Published by the Heinrich Böll Foundation Southern Africa
Over the last five decades, successive African governments have
promised their citizens dignity, equality, human rights and a better
life. However, progress to achieve these ideals remains hampered in
various respects, of which gender inequality is undoubtedly one of
the most severe.
Women in sub-Saharan Africa constitute 60 percent of persons
living with HIV/Aids; make up the greater portion of vulnerable and
unemployed workers; and are less likely than men to inherit, have
access to capital, and own land. Women also head the majority of poor
households. In South Africa, 45 percent of femaleheaded households
are poor, while in Malawi there are three poor women for every poor
man. Women on the African continent are also subject to pervasive
genderbased violence, harmful cultural practices and early marriages.
Meanwhile, women provide approximately 70 percent of agricultural
labour and carry the greater burden of care and housework, attesting
to the pervasiveness, cross-cutting nature and widespread impact of
power disparities between men and women on the continent.
These examples show that women's lack of decision making power
over their lives and bodies, across both public and private spheres,
amounts to a violation of the principles on which the fight to end
colonialism was premised. This powerlessness also raises questions
about the validity of the continent's democracies. Responsive and
accountable forms of governance demand women's participation and
representation.
The centrality of gender equality to democracy and development
agendas has been affirmed by a multitude of international instruments
and trends over the last four decades. From the late 1970s, the
creation of national gender machineries - commissions, policy units
and ministries - have aimed to fast-track gender equity by ensuring
the consideration of women's needs in policy formulation and
development interventions.
After the 1990s, with the conclusion of many African conflicts, a
renewed commitment to democracy introduced instruments to accelerate
the entrance of women into formal political institutions, and hence
their participation in political decision making. Diverse, vibrant
and innovative women's movements across the continent have been
central to realising these changes.
By some accounts, results have been striking.
Gender machineries and national gender policies and budgeting
initiatives are regular features of Africa's political institutional
landscape. Barely two decades into democracy, both Rwanda and South
Africa have surpassed developed countries in terms of equitable
gender representation in political institutions. Both have attained
"critical mass": the magic threshold beyond which women's
presence in political institutions should translate into influence.
However, these two countries make clear that the combined force of
critical mass and gender machineries does not consistently translate
into gender-responsive governance - governance that actively works to
correct social, economic and cultural gender imbalances.
It is becoming clear that democracy and the advance of gender
equality are intertwined, and that a more comprehensive approach is
required to ensure political accountability and responsiveness to
women.
Women's presence in political structures needs to be considered in
relation to the power of citizens' voice in general, and of women's
in particular; the influence of social and women's movements and
their relations with one another; the nature and culture of political
parties; and the norms and capacity of state institutions.
The articles brought together in this edition of Perspectives
address some of these considerations.
They reflect on the strengths and shortcomings of strategies for
fostering gender-responsive political governance. We hope that these
lessons and reflections can help map a way forward by inspiring
debate about the efficacy of these strategies.
Dr Antonie Katharina Nord
Regional Director
Keren Ben-Zeev
Programme Manager
- Perspectives - Political analysis and commentary from Africa #2.11 (PDF, 28 pages, 480 KB)
- From the publication: Conversation: Gender Policy in South Africa on the pages of the Gunda-Werner-Institute
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Source: Editorial - Perspectives - Political analysis and commentary from Africa #2.11 - The Power To Participate: Building Feminist Political Influence in Africa