How and to what effect have women been able to make their way into public life in such large numbers in societies not otherwise noted for gender equality? This comparative study from Zed Books examines two countries – South Africa and Uganda – which are ahead of most Western democracies in terms of women’s presence in politics. The authors argue that participation does not necessarily translate into effective policy influence. Success is dependent upon the nature of civil society, the political system and the state.
South Africa and Uganda offer two different mechanisms of representation and two different regime contexts for comparison. The ruling parties in both countries have taken important steps to bring unprecedented numbers of women to power. In South Africa, women demanded inclusion as a right; in Uganda, inclusion has been extended as a favour. The differences between the two countries shed light on the political conditions under which representative politics might be used to advance a feminist agenda.
The design of political institutions and the culture of competition over ideas and principles in civil society, politics and the state profoundly shapes the perceived legitimacy of women politicians and of gender equity concerns, and hence the effectiveness of feminists in advancing gender equity policy.
- Women in decision-making positions will only be effective if there is a strong women’s movement in civil society acting as an accountability mechanism
- In both countries, centralised leadership has been key to the effectiveness of measures which would otherwise have fallen victim to opposition from traditional interests within the ruling parties
- Many efforts to increase numbers of women undermine their legitimacy and effectiveness because they are seen to be lesser politicians
- In South Africa, the multi-party system allowed the women’s movement to broaden its arenas of political action and to make its claims for substantive representation
- Women’s political gains in Uganda are insecure, because they have not been in a position to challenge patriarchal party systems or to develop political leverage out of their electoral strength
- In both countries, the patterns of local politics ensure that traditional culture dominates public life.
There has been a tendency to measure the outcomes of various state policies on women without considering the particular relationships within the state that influence policy formulation. A range of conditions make for building women’s effectiveness in politics: civil society strength, institutional reforms which facilitate women’s access to politics and a supportive and powerful party.
- Success in using politics to promote women’s interests depends on the women’s movement’s carefully maintained simultaneous autonomy from and strategic engagement with parties
- The main focus of attention in efforts to increase women’s political effectiveness should be on building gender sensitivity into accountability systems
- Institutional changes can be assessed in terms of whether they are a legitimation exercise for the state, or whether they create the space for women to advance their needs and interests
- ‘Descriptive’ representation may be a necessary first step to the institutional transformation that is required if ‘substantive’ representation is to be achieved.
