COMMONWEALTH WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS (CWP) MALE CHAMPIONS SESSION 63rd COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE Dhaka, Bangladesh 1 to 8 November 2017 Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians - ‘Male Champions’ session 6 November 2017
THE ROLE OF MALE PARLIAMENTARIANS IN CHAMPIONING GENDER EQUALITY Moderator: Hon. Mutimura Zeno MP (Rwanda) Discussion Leaders: • Hon. James Dornan, MSP (Scotland) • Hon. Mataiasi Akauola Niumataiwalu, MP (Fiji) Rapporteur: Mr Peter McGrath (Scotland)
In a first for the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) at the CPA annual conference, a workshop session was held on the role of male Parliamentarians in championing gender equality. The discussion leaders noted that self-sustaining patriarchal power relations have held back women from making progress in parliamentary representation. The problem is not just getting women into Parliament, but ensuring that they stay there. Male Parliamentarians have often been part of the problem. In different parts of the Commonwealth, there are encouraging signs of change. As the two workshop discussion leaders illustrated, with for instance, male Parliamentarians adding their voice and political weight to what were seen as more typically ‘female’ campaigns, such as the eradication of male domestic abuse of women, or in taking concrete steps in male dominated legislatures to increase the participation and visibility of women in political and public life, through both legislative reform and practical measures. Nonetheless, it was noted that there are still huge challenges. In particular, female Parliamentarians may face
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scorn and disapproval in the mass media to an extent not experienced by their male counterparts. This is not an issue restricted only to a few parts of the Commonwealth - it is practically universal - and the rise in social media use has in some respects exacerbated these issues. The delegates noted that jurisdictions must consider practical examples of how this has been addressed and to see how they can be applied in different cultures and contexts. In his opening remarks as Moderator, Hon. Mutimura Zeno MP (Rwanda) outlined three ‘bottom line issues’. Firstly, that gender equality is an issue of basic human rights to which men are beholden; secondly, that countries that have made significant progress in gender equality (such as Rwanda) tend to be those for whom it is a constitutional issue; and thirdly, that for real advancement in gender equality there must be political will at the top. Gender equality, he said, also makes economic sense. Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia had described a country’s failure to make use of the resources of the female half of the population as ‘economic self-sabotage’. Hon. James Dornan, MSP (Scotland) outlined the Scottish
Parliament’s strong record in promoting gender equality. Equalities impact assessments are mainstreamed into most important aspects of the Parliament’s scrutiny work. Strong female leadership in Scottish politics also serves as a strong example. Major challenges remain. Talented women must still endure scorn and disapproval and in a way that men typically do not; judged often on superficialities rather than on what they get done. Prejudiced views of women expressed in the media represent the perpetuation of outdated patriarchal views. It was his view that there was a need for more support for women in politics to ensure that when they enter political life they are encouraged to stay. He said that sexual harassment allegations currently besetting UK politics are symptomatic of deeply ingrained cultural elements. A change in the culture is needed, and male politicians must make themselves prominently part of the solution. They should be visibly part of campaigns to address current and past injustices against women (for instance male domestic violence). Hon. James Dornan, MSP said that achieving this cultural