Challenges for women in politics.

AuthorDriedger, Myrna
PositionEssay

This article looks at some of the reasons that have tended to discourage women from running for elected office and why increased participation is desirable.

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In our Canadian Parliament, only 24% of elected parliamentarians are women. In 2007, in Manitoba, we hit the magical number of just over 30% of elected legislators being women. In the 2011 election, however, it fell to 27%--we lost ground. Overall, women hold only about 20% of all seats in parliaments globally. But, it is not just in politics where the numbers of women are low. In Canada, only 10% of directors of public company boards are women, and only 29% of senior managers in Canada are women.

In 1943 a Guide to Hiring Women written by male supervisors during World War II made the following observations:

* Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they are less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they would not be doing it. They still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.

* When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It is always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.

* Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.

We have come a long way since then--but even in 2013, there is still a way to go. Political life is not easy for everyone--but it continues to be challenging for women. And, what we are seeing today is that women's progress has stalled. The numbers of women in politics have barely changed in the last decade.

So, women's representation at these various levels is small--even though women make up 52% of the world's population: This is called a democratic deficit. This means that when it comes to making decisions that most affect our world, women's voices are not heard equally.

Does it Actually Make a Difference?

According to the United Nations, a threshold of at least 30% of female legislators is required to ensure that public policy reflects the needs of women. So, at the very heart of this issue is the question of democracy.

If the world is made up of 52%...

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