, or any municipal gender policy, and do not refer to gender equality or women’s empowerment. Targets set and data captured is not gender disaggregated. For example, in one district, no targets are set for the number of households and beneficiaries, disaggregated by gender, set to benefit from poverty alleviation interventions, making monitoring and evaluation difficult.
Many parties and municipal IDPs did, however, commit to the prioritising of the interests of vulnerable persons at ward level, such as women, people with disabilities, youth and the elderly. Parties did refer to specific anti-poverty measures, and interventions to raise awareness around HIV and AIDS, combat gender-based violence and ensure women benefit from local economic development opportunities. Manifestos present some concrete measures to strengthen services and support to women, such as the creation of safe house and shelters, improved and more visible policing, the creation of street and neighbourhood committees to combat crime, and ensuring that women headed households have access to improved and free basic services. In the lively panel discussion that followed, parties provided greater detail on their interventions to address the interests of youth and people with disabilities, as well as respond to the particular needs of women in rural areas, and those living in situations of poverty.
With regard to women’s political representation and the issue of 50/50, only the African National Congress and the United Democratic Movement reported that their parties are committed to implementing a 50/50 quota system. Party representatives deliberated extensively the issue of women’s inadequate representation, speaking to measures put in place to recruit women with potential, build their capacity through skills training interventions, and the creation of women’s desks and forums. Tamzin Hudson of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs outlined her institution’s interventions with political parties in the Southern African region, to build women’s political participation, and committed to working with South African political parties in taking this issue forward.
All parties were in agreement that the greatest challenge remains the legacy of patriarchy, in overcoming entrenched attitudes and perception relating to women’s leadership. This prevents parties from putting forward women candidates, prevents women from standing for nomination, and men and women from voting for women candidates. Questions were raised on the value of a quota system, whether this constitutes a token measure that sets women up for failure, or whether this leverages the recruitment and appointment of women to positions of leadership, to transform political institutions and challenge these mindsets.
Enquiries:
Javu Baloyi
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Commission for Gender Equality/Independent Electoral Commission political party dialogue: Gender and local government elections
