IBIS February 2009

Impact of Devolution

Women’s Political Participation

Bronagh HindsDemocraShe

Women Politicians in NI

• 2005 16.7% Members of Westminster Parliament 16.7% Northern Ireland Assembly Members22% Local Government Councillors

• 2001 16.7% Members of Westminster Parliament13% Northern Ireland Assembly Members19% Local Government Councillors

• 1997 0% Members of Westminster Parliament 0% Northern Ireland Assembly Members14% Local Government Councillors

Integrated & Cohesive Society

• Rights, social justice and equality are at the core

• Mainstreaming equality: system change

• Implementation: principles, strategies and practice into everyday work

• Participation core to mainstreaming

• Equal participation shapes institutions that shape participation that advances fairness, justice, rights

• Visible inclusion, change, fairness

Women – Participation – Cohesion

• Women, more than 50% of those facing inequality, exclusion & marginalisation, understand the issues at a deep level

• Are women more ideally placed to be champions of inclusion and diversity & to lead the re-visioning and re-shaping?

• Women are in all major equality areas & the largest group across equality areas

• Would a critical mass of women leaders have a significant impact on delivering & protecting fairness, justice, rights for all?

DemocraShe: peace & democracy through women in politics

“ The cause of women in Northern Ireland

is essential to the cause of peace”

Senator George Mitchell

Chair, NI Peace Talks 1996 - 98

Speaking at a DemocraShe event on January 29, 2003

Pre-Devolution: NIWC

“audacity of men sitting around a tableplanning the future of N Ireland without

women present”

“difficulty in joining … sectionalised orsectarian political parties”

NIWC: why women got involved

• Anger at the absence of women from peace negotiations and politics

• Absence of women in politics was having a negative impact on arriving at peace

• Ultra macho approach to politics with its violent language had to be challenged

• Experience in leading work across religious and political divides

• A new approach & different model of politics and governance was needed

To be NIWC Candidate

• Women should have views on issues and problems facing themselves and their communities

• Women should be willing to seek a political accommodation that was inclusive of all interests

• The group of candidates had to reflect community balance

• Insistence on inclusive dialogue was key

• Focus on 3 fundamental principles at heart of conflict: Equality, Human Rights, Inclusion

Criteria for Success

1. Get women elected

2. Demonstrate that women were available and willing to contest elections and cut the ground from under the notion of ‘tokenism’

3. Field candidates that can speak directly to women and their concerns

4, Raise the level of public debate about women

5. Put pressure on other political parties to select women and address their issues

6. Influence the agenda of other parties

Women’s Coalition - the only women at the Talks Table

NIWC Candidates 1997 Councils

Requirements for Sustainable Agreement

• Inclusive process of shared responsibility

• Willingness to work towards shared future

• Joint problem-solving v adversarial bargaining & trade-off

• Shared effort to search for common ground & advance common interests

• Separate positions from interests, identify specific needs and offer solutions that respond to needs

• Comprehensive and complex agenda that offers opportunity for win-win rather than zero sum

Ministerial Pledge of Office

• Participate with colleagues in preparation of PfG

• Operate within PfG framework

• Support/act on Executive decisions

• Non-violence & exclusively peaceful and democratic means

• Act on obligation to promote equality and prevent discrimination

Constructive Politics

• Inclusive dialogue & agenda

• Building trust & transforming relationships

• Change in behaviour patterns

• Ideas and solutions v grandstanding

• Listening & demonstrating comprehension

• Cross party collaboration & consensus

• Joint problem solving v adversarial bargaining and trading

• Shared effort to build common ground

‘The Constitution’Good Friday Agreement

• “the right of women to full and equal political participation”

• “the advancement of women in public life”

DemocraShe

formed in 2000 to advance these ideals

DemocraShe: Equipping Women

• To encourage critical thinking, analytical skills and provide a forum for exploring complex social and political ideas

• To equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively in political life

• To inspire women to embrace a more prominent role in party leadership and policy development

• To encourage and promote cross-party working relationships and cooperation

DemocraShe242 women trained over 3 election cycles

41% female councillors & 50% MLAs

5

DemocraShe Election Results: 2001, 2003 & 2005

• 242 women received training as candidates or as members of the campaign teams of women candidates over three election cycles.

Candidates Elected Success

• 2001 Local Government 30 15 50%

Westminster 1 1

• 2003 Assembly 18 9 50%

• 2005 Local Government 68 51 75%

• Elected members’ enhanced policy and communication skills empower them in their exercise of leadership and governance of public affairs – 41% of female Councillors and 50% of female MLAs have availed of DemocraShe training.

Culture Forum for Political Dialogue

“silly women”“time wasters”

“whinging” “feckless”

“moo, moo”

“whining”“breed for Ulster”

Grin and Bear it?

“Let the ladies take the banter as part of the hurly-burly of political life.

Let them grow a thick skin and give us all a smile”

Culture in Assembly

• Gender stereo-typing

• Lack of influence

• Comments on clothes and hair

• Gauntlet of male security guards

• Evading family friendly policies

• Failure of women to work together

Culture in Councils

• “I was called stupid and ignored”• “The hostility knocked me back”• “Council chambers are battlegrounds”• “Small ‘c’ conservatism & violent history combined

with aggressive and adversarial behaviour”

• Experienced across all parties

Hurdles

• Positive action

• Positions on merit

• Unwelcome asides

• Barracking & finger pointing

• ‘Old boys’ get-together

• “Very conscious of my gender here”

What Makes Opportunity

1. Openness of the institutional context

2. Receptivity of key actors

3. Strength of opposition to gender rights

Local Election Results for Women

1997 14% of council seats

2001 19% of council seats

2005 22% of council seats

2005 125 out of 582 seats

Women in Local Councils

DemocraShe is supporting a network of

Political Gender Champions and working with political parties and

local government organizations to bring more women into politics and build peace and prosperity

Women in Local Councils

www.womeninlocalcouncils.org.uk

DemocraShe

Women hold 125 of the 582 Council seats

78% of DemocraShe participants who ran for Council won seats; 1/3 of these were new Councillors

40% of women councillors have been DemocraShe participants

53 new Councillors: 32% on DemocraShe

WinLC

• Focus • senior officer levels • non-traditional areas• elected representatives

• Themes• cultural change• work-life balance• local democracy• capacity building

Women in Local Councils

• Strategic Partners

• Declaration of Principles

• Gender Action Plans - interlocking

• Gender Champions

• GAP Steering Groups within each Council

• Support structure and events

• Community Outreach & Engagement

• Local Government Award

Women in Local Councils Partners

• All 26 Councils

• All Political Parties

• N Ireland Local Government Association

• N Ireland Association of Councillors

• Forum of Council Chief Executives

• Local Government Staff Commission

• Trade Union & Business in the Community

• Queen’s University & Equality Commission

Declaration of Principles

Commit to principle of equality, environment free from harassment & respect for range of views

Acknowledge under-representation & encourage increased participation by women

Promote a culture of full participation

Oppose discriminatory practices

Personal responsibility for language and conduct that does not belittle or degrade

Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of Declaration and implementation

Actions & Results: Internal

• Derry: Cross-border, research, training, mentoring, staff diversity action plan, women’s forum

• Omagh: Learning & Development (with FE College & Health) mentoring; people management; work/life balance; media, facilitation, presentation skills

• Antrim: Flexible Working

• Belfast: WINS non-tradtional trades (with NIHE, Translink, CITB) & Councillor personal development planning

Actions & Results: Outreach

• Newry&Mourne: International Women’s Day for councillors & staff

• Newtownabbey: Women’s conference, Women’s Forum, Young Women’s Political Careers Fair

• North Down: Visible Women’s Conference and networking with business women

• Ards: Visible Women’s Conference, Women in the Community Awards & Men’s Events

• NILGA – NAC – SOLACE

www.womeninlocalcouncils.org.uk

Outreach v Inclusion

• Taking advantage of Privilege

• No right of reply

• “Part and parcel of the political cut and thrust”

• Impossible circumstances for women’s sector

• Impossible for the sector to ‘help’ female MLAs

Challenges in Sustaining Peace

Exclusion, inequality and abuse of political power at the heart of the conflict must change

The discrimination that fuelled the conflict must be eradicated and a shared future built

A complete transformation of the old culture and practice of political conflict is required

Powers returning to local government must be exercised responsibly

Political leadership must be fairly exercised and represent and serve all the people

Conclusions

• Assert gender over community politics

• Equality & culture change within parties

• Deepen understanding of positive action

• Women’s cross-party collaboration

• New standards of behaviour & discipline

What People Want

• Male politicians are regarded as:‘aggressive, ruthless, ambitious & crafty’

• Women are viewed as:‘approachable, compromising, honest & level-headed’

• People said they want politicians who are:‘honest, compromising, hard working & approachable’

* NIL&T YGalligan 2003

DemocraShe: peace & democracy through women in politics

“ The cause of women in Northern Ireland

is essential to the cause of peace”

Senator George Mitchell

Chair, NI Peace Talks 1996 - 98

Speaking at a DemocraShe event on January 29, 2003