February 22, 2021
By Francis F.M. Harding
As Michelle Bachelet said “For me, a better democracy is a democracy where women do not only have the right to vote and to elect but to be elected”. Sierra Leone is a predominantly male society, men dominating all areas of national life-private and public.
There is seemingly more opportunities for boys than girls and creates a sense gender inequality. This is notwithstanding the fact that women in Sierra Leone constitute more than 50% of the population and they constitute majority of the rural labour force.
The media, civil society organizations and the development partners have been calling on all political parties for more women representative in the house of parliament. This is against the background of the gender disparity that has been mentioned.
The Third world conference on women, otherwise known as the Nairobi forward looking conference of 1985, posed the question: why more women should be involved in decision-making process?
All participants were confronted with lack of data and this elicited a greater consciousness of the gender gaps. This consciousness has trickled down to many countries, especially those on the African continent, making efforts to include more women in decision-making.
Equal participation of women and men in public life is one of the thrust of the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
The Convention stresses the rights of women to vote and be voted for, to stand for election, as well as to hold public office at all levels of government. Article 7 of the convention, state parties agree to take all appropriate measures to overcome historical discrimination against women and parliament, making it the highest in the world.
There is no doubt that equitable representation of women and men in Sierra Leonean parliament would add value to socio-economic, political and developmental process of the society. Increasing the number of women in Sierra Leone House of Representatives is very crucial to achieving a better Sierra Leone.
In the absence of a gender-sensitive political will and environment, Sierra Leone must consider measures of affirmative action (30 percent political positions reserved for women), pursuant to the decision at Beijing 1995, towards increasing the number of women in parliament.
This would still be below 50-50 representation, but a step forward from the present situation. Worldwide, there have been strong debates on the use of quota system towards increasing the number of women in the parliament. Quota systems, although controversial, have played an important role for women advancement. It aims at increasing women’s representation by a certain number or percentage and correcting the under representation of women and men. The question begs for answer: is quota an effective measure for increasing the number and political power for women? Effectiveness should be measures in terms of women’s participation from both a quantitative and qualitative perspectives.
The truth is: women transforming parliaments through their contributions. Countries like Uganda, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Tanzania and Argentina have initiated the quota allotment for women in their constitutions.
But it must be remembered that quotas are a doubled-edged sword. On one hand, they oblige men to think about including women in politics and decision-making, since men must create space for women.
However, sometimes, the men seek out women they will be able to ‘’menage’’ or manipulate. It can also isolate women from mainstream politics. Quota systems may be applied as a temporary measure for women’s entry point into politics until barriers to women’s involvement in politics are removed. After then, ensuring that women effectively participate is another issue.
This explains the idea. “ women in parliament: Beyond Numbers’’, which means creating space for a meaningful women’s political participation and engagement, which must be transformative as well as beyond just mere numbers.
I believe that if women legislators are increased, their participation in decision-making process will be shaped by their access to leadership or power positions.
Achieving 50-50 representation of women and men in the parliament requires conscious efforts and measures. The following measures would be relevant at ensuring the attainment of the 2030 agenda on women: implementing special measures, such as quotas, electoral system reforms, trainings and sensitization programmes to promote women’s participation in politics. Formalizing mentoring within political parties and encouraging exchange programmes between women leaders and emerging leaders. Institutions like the ‘’Emily list initiative’’ in the US, which supports women or female politicians.
Sierra Leone can make politics better by adhering to these tried tested notions. It is about the promotion of respect for gender equity within families, societies, traditional, religious and political institution. Women and men will be able to influence decisions and resource allocations. This requires going beyond simply increasing the numbers of women in different position to provide opportunities for women to influence the agenda, institutions and processes of decision-making.
In this 21st century it is obvious that genuine democracracy and good governance cannot exist without the equal participation of women and men in politics. Gender equality is one of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. It follows that the SDGs could only be achieved by women and men fully participating in all development process in Sierra Leone.
The involvement of women in politics remains very crucial because women‘s presence in the parliament broadens priorities on the political agenda. With women in parliament initiatives issues as child s care, maternal health care, women’s reproductive, violence against women and sex discrimination among others would be given greater prominence and discussion. Let us watch other countries like Rwanda, leads the way with a higher proportion of women in its legislature than any other country. The need for increasing the number of women in parliament remains unquestionable the questions should be:
The women of Sierra Leone should continue to put pressure on political parties and political leaders to open more space for female candidates. This can be enhanced with the help of continued pressure from women activists advocate and organizations. I am hoping that Sierra Leone will move a step forward from the present situation in 2023 general elections.
