Electoral Gender Quotas

1. Electoral Gender Quotas Fiona Buckley University College Cork Co-founder, The 5050 Group Presentation to Hanna’s House ‘Women Delivering Peace and Security’ Conference Croke Park, 5th November 2012

2. Electoral Gender Quotas • A mechanism to guarantee a certain percentage of women are present either (1) on the ballot paperOR (2) in parliament • Act as a process of change and a facilitator of women’s political inclusion • Compensates for the many gendered barriers of accessing political office • Implementation • Constitutional (e.g. France, Rwanda) • Legislative (e.g. ROI, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Argentina) • Voluntary (e.g. Scandinavian countries; Germany) • Application • Results /Outcome (Reserve Seats) • Africa; Asia • Nomination (Candidate Selection) • Europe, South America • Provide the electorate with greater choice

3. Why Quotas? Background • Legacy of (i) historical exclusion of women from political citizenship (ie suffrage); (ii) bias towards traditional gender roles have resulted in women’s under-representation worldwide; and (iii) challenge the gendered nature of political institutions and decision-making • 2012 world average 20.5% female parliamentarians • 79.5% ‘over-representation’ of men • Progress in women’s representation is slow, static and subject to reversals • e.g. post-Soviet states , Republic of Ireland • Ireland 37th place in world-rankings in 1990; now 89th position! • Growing pressures on states/political parties from 1990s onwards to tackle women’s under-representation • Endogenous pressure: e.g. women’s movements, growing electoral competition , political parties • Exogenous pressure: e.g. UN (CEDAW; Beijing Protocols; Resolution 1325) and the EU • To address the above problems, over 100 nation-states worldwide have introduced gender quotas

4. % Women and Men Parliamentary Representation (EU27)

5. Questioning Quotas • Do ‘gender quotas’ work? • 17 of the top 20 nations in terms of women’s political representation have gender quotas • Incremental progress rather than fast-track changes • Are quotas democratic/fair? • Liberals say ‘no’ but supporters say they are compensatory and promote democracy • What about the ‘merit’ debate? • Naïve to assume all politicians make it on merit alone. • What of family dynasties; the ‘celebrity’ candidate; differing access to funding; favour by the paper leader? • How is the quota enforced and monitored? • Sanctions for non-compliance must be effective • Financial penalties; list rejections; disqualifications; strong leadership; monitoring • What about the ‘token’ or ‘quota woman’ debate? • Token men have been contesting elections for years! • Candidates should be selected on ability, not on the basis of their biological sex – the quota will lead to ‘unqualified’ women being elected. • If it was simply a question of ability, women would be elected • Train, mentor, support • Gain local level experience

6. Questioning Quotas • Women are just not interested in politics! • Over 2000 groups across the Island of Ireland headed up by women • Will a quota result in ‘parachuted’ candidates? • It may. So what? It happens all the time. • Parties can’t ‘find’ women to run for politics • Party membership; non-traditional recruitment grounds; ask again, and again, and again – persistence pays off • The ‘slippery slope’ argument – “we’ll have quotas for red-heads next!” • What’s the big fear of greater diversity? • Gender quotas will lead to men’s displacement in society! • No evidence • How will quotas resolve cultural matters? • Change from within • I don’t need quotas; I can make it in politics alone • Fantastic, but try not to pull up the ladder after you....not all will have a similar experience to you • Are quotas the only solution? • No, must be introduced alongside other measures • Training, mentoring, financial supports, practical supports (childcare); campaign supports (canvassers)

7. What do the 5050 Group do? • Advocacy group dedicated to achieving equal representation in Irish politics • Fully inclusive and politically non-aligned • Lobby for the implementation of special measures (quotas) to increase the number of women on the ballot paper; • Give more women the opportunity to get onto the ballot paper thus providing voters with greater choice • Build general awareness of the importance of redressing the balance of representation of women in Irish politics • Grow a grassroots movement that will agitate for change; • Identify and support women candidates • Watchdog role

8. 5050 Local Groups ?

9. ‘Velvet Triangle’ (Alison Woodward, 2004) Policy Makers Civil Society Academia

10. Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 • 30% gender quota • Ensure 30% women and 30% men on the ballot paper at next general election • Candidate selection quota • Quota to rise to 40% seven years thereafter • Sanction: parties lose half of their State funding is they do not meet quota requirement • Weakness: not applicable at local government

11. Krook (2007, 2009) • Framework of analysis for the adoption of candidate gender quotas • Women’s mobilisation • Democratic renewal/change • International pressure • Elite support and strategic considerations • This is key is positive action measures are to be introduced

12. 2011 NI Assembly Election1st preference vote by sex & party (McGing, 2012)

13. Final Thoughts! “A society that is without the voice and vision of a woman is not less feminine. It is less human” (Mary Robinson) • Ask a woman to run for politics. • Politics is a tough job, but women are as able as men to do it • Get more women into leadership rather than support roles in parties • Gender quotas provide an opportunitystructure to facilitate women’s electoral candidacy • access to the ballot paper • Gender quotas provide voters with greater electoral choice • (i) option to choose between men and women; • (ii) between women of different parties • Incentivise political parties to run more women candidate • If not quotas, what is the alternative? If not now, when? • This is not a woman’s issue nor a man’s issue – it is a societal issue “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident” (Schopenhauser)

14. Contact the 5050 Group www.twitter.com/@5050group www.facebook.com/5050Group http://5050-group.com/blog Email: info@5050-group.com