IFP women push for gender parity
● The IFP Women’s Brigade wants a 50/50 gender split in the party’s representation in parliament and provincial legislatures.
As political parties finalise their lists of public representatives ahead of the May 29 elections, IFP women’s brigade deputy national chairperson Nonhlanhla Makhuba said its 50/50 proposal has been well received by the party.
“We are pushing for 40% representation of women in our lists now that’s what we said, it’s what we are going to check for,” said Makhuba. “Then 30% youth representation and 30% male ... in the 30% of youth there’s 10% of young women that we want to see there, that will make up the 50%,” she said.
The gender parity push is a policy of the party that Makhubo said was initially agreed upon during late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s time but never implemented. The proposal has found support among its new leaders as well as rank-and-file members.
“In our meetings now women are saying we will not agree not to be included in anything that is happening in the party.
“As the women’s brigade we are empowering women by saying you are capable of doing everything in the party so why must you be in the forefront of campaigning but not take up positions, why not be given an opportunity to lead,” she said.
The IFP, the fourth-largest party in parliament, only has four women among its 14 MPs. In the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature, where it is the official opposition, it has just five females among 12 MPLs.
Makhuba is confident this will soon change. “What we are seeing now wherever we go as members of the national council to oversee the nomination of candidates, names of women are being raised and that says we are moving in the right direction,” said Makhuba.
“Women have been recognised but not to the level we feel is adequate, we are moving a step further now to say we want to see more women and not executives occupied by majority men.”
Makhuba said while the effort may not change the party’s gender parity outlook overnight, the brigade is hopeful representation of women will improve in the next parliament. It is also determined to push for gender parity in the party’s internal leadership structures.
“What we are pushing for is not just in government or lists to parliament but also in our internal structures, we need to see women present apart from wings such as the women’s brigade and youth brigade.
“In any structure the presence of women will enrich it to make sure that issues affecting women in that jurisdiction are looked into. If women are not included some important issues will not be dealt with.”
Makhuba said gender parity was particularly important to the IFP due to the makeup of its membership.
“When you look at our constituency, some are from the rural parts of the country. With our background as Africans, even at home men have been regarded as superior. It’s important that women are given space to lead to dispel such ideas.”