B Explanatory memorandum,
by Ms Eglantina Gjermeni, rapporteur
1 Introduction
1. The level of women’s participation
in political and public decision making is a major indicator of
gender equality and of women’s empowerment in society. In past decades,
throughout the world, women’s political participation has been steadily
increasing and concrete progress has been made. In the European
Union, the proportion of women in parliament is higher than ever.
Nevertheless, gender parity is far from being reached in political
representation. Seven out of 10 members of parliament in the European
Union are men.
Note
2. Quotas have been put in place in some countries to achieve
tangible improvements in representation of the under-represented
gender. In Spain, the representation of women in parliament reached
44%, exceeding the initial target of 40%.
Note In Sweden, gender parity
has almost been reached (47%) with strong gender equality policies
and in the absence of quotas. However, countries approaching gender
parity in political representation are still exceptions. There are
around 21% of women in cabinets worldwide according to UN Women
data.
Note UN Women estimates that at this rate, gender
parity at head of government level will only be reached in 130 years.
Note
3. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented his gender-balanced
Cabinet in 2015 by simply stating that the composition made sense
“because it is 2015”. More and more often, the gender composition of
cabinets is analysed and commented in the media. When Prime Minister
Pedro Sanchez appointed more women ministers than men to his government
in 2018,
Note he was asked to explain the reasons behind
his choices and he replied that he had selected the most competent
people.
Note Political
will is essential to make progress.
4. In addition to a lack of gender balance, the current composition
of parliaments and governments does not yet reflect the diversity
of the population. In 2018, the report by Mr Killion Munyama (Poland,
EPP/CD) on
“Promoting
diversity and equality in politics” stressed that “[p]romoting higher participation and
representation of women, young people, people with an immigration
background, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and LGBTI
people in politics is a way not only to ensure that institutions
are recognised as the mirrors of society, but also to ensure that
their concerns are truly taken into account in the political decision
making process”. In its
Resolution
2222 (2018) “Promoting diversity and equality in politics” the Assembly
stated it was “convinced that promoting greater representativeness
of elected institutions would strengthen their democratic character,
enhance the quality and legitimacy of their decision making and
increase people’s trust in the political system. It would also contribute
to preventing and combating discrimination, sending out a powerful message
in favour of equality and inclusion”.
5. Beyond gender parity issues, the participation of women in
political and public decision making in Europe seems too often,
as is the case for their male counterparts, almost reserved to white,
middle-aged to senior and highly educated women. Politics, when
open to women, does not yet appear to be open to all women. Women
and men participating in political and public decision making often
come from privileged groups with access to numerous opportunities
from an early age. “Mirroring patterns of male leaders, women who
manage to access spaces of power, such as those found in formal
political processes, overwhelmingly come from political and economic
elites” concluded the expert group preparing the 65th session
of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65).
Note Women’s participation is closely
linked to characteristics such as age, status, origin and level
of studies. Double or triple discrimination is one of the most difficult
obstacles to overcome. We need to ask the question “which women”
are now participating in political and public decision making and
what can be done to encourage more women of different backgrounds
to do so. It is therefore high time to look into the issue of the
participation of women from under-represented groups in political
and public decision making and discuss measures to increase it.
Note
2 Aims and scope of the report
6. The
motion for a resolution which is at the origin of this report stresses that
the Assembly should provide guidelines on the development of a set
of reinforcing instruments to enhance the participation of women
from vulnerable groups in public life
Note and all decision-making levels.
It also indicates that it should encourage member States to collect
data, including disaggregated data, on the participation of women
from vulnerable groups in politics and decision making.
7. The motion for a resolution provides a description of vulnerable
groups.
Note I
have decided not to propose an exhaustive definition which could
mean overlooking one group or another. The common denominator appears
to be that women belonging to vulnerable or under-represented groups
encounter more challenges and have fewer opportunities than other
women, which can hinder or delay their entry into politics and participation
in political and public decision making.
8. With this report, I have tried to analyse why it is important
for women from under-represented groups to participate in political
and public decision making and what specific measures can be taken
to support their participation. I have looked for good practices
which could be promoted, either at local or national level, including
by political parties. I have also reviewed the different challenges
preventing women from under-represented groups from participating
and looked for innovative projects to tackle them. The committee approved
my proposal to replace the word “vulnerable” by “under-represented”
in the title of the report.
3 Working
methods
9. I carried out desk research
based on the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination against women and the follow-up to Committee of
Ministers Recommendation
CM/Rec(2003)3 on Balanced
participation of women and men in political and public decision
making.
Note I have also looked into the information
provided by States for the review of the implementation of the Beijing
Platform for Action, which celebrated its 25th anniversary
in 2020,
Note work by UN Women, the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and its Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
Note
10. I held an inspiring virtual bilateral meeting with Ms Maryna
Bardina (Ukraine, ALDE), mover of the motion for a resolution. I
would also like to thank Ms Yuliya Lovochkina (Ukraine, SOC) for
her comprehensive written contribution on the situation in Ukraine.
I would like to thank as well Ms Serap Yaşar (Turkey, NR) for the
written information she provided on the functioning of the AKP political
party women’s branch.
11. On 3 November 2020, I held a bilateral meeting with Thorsten
Afflerbach and Valérie Poppe from the Council of Europe Roma division
on the political participation of Roma women. I also held meetings
with Alazne Irigoyen, co-founder of the platform Young feminist
Europe
Note and researcher at Bilbao University
on 18 December 2020 and with Julie Ballington from UN Women New
York on 14 January 2021. On 18 and 19 January 2021, I held virtual
bilateral meetings with a series of interlocutors in Finland and
on 8-10 and 16 February 2021, with interlocutors in the Netherlands.
Note I
would like to thank the chairpersons Kimmo Kiljunen and Petra Stienen
as well as the secretariats of these delegations for the support
provided. On 11 February 2021, I met with Alja Van Heel, Senior
Gender Adviser at the OSCE/ODIHR. On 17 February 2021, I held a
virtual bilateral meeting with Momodou Malcolm Jallow, General Rapporteur
on combating racism and intolerance.
12. In addition, I have collected several testimonies of LBT women
engaged in politics: Faika El-Nagashi, member of the Austrian Parliament,
and Lilian Haak, who is elected at the municipal council of Appeldorn
in the Netherlands. I also had the opportunity to discuss with Cianán
Russel representing ILGA Europe.
Note
13. The committee held a hearing on 2 February 2021, with the
participation of Zeyna Hilal from the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Alia El-Yassir, Regional Director for UN Women Regional Office for
Europe and Central Asia and Marina Bublik who is a young Roma woman
engaged in politics in Ukraine.
14. I was also able to attend consultations held in view of the
CSW65 which focused on women's full and effective participation
and decision making in public life, as well as the elimination of
violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all
women and girls.
15. Last but not least, I had meetings with Bardhylka Kospiri,
Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection in Albania on 6
February 2021, and with Brisilda Taço, Roma Activist, Project Manager
at Romano Kham on 9 February 2021 in Tirana, Albania.
16. All these meetings gave me extensive input to a report which
I believe is timely and extremely relevant, showing both the progress
made and what is still to accomplish. The many enriching interviews
are described in the report, and I have reflected the expert and
first-hand experiences from around Europe in the recommendations
made.
4 Obstacles
to participation
17. At our hearing on 2 February
2021, Ms El Yassir representing UN Women referred to the report
of the UN Secretary General in view of the 65th session
of the Commission on the Status of Women, which stated that “rural
women, women with disability, indigenous women, LBIT and women facing
racial issues and women of African descent were among the most excluded
from public life and faced specific discrimination”. She regretted
that women in politics continued to face gender stereotypes and
discrimination and that not enough had been done against the multiple
forms of discrimination against women.
18. The
Council
of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023 stresses that achieving “the full participation of women
in public, private and political life requires fundamental changes,
policies, measures and targeted actions to remove both societal
and structural obstacles”. The obstacles are indeed many and of
various forms. Analysing them allows us to tackle them efficiently.
19. Women from under-represented groups face multiple obstacles
and barriers to their participation in political and public decision
making. Their access to education and services often is limited.
They might be discriminated against because of their gender, gender
identity, sexual orientation, colour of skin, social or ethnic origin,
age or disability, among others.
Note This
is why the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) adopted an intersectional approach and recognised
that discrimination may occur on a number of grounds, which then
produces a kind of cumulative discrimination. This approach takes
into consideration the historical, social and political contexts
of discrimination. CEDAW asks States to consider the intersectional
forms of discrimination that women may face, since not all women
are affected by discrimination in the same way.
Note The fight
against all forms of discrimination therefore needs to be stepped
up so as to bring systemic change. An environment free of discrimination
is more conducive to diverse political participation and more likely
to ensure representation of all.
20. Violence against women in politics, in the hemicycle, in the
street and on social media can deter any wish to get more engaged.
Fear of harassment and violence may discourage potential candidates
from running in elections. As shown by the IPU-PACE study on Sexism,
harassment and violence against women in parliaments in Europe,
Note violence against women is
widespread and generalised in the world of politics. Women from
under-represented groups can be attacked on various grounds. Hate
speech and online harassment attacking women in politics or public
life are hindering the engagement of women in politics, in particular
women from under-represented groups. Clear and strong actions to
tackle hate speech, online harassment and violence against women
in politics will undoubtedly contribute positively to enhancing participation
of women from under-represented groups in political and public decision
making.
21. Women in general bear a weight of prejudice and social norms
from society and their own families, opposing to their entry into
politics. They might be expected to take care of their families
rather than becoming a public figure, due to the social roles that
they are expected to accomplish. As stressed by Ms Yaşar in her contribution,
“in rural areas, the participation of women may be more challenging
due to lack of approval by members of family”. Women may be under-represented
in politics due to perceptions that they are less qualified or do
not possess sufficient leadership skills. These stereotypes are
linked to women’s traditional roles as caregivers.
22. This social pressure is detrimental to self-confidence, and
often results in women limiting their ambitions, believing that
they do not have the profile or do not correspond to the “decision-making
type”. They might think that they do not have the so-called appropriate
socio-economic or educational background. This self-censorship prevents
brilliant women from deciding to be more active in politics and
public life. Lack of confidence and self-assurance is therefore
a major additional barrier. Specific training and coaching are essential
to build confidence and to enable women to become familiar with
the political environment. At the same time, parliaments at national
and regional level should become more gender sensitive, notably
with regard to working conditions and mainstream gender in their
work.
23. The unequal sharing of household and care responsibilities
can prevent women from engaging in politics. Participating in political
and public decision making is time-consuming and family support
to the candidate is important for success. Long working hours, the
organisation of meetings often in the evening and during the weekend
and an absence of measures to ensure compatibility with private
life may lead to the decision to postpone entry into politics for
some years. These factors might also be a reason for not prolonging after
a term of office. More gender friendly policies should be designed
to create a better balance between professional and personal life.
Good practices addressing the practical barriers faced by women
as the primary caregiver can be found in Norway and Sweden. In Norway,
the State heavily subsidizes public and private day-care centres
to help with the burden of childcare faced by women. In Sweden,
nurseries are available to women working in both the public and
private sectors and are financed partly by central government grants,
partly by tax revenue and partly by parental fees; parents should
only have to spend 1% to 3% of the family income on childcare, depending
on the number of children they have; and since 1991, all children
aged 18 months and over, whose parents are working or studying,
have access to a place either in an approved day-care centre, registered
family day care or a nursery school.
24. Women from under-represented groups also encounter major difficulties
in being placed in eligible positions on electoral lists or progressing
in their political parties. Political parties remain the gatekeepers
for the participation of persons from under-represented groups in
politics. They are part of the problem and must therefore become
part of the solution. Including women from various backgrounds on
lists is important but putting them on eligible positions makes
all the difference. Lack of funding and lack of investments by parties in
women candidates are also significant barriers. Running an election
campaign requires substantial financial resources. Capping of electoral
spending could help to attract candidates with more diverse backgrounds. Political
parties should provide support to women from under-represented groups
to ensure they have adequate financial resources.
25. Lack of consideration of the skills and expertise of women
in general by other politicians or the media have a negative impact
on women’s participation in politics and public life. Women are
assessed differently from men, whether as potential candidates for
leadership or in decision-making positions. They usually face the
double bind of needing to demonstrate leadership qualities (typically
associated with men), while simultaneously showing the expected
characteristics of women (such as being warm and caring). As political candidates
or elected representatives, women are always asked about their family
status, their children or are commented on for their appearance.
Headlines still too often focus on these aspects rather than on professional
skills, expertise and contribution. In 2021, it appears very limiting
for women still to have to answer this kind of question.
26. Lack of accessibility of procedures, information and structures
can prevent women with disabilities from participating in public
life and in politics. There are some good practices, but they are
not generalised and the participation of women with disabilities
is still limited. Their participation and representation in decision-making structures
should and must be further promoted.
27. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a considerably negative impact
on equality and non-discrimination. In her report on
Upholding human rights in times
of crisis and pandemics: gender, equality and non-discrimination,
Note Ms Petra Stienen (The Netherlands,
ALDE) stresses that the Covid-19 pandemic “has affected the functioning
of our democracies, and human rights across the spectrum. From an
equality and non-discrimination perspective, it has shone a light
on the far-reaching, structural inequalities existing in our societies,
and it has exacerbated them”. Women from under-represented groups
have been disproportionately negatively impacted by the pandemic
and as a consequence, engaging in politics could become even more challenging.
“The pandemic’s profound political and socioeconomic effects could
halt or reverse advances in women’s political inclusion”, according
to Caroline Hubbard and Saskia Brechenmacher.
Note They
both stress that a return to more traditional gender roles, increased
precarity, more informal practices in politics and decreased visibility
of women in media can lead to further exclusion of women. However,
the researchers also note encouraging examples, such as the highest
number ever of Black women running for political office in the United
States in 2020, which could be directly linked to the Covid-19 pandemic
that has affected persons of colour disproportionately. It would
be very interesting, in my view, to carry out further research to
analyse the impact of the pandemic on the participation of women
from under-represented groups in political and public decision making.
28. On a more positive note, and as stressed by Julie Ballington
(UN Women), change can happen quickly if there is strong political
will. We are indeed witnessing change in the United States with
the appointment of a more diverse cabinet under the Biden administration
as well as a female Vice-President. The positive experience in several
countries of increasing women’s participation at decision-making
levels may serve as an excellent model for enhancing the participation
of women from under-represented groups in politics and public decision-making
bodies. Having more women in politics may change attitudes and contribute
to challenging stereotypes.
5 Participation
of Roma women in political and public decision making
29. Roma and Travellers are under-represented
in political life at local, national and European levels. Roma women
are particularly under-represented in the European political landscape.
The political participation of Roma and Traveller women was the
main topic of the Council of Europe’s sixth International Roma Women Conference
in 2017.
Note Its
main outcome focused on political parties, essential actors in ensuring
the participation of women from various backgrounds in politics,
as they draw up the lists for elections and may have a pro-active
approach in selecting candidates from diverse backgrounds. Political
parties and groups were therefore encouraged to sign the “Pledge
on political representation of Roma and Traveller women”,
Note stating
that they “pledge to promote gender equality and the participation
of women from minority groups, in particular Roma and Traveller
women, in decision-making bodies and in political representation
at the next European, national, regional and local elections”. I
find this initiative very inspiring and I am of the opinion that it
should be further promoted. It was disappointing to learn that only
13 political parties have signed this pledge so far. With this report,
I intend to encourage more political parties to sign it and take
measures to implement it.
30. The conference allowed discussion on how empowerment could
start once the challenges had been recognised. Essential recommendations
were made at this conference. While they are specifically aimed
to promote the participation of Roma and Traveller women, they could
also be an inspiration for other women’s groups. Combating structural
discrimination is a key recommendation and a precondition to participation. Providing
training, mentorship, career advice, peer networking and capacity
building initiatives for Roma and Traveller women who wish to become
involved in politics was another important recommendation.
31. Some participants mentioned facing a dilemma between preserving
their cultural identity as Roma and participating in mainstream
politics. This is why combating stereotypes and discrimination is
so important. A person entering politics should not feel they are
leaving behind their identity. We therefore also need more openness
from parties and specific measures to promote participation from
various backgrounds. The adoption of quotas by political parties
could have a significant impact. Training leaders and political
parties on gender sensitivity in political party structures and
recruitment and selection practices also came up as a relevant recommendation.
32. The Council of Europe Roma and Travellers Division has been
organising training sessions to increase their participation in
policy making, as well as their political representation, focused
on capacity building. In my view, such training is a good practice
and should be promoted. Training participants are selected on the
basis of their plans and motivation and they should be planning
to run for elections at local, national or European level. Roma
civil society organisations may also suggest names of promising
candidate who would be interested in such training. They learn how
to run an election campaign, how to speak in public and how to gain citizens’
support during the campaign. Follow-up training is also organised
on how to hold office once elected, which I find particularly important.
After election at national or local level, elected candidates need
further training, mentoring and coaching programmes to help them
adjust to a new and generally unfriendly environment, and to increase
the effectiveness of their political knowledge and skills. From
my own personal and professional experience, I consider these training
programmes to be extremely important and closely related to women’s
professional performance. The skill set which requires development
includes understanding the formal and informal functioning of politics,
fund raising, working with the media, leadership, networking, negotiation,
lobbying, leadership and elected official-constituent relations,
among others.
33. The selection of trainees is very important so as to ensure
diverse participation. This process is open, transparent and inclusive.
There may be some obstacles to joining a course, such as reluctance
on the part of the family or criticism from peers and friends. Participation
is also hindered by multiple inequalities, for instance in access
to education or more logistical issues such as remoteness and lack
of transportation. It can be difficult for a Roma woman to affirm
that she would like to enter politics, participate, be visible and
potentially travel and become more independent. Organisers of activities
to promote participation need to take these possible obstacles into
consideration and undertake a sensitive approach during the selection
process. Training sessions are customised to the needs of the women
who attend.
34. I read with interest that in 2019, out of 15 Roma women candidates,
six were elected as local councillors in the Republic of Moldova.
They had all participated in a “Roma women in Politics” training
programme organised by the Roma National Center and UN Women. The
following obstacles for Roma women’s political participation in
Moldova were listed by the Roma National Center: discrimination
and sexism; gender roles and family responsibilities; bureaucratic
procedures limiting the registration of Roma women with low levels
of education; a preference of political parties to include male
rather than female Roma candidates on their electoral lists; the
tendency of political parties to place Roma women in non-electable
positions on their electoral lists; a demotivation due to corruption,
political manipulation and unstable political situations.
Note These obstacles
were clearly identified and discussed during the training, which
has had a positive outcome.
35. I was pleased to hear that Eileen Flynn made the BBC’s 100
Women of 2020 list by making history as the first woman from the
Irish Travellers community to sit in the Seanad Éireann, the upper
house of the Irish Parliament.
36. I also received information about the three-year project “Romani
women Power of Change in the Western Balkans and Turkey”, implemented
by Roma Active Albania and supported by the European Roma Grassroots
Organisations (ERGO) Network, with funding from the European Union,
which aims at empowering Roma women to increase their participation
in local and national policy and decision-making processes. Part of
the project is dedicated to raising awareness of the negative impact
of patriarchal power structures on Roma women, and finding ways
to engage them in civil society structures and in public life.
37. I had the opportunity to interview Brisilda Taço, who won
the “Unknown Heroes” EU Award for Roma Integration in the Western
Balkans and Turkey in 2019. She told me that Roma women willing
to engage in public life and in politics faced double discrimination,
from the Roma community for stepping out of traditional gender roles,
and from the population at large. She recommended the promotion
of positive role models of women and girls in the media, investing
in education by offering scholarships in pre-university and post-university
education for young Roma women and girls, encouraging their participation
in municipal councils and participation in networks at various levels.
38. Some role models have indeed emerged and may inspire Roma
women to participate in political and public life. On 21 October
2020, Zuzana Kumanová was appointed State Secretary of the Ministry
of Culture of the Slovak Republic. She is the first Roma woman to
be appointed to such a post in this country.
Note Soraya Post from
Sweden was a member of the European Parliament from 2014 and 2019.
When elected to the Parliament, she said in an interview: “I always
put pressure on myself to show that I am as smart as the rest, and
I can succeed. Fifteen years ago, I decided that I will never again
feel like a second-class citizen. It is important to know your rights,
but also to practice them”.
Note She was a candidate for the Feminist
Initiative, a Swedish feminist political party, which asked her
to run when she was chairing the International Roma women Network.
Running for elections appeared as a logical step, after years of
activism in civil society.
Note More generally, in order to inspire
more women and girls to enter politics and participate in decision
making, it is important to consolidate achievements with regard
to women’s participation in decision making, support positive models
and promote the impact of their contribution. At our hearing on
2 February 2021, Marina Bublik shared her experience as a young
Roma woman who ran for election in Ukraine and stressed the important role
of the Council of Europe’s Roma Political Schools also beyond the
training sessions by offering a support network. She found the training
provided very beneficial but would like to see more leadership capacity-building for
women.
6 Young
women are new drivers of change in politics
39. IPU figures show that only
2.2% of MPs worldwide are under 30, of which women only make up
a small proportion.
Note Nevertheless,
in recent years, young women politicians have come to the front
of the political stage and impressed with their knowledge, charisma
and courage. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez in the United States is one
of them and has inspired many young people to be more active in
politics. She was particularly active during her first mandate in
Congress and explained her action to her followers on social media
almost on a daily basis. She took them on her journey to the Congress,
which contributed to increasing their interest in the political
sphere. She was re-elected in November 2020. The growing use of
social media in politics has definitely changed the way election
campaigns are run. With Instagram, sharing pictures and holding
live discussions with the followers bring candidates closer to their
voters and provide more direct interaction.
40. In Finland and in New Zealand, young women have been appointed
to the position of prime minister. They were praised for their handling
of the first wave of Covid-19 and put forward the need to better
balance private and professional lives. Both Sanna Marin and Jacinda
Ardern are parents of young children, which they do not consider
as an issue preventing them from exercising their functions. Sanna
Marin grew up in a rainbow family and became Prime Minister at the
age of 34. Her profile is unusual in European politics and attracts
a lot of attention. The majority of the members of the current Finnish
Government are women and most party leaders are women aged under
40. Their appointment at such a high level of political responsibility
sends a powerful message of trust in the capacities of the younger
generations.
41. Greta Thunberg has gained popularity throughout the world
for her activism against climate change. While she is not member
of a political party, she is an environmental activist and has met
political leaders throughout the world. She encourages young people
to be more vocal in social and political dialogue. She is an inspiration
for the younger generations and beyond. She has been praised and
attacked in the media and by some political leaders for her action.
She has always replied in a witty and non-aggressive way, which
is her way of being a role model. I believe that her actions have
pushed more young women to get active in politics.
42. First engagements and vocations are often found in movements
denouncing climate change or in feminist movements. A lack of trust
in politics, considered as a place of too many compromises, make
young people hesitate to enter into politics. Professor Irigoyen
stressed during our exchange
Note that young
women would not systematically participate in political and public
decision making in a traditional way. Less institutionalised structures
are more likely to attract young people, and it is understandable
that non-inclusive environments with sexist behaviours are not attractive
for the younger generations. There is therefore a need to rethink
how decision-making spaces are built to ensure they are safe and
free spaces for everyone.
43. During our virtual bilateral meeting with Ms Bardina, we discussed
the Council of Europe toolkit for local authorities and civil society
organisations for the participation of young women and girls from
disadvantaged groups in political and public decision-making processes
at local level, which was launched in Ukraine in 2020 and can be
considered a good practice.
Note
44. Sweden, which made the promotion of gender equality a priority
at national and international level, allocated funding specifically
to promote the political participation of girls and young women.
Gender equality has been integrated in all aspects of governance
and project implementation and has had a tangible impact.
Note
7 Participation
and visibility of LBTI women
45. The situation is very different
between Council of Europe member States as regard the participation
of LBTI women in political and public decision making. In some member
States, anti-LGBTI legislation makes political engagement complicated,
while in others LBTI women have been able to reach positions of
power in government.
46. As an example, transgender women are discriminated against
as women and because of their gender identity. Mentoring programmes
and peer-to-peer support groups may exclude them. Cianán Russell
stressed that homophobia and transphobia were socially more accepted
today than racism and xenophobia.
Note Fear of harassment and violence
may discourage LBTI candidates from running in elections. A more
consistent representation of LBTI women is needed.
47. The issue of quotas should also be mentioned. Setting a goal
that would not be 50/50 but maybe a bit less would give space to
non-binary persons. It would be important to ensure that our recommendations prevent
future discrimination in this regard.
48. Petra De Sutter, a transgender woman who is a former prominent
member of the Assembly and Chairperson of the Committee on Rules
of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, was recently appointed
deputy prime minister in Belgium, selected for this position because
of her high level of competency. In the Belgian media, press coverage
of her appointment presented her past experience and expertise,
but in the international press comments about her appointment focused
on her gender identity as a transgender woman, and not on her skills
and professional experience. Another example is Ana Brnabić, who
is the first openly lesbian prime minister of Serbia. There is a
strong will for any politician to be known for their expertise, irrespective
of gender or political party. LBTI women, as well as any women from
under-represented groups, need to be stronger, more skilled and
perform better than others in order to reach positions of power.
49. Lilian Haak, a transgender woman from the Netherlands, elected
at a municipal council, underlined during our meeting
Note that
LBTI women had two battles to fight. They had to fight for their
status and for the cause they defended. This made participation
in public and political decision making even more challenging for LBTI
women. She underlined the importance of having a support network
for women starting in politics.
50. Dinah de Riquet-Bons, candidate for the Greens in the Netherlands,
stated it was difficult to enter politics as a transwoman. She has
a Jewish background and has been the object of antisemitic remarks
since she entered politics.
51. I held an inspiring meeting with Tanja von Knorring, a well-known
transgender woman who ran for election in Finland in 2019. She warned
against the instrumentalisation of persons from under-represented groups
in electoral processes and denounced harassment on social media.
Challenges faced by most women in politics are exacerbated for women
from under-represented groups. In her view, there was not yet enough data
on under-represented groups in the European Union and she therefore
called for better data collection. There was a need for guidelines
in training programmes for enhancing participation of women from
under-represented groups on how courses could be conducted with
an intersectional approach.
52. I found particularly interesting the Political Participation
Training Series conducted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI)
aimed at providing LGBT activists in the Balkans with the skills
to engage with political parties, parliament, and government agencies.
These courses also aimed at preparing participants to run for election.
They were organised in partnership with the US-based Gay and Lesbian
Victory Institute and Labris, a Serbian lesbian human rights organisation.
53. Faika El-Nagashi, member of the Austrian Parliament, shared
her story with me. Both she and her parents were born abroad. She
identifies as a lesbian woman of colour with an immigration background
coming from a catholic-Muslim family. It is difficult to separate
her different identities, making her more vulnerable to multiple
discrimination. Despite all the challenges, her story is a successful
one. She stressed the important role in her achievements of communities’
support as well as her experience of activism. Mentorship has been crucial
in her political career. When meeting with aspiring candidates,
she advises them to be resilient which is essential to survive in
the political environment which can be hostile. In her view, role
models have a major part to play in encouraging women from under-represented
groups to engage in politics.
8 Participation
of women of colour and of women with an immigration background
54. I would like to note that the
accession of Kamala Harris to the position of Vice-President of
the United States of America on 20 January 2021 is a historical
change. She is the first woman to be appointed to this position,
which is already ground-breaking in itself. In addition, she is
the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother, which shows
younger generations that the path is open. By showing that it is
possible, role models pave the way.
55. Nevertheless, women of colour and women with an immigration
background engaging in politics regularly receive racist attacks.
Kristina Stenman, non-discrimination ombudsperson in Finland, mentioned discrimination
against Afro-Finns and hate speech, which is an obstacle to involvement
in politics. In her view, it was important to address the gender
aspects of racism. Jenni Tuominen from the Monika association underlined
that women from under-represented groups were still quite invisible
in Finnish politics. Roma and Sámi women are under-represented,
for instance. In her view, there was an important level of racial discrimination
and hate speech which needed to be addressed so as to increase the
participation of women from under-represented groups. The Monika
association provides support to women with an immigration background
participating in elections, discusses the role of different institutions
and prepares the ground for political participation. Its members
are optimistic for the future of the participation of women from
diverse backgrounds in political and public decision making.
56. When meeting with representatives of the Finnish Women’s Association
NYTKIS, we discussed their programme to tackle hate speech and harassment
against women during electoral campaigns. They expressed their worry
at the rising level of hate speech against women and regretted that
the current political landscape was not very diverse, despite the
high participation of women.
57. According to Marie-Anne van Reijen the participation of women
of colour and of women with an immigration background has increased
in past years in the Netherlands. However, it is harder for them
to gain access to leadership positions. Amma Asante stressed that
the standard was still a white male, which made it even more difficult
for women of colour. Having a seat at the table could, according
to her, help understanding the system from within.
58. According to Tanja Jadnanansing, councillor for the city of
Amsterdam, women from under-represented groups are not seen with
their full potential. They have a lot to bring and teach to the
rest of the population. The provision of training should not be
made in a paternalist way but take into account the possible contribution
of each trainee. The use of the term “empowerment” has been criticised.
Adopting a humble approach when preparing and proposing activities
such as trainings is important.
59. I also had a fascinating conversation with Samira Rafaela,
member of the European Parliament. She regretted the lack of women
of colour in Dutch politics and said that she was not the norm at
the European Parliament. She is sometimes asked if she is the assistant
to an MEP. She explained regularly being the target of racist attacks,
which are obviously discouraging to women of colour with political
ambitions. Women of colour are often told they are not talented
enough to participate in decision making, which is discriminatory.
9 Participation
of women with disabilities
60. In 2017, the Assembly adopted
a ground-breaking resolution entitled “The political rights of persons
with disabilities: a democratic issue”.
Note All the recommendations presented
in the report need to be further followed up. Concrete action is
needed to allow a higher participation of persons with disabilities
in political and public decision making. Accessibility is not yet
a reality in most Council of Europe member States and too often, persons
with disabilities are asked and expected to work on disability issues
only within political parties.
61. Tarja Filatov, Vice Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, mentioned
that political parties were trying to recruit persons with disabilities
to stand in the upcoming municipal elections. She underlined the
importance of mentorship for candidates.
62. At our hearing, Ms El Yassir shared the story of Elena, a
woman with disabilities who recently entered politics in the Republic
of Moldova. Elena, at 35 years old, was trying to access a medical
centre in her hometown. She could not access it and had to get on
her hands and knees to get into the building. She went to the town
hall to ask for help. The Mayor handed Elena a bag of cement and
some sand and told her that would have to do it herself. She decided
to take matters into her hands and to run for the post of local
councillor as an independent candidate. She found allies and mentors
who helped her. She benefited from training by UN Women. UN Women
helped establish the first network of women with disabilities, which
now has more than 100 members. A national media campaign helped
tackling social norms and negative attitudes towards women with
disabilities.
63. Deputy minister Kospiri, during our meeting, stressed that
lack of inclusive social strategies or poor implementation of them
perpetuated the invisibility of women from under-represented groups,
including women with disabilities, in policy making. In her view,
stereotypes about the capacities of women with disabilities have to
be countered. Engagement with civil society has been crucial in
her political parcours. She aimed to make persons with disabilities
more visible on the political stage and to give them a voice to
express their needs. Access to information, services, justice and
inclusive education are essential to this end.
10 Men
can be allies in enhancing participation of women from under-represented
groups
64. Women do not bear the burden
of reaching gender equality alone, it is a common responsibility
and can be beneficial to all. In my view, it is essential to involve
men from a young age in the promotion of gender equality. They can
be potential agents of change. They can recognise that men are over-represented
in political instances and call for higher participation of women,
including from under-represented groups. The efforts of men engaged
in this endeavour should be recognised.
65. I read with interest an e-discussion held on iknowpolitics
on Engaging Male Champions to Support Women’s Political Participation.
It stressed that gender balance in politics could “only be achieved
if men work side by side with women to share the responsibility
in breaking harmful cultural norms and practices, as well as the
institutional, structural and legal barriers that hinder women’s
equal and influential political participation”.
Note
66. Power-sharing is a difficult topic to discuss. Accepting rules,
as an example within a political party, to ensure equal participation
of women and men, leads to higher participation of women. Redistributing
power will be difficult without the involvement of men. During our
meeting, Mr Jallow highlighted that the over-representation of men
in politics and toxic masculinity were closely connected. From an
early age, men are seen as decision makers. He called the under-representation
of women a systemic problem which requires systemic change. In a
patriarchal society, this change cannot occur without involving
men.
67. Men can be allies in the fight for gender equality at home
and in the workplace. Sharing of care and household activities as
well as by setting equal standards for boys and girls within the
family, men play a crucial role in cultivating gender equality.
Promoting equitable employment, equal pay for equal work and helping
to reach a better balance between professional and private life
are measures which can be taken by male or female leaders in workplaces.
Men should also be seen as caregivers and need to engage more in
the fight against violence against women. From a young age, most
men are told to be strong and to conform to a stereotyped vision
of strong masculinity, while women and girls are considered more
vulnerable. In the Netherlands, the initiative Men engage aims at
working with men to change masculine toxic behaviours.
68. At times, women’s movements may create opposition to a participation
of men in efforts to promote women’s participation. Excluding men
is, in my view, counterproductive. All men are not opposed to gender equality.
Women’s movements could also benefit from the higher participation
of men, and gender equality can only be achieved if both, women
and men contribute towards it.
69. Gender inequality must be addressed at its roots to trigger
fundamental change. School curricula can help to challenge gender
stereotypes and learning environments can be gender-sensitive. Media
can play an important role as well. Both, education and media can
contribute to changing social norms.
11 Concrete
measures to enhance participation
70. Enhancing the participation
of women from under-represented groups in political and public decision making
requires a wealth of measures and strong political will. Political
parties need to acknowledge shortcomings in their representativity
and take concrete steps to recruit candidates with diverse profiles, ensuring
inclusive participation and representation. Meanwhile the education
system should ensure it does include in its curricula information
on the contribution of women to history and politics, and sheds
light on role models in order to inspire new generations. In order
to counter social norms and to promote gender inclusive societies,
gender-based stereotypes need to be addressed from an early age.
The norm of male-only leadership needs to be questioned.
71. There can be no higher participation of candidates from under-represented
groups if no further action is taken to prevent and combat discrimination.
Discriminatory legislation against an under-represented group, such
as LGBTI people, must be repealed so as to pave the way for participation.
Strong anti-discrimination legislation should be implemented, if
it is not yet the case.
72. There should also be resolute action to prevent and combat
hate speech, sexism and violence against women in politics, which
affect their willingness to engage and remain engaged in politics
and public decision making. The recommendations presented in the
report of Ms Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir entitled “Promoting parliaments
free of sexism and sexual harassment”
Note are still valid and should be implemented
without further delay. Safe and enabling environments will contribute
to increase participation of women in political and public decision
making.
73. The collection of disaggregated data on the participation
of women from under-represented groups should be promoted, and measures
tailored to the results. Parliaments could assess how they integrate different
groups of people. More research is needed in the field of inclusive
democracies, on intersectionality and its relationship to, and impact
on, women’s leadership roles, on the role of men in supporting women’s participation
and on the socio-economic backgrounds of women in politics. An analysis
of the overall political spectrum and the representation and participation
of persons from under-represented groups could also be relevant.
More research is also needed to determine how to increase women’s
representation in locally elected bodies and the number of women
mayors.
74. Quotas can be a starting point for change. They could be established
for young candidates with a gender component. There could also be
a requirement that out of the first three women or men on a list,
one would be from an under-represented group. Non-binary persons
need to be taken into account when we discuss quotas in order to
prevent further discrimination. Time-bound targets can help reaching
positive results. Effective sanctions for non-compliance with legislative
quotas must be applied. Quotas could be a temporary measure to create
important change. However, quotas alone are not sufficient to change
a system. They need to be accompanied by gender-sensitive and inclusive
policies, gender budgeting and relevant legislation. Quotas need
to be considered as a minimum and not only as a target.
75. Strategic communication encouraging votes for women can also
have a positive impact. In the Netherlands, the initiative “Vote
for a woman” created by Devika Partiman in 2017 is very inspiring.
It is a call on women and men to vote strategically for a woman
who might not be at the top of the list (preferential vote), which
has been widely shared on social media. This strategy has helped
to elect more than 150 women.
76. Political parties can take specific measures to encourage
the participation of women from under-represented groups. Rules
for the selection of candidates can ensure that diversity is included.
Parties can analyse their composition and the profile of candidates
and hold discussions on how to increase participation and representation.
The OSCE/ODIHR has created an online tool allowing political parties
to do their own gender audit, which includes a question on reaching
out to different groups of women.
Note Gender action plans for political
parties could be a useful instrument to ensure their accountability
on gender equality. Parties also decide on the allocation of resources
for electoral campaigns and should use a gender sensitive approach
in supporting candidates. Political parties should promote women’s
candidacies from under-represented groups through the adoption of
special training programmes, recruitment and financial incentives.
It is also important to ensure that women remain in their positions
once they have been elected and that measures are taken to this
end.
Note
77. Making accessibility for all women and girls a priority is
another recommendation. The participation of women with disabilities
needs to be further supported. Political parties should adapt to
the needs of persons with disabilities and be more inclusive.
78. The development of childcare for all, including for women
participating in political and public decision making, can be an
incentive. Awareness-raising on shared parental responsibilities
could help. Gender friendly family policies should be promoted.
Investing in civic education in school and in adult education on
gender equality, inclusion and non-discrimination is important to
reach a profound change of mindsets towards more equality and an
inclusive society. Increasing the economic empowerment of women
from under-represented groups and improving their access to education,
health and social services all contribute to their engagement in
public and political life.
79. Formal and informal training are important and have a great
impact on professional performance. It is important that women receive
training before entering in politics, while they are running as
candidates and during their time in office. Creative mentoring programmes
can play a significant role in enhancing women confidence, knowledge
and skills in politics and decision making. Meetings with successful
women leaders, who would share success stories, personal experiences
in terms of achieving goals, reconciling work and personal life,
how to deal with a non-friendly environment in politics, how to
deal with hate speech, could be motivating and encouraging as well.
Training on the preparation of election campaigns, running mandates, confidence
building, fundraising, agenda-setting, networking, forming of caucuses
and alliances, negotiation and leadership, social media and new
technologies are useful tools which require adequate financial resources.
In order to tailor training to their needs, women from under-represented
groups should be asked about their needs, wishes and how they see
their contribution to political and public decision making. I received the
information that in Kosovo*,
Note NDI
had redesigned its programmes to support women and youth and provided
training using technology for their political activity.
Note
80. Women’s parliamentary caucuses act both as supports to women
MPs and as mechanisms to influence policy making. National and local
caucuses of women parliamentarians, women’s movement members and gender-sensitive
men can work together to set common agendas, and work consciously
for gender equality and enhancing the engagement of women from under-represented
groups in politics and public life. There will be no progress on
gender equality without stronger involvement of male MPs. Gender
equality training for men can also make a positive contribution
and raise awareness of the importance of equality and inclusion.
More generally, applying an intersectional gender lens to policy
making should become a reflex, as well as gender budgeting at local
and central levels.
81. The media also have an important role to play in promoting
a culture of gender equality and diversity. Strategic campaigns
to challenge gender stereotypes should be organised to provide space
for women from all groups in media and make visible their contribution
and participation in all areas of life. Positive models should be
promoted to ensure more women and girls engage in public life. Women’s
contribution to politics and policy making should be more visible.
82. In many countries, women’s organisations strongly support
the participation of women from under-represented groups in political
and public decision making at local, regional and national levels.
I consider women’s movements and organisations as crucial in the
struggle for equal participation and representation. They are key
to motivating and engaging women in public life and in politics,
mobilising their collective power to demand accountability and change,
and for these reasons their experience and expertise could be used
to support women from under-represented groups. Governments should
prioritise funds to organisations that work for women, especially
women from under-represented groups. In general, partnerships between governments
and civil society can contribute to advancing participation. I found
it very interesting that in Finland, women’s organisations are strong
enough to provide programmes and mentorships to enhance women’s
participation.
83. There should also be official recognition that public institutions,
parliaments and political parties hold the responsibility for making
democracies more inclusive, as stressed by Alja van Heel.
Note Women’s participation at
all levels of decision making should be considered as crucial to
improve their representative nature, accountability and quality
of democracies, as well as making the policy making agendas more
gender sensitive.
12 Conclusions
84. There are numerous barriers
to the participation of women from under-represented groups in political and
public decision making. Investing in education and training, as
well as more specifically in civic education, can lead to the expression
of interest of potential candidates. To be efficient, relevant and
serve its noble mission of serving the interests of the population,
the world of politics needs to open up more to women from under-represented
groups and provide to all citizens the tools to participate effectively
in politics and exercise their rights.
85. It is important to have an intersectional approach and to
work towards ensuring that the European political landscape starts
better reflecting the diversity of European societies. A variety
of tools are at our disposal and it is our responsibility to trigger
change, at our individual level and within the structures of our political
parties. We should make clear that diversity should, however, not
be instrumentalised and used as just window-dressing. Women and
men from under-represented groups participating in political and
public decision making do not only represent a group, they bring
a new vision and their expertise in various fields.
86. Enhancing the participation of women from under-represented
groups in political and public decision making will have an important
and positive impact in the long-term. More women from under-represented groups
in political and public decision making means more participation
and representativeness. It contributes to increasing trust from
the general public in decision makers and to reducing real and/or
perceived gaps between decision makers and the population. It ensures
that their needs will be taken into account. It makes the whole
democratic system stronger. As stated by the Expert group preparing
CSW 65, “[t]he representation of women in public life is most meaningful
when it reflects women in all their diversity and addresses cross-cutting
patterns of inequality across different groups of women. Women are
diverse in their social locations, values, economic statuses, political
ideologies and in their lived experiences. Policy makers, activists
and legislators who wish to progress substantive changes to benefit
all women are also challenged to recognise that blindness to the
specificities of need, and inequalities between and among differentiated
groups of women, can cause more harm than good”.
Note
87. In my view, ensuring the gender-balanced composition of parliaments
at central and local levels as well as governments is a first step,
but inclusiveness should also be taken into account. A broader institutional
and structural transformation should be foreseen to ensure that
no one is left behind. Women’s voices in political decision making,
in communities, in parliaments, and in peace negotiations should
be considered as essential to support and sustain prosperous and
peaceful societies.
88. Continued progress as regards women’s participation in politics
and public decision making can only be achieved by ensuring strong
accountability mechanisms that support the implementation of international commitments.
The lack of the strong accountability mechanisms could become another
obstacle for enhancing the participation of women from under-represented
groups at all levels of decision making.
89. Women’s equal participation in parliaments at national and
local levels is crucial to improving the representative nature,
accountability and quality of democracies. Making our democracies
more inclusive is essential to strengthen them. Rethinking their
structures might be necessary to achieve this. The burden of enhancing
participation should not be borne only by women, but society as
a whole. Institutions and political parties need to make space for
women to engage and commit. It is also the responsibility of men
to allow and promote change, and to show themselves as allies for
gender equality. Profound structural changes are needed to ensure
more participation, equality and inclusiveness in political and
public decision making. It is time to take up this challenge and
to step up efforts to close the gender gap.
