Put gender and governance before political agenda

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I WOULD like to commend and thank Dionne Jackson Miller for raising what was the highpoint of the political campaigning via the debate between the political leaders on Saturday night – the need to increase women’s participation in politics and decision-making. That she secured a commitment from the People’s National Party, and implicitly from the Jamaica Labour Party, to implement gender parity in appointments to the Senate, raises the broader issue of gender and governance. This has been raised over the years by women and their organisations, with ebbs and flows.

For example, in November 2010, in correspondence with the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, the Women’s Resource and Outreach Centre identified the need for that body to undertake research and adopt measures to address the barriers to women’s participation in the political process.

Among the barriers then identified were:

– Lack of sufficient funds and in-kind contribution for women to campaign competitively. This is linked to the fact that women are generally under-represented in business and commerce, and many times do not have access to the same corporate and business networks that men use to raise money.

– Discriminatory cultural and social attitudes and negative stereotypes about and against women in the family and in public life.

– Women’s responsibility in the home.

– Intimidation and violence in the political process.

– The male-dominated political culture, which is often insensitive to the special needs of women.

Those barriers still remain.

We are told that there have been angry responses on social media to Dr Peter Phillips’ reference to women’s gender roles within the household as a limiting factor. This points to the urgent need – and is also an opportunity – for the discussion on issues of gender and social equity issues.

These discussions need to be within the political parties and on a broader discourse on gender and development, especially in the context of the National Policy on Gender Equality, the commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

The time is ripe for transformative action and strong monitoring of the related commitments.

LINETTE VASSELL

‘These discussions need to be within the political parties and on a broader discourse on gender and development, especially in the context of the National Policy on Gender Equality ... . ’