The Implementation of Quotas: Latin American Experiences Workshop Report
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The Implementation of Quotas: Latin American Experiences Workshop Report Lima, Peru 23-24 February 2003 © International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003 International IDEA publications are independent of specific national or political interests. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of International IDEA, its Board or its Council members. Applications for permission to reproduce or translate all or any part of this publication should be made to: Information Unit International IDEA SE -103 34 Stockholm Sweden International IDEA encourages dissemination of its work and will promptly respond to requests for permission to reproduce or translate its publications. Graphic design by: Magnus Alkmar Cover photos: Anoli Perera, Sri Lanka Printed by: Trydells Tryckeri AB, Sweden ISBN: 91-89578-007 Preface The International Institute for Democracy and tion on quotas, IDEA is convening a series of regio- Electoral Assistance (IDEA), an intergovernmental nal workshops. This report documents the discus- organization with member states across all conti- sion at, and the findings from, the second in the seri- nents, seeks to support sustainable democracy in es, The Implementation of Quotas: Latin American both new and long-established democracies. Experiences, which is to be followed by workshops Drawing on comparative analysis and experience, in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, and the IDEA works to strengthen electoral processes, Arab World. The workshop was held in Lima, Peru, enhance political equality and participation and to where IDEA has been operating a country program- develop democratic institutions and practices. The me since 2002. inclusive and responsive nature of those institutions Many individuals and organizations in Peru sup- is considered of particular importance if there is to ported IDEA’s workshop on quotas in Latin be effective governance, benefiting a wide spectrum America, and we are grateful for their enthusiasm of groups in society. In this context, IDEA is com- and experience. We thank Professor Drude Dahlerup mitted to promoting women’s participation and from Stockholm University for her expertise and representation in political life. knowledge in organizing the event, staff and consul- The implementation of gender quotas is increa- tants at IDEA’s offices in Lima and Stockholm, espe- singly viewed as an important policy measure for cially Violeta Bermúdez, Lorena Prieto, Andrea increasing women’s access to decision-making bodi- Stiglich and Yee Yin Yap, for assisting with logistics es. The introduction of gender quota systems is high- and arrangements for this event, and Julie ly influenced by recommendations from internatio- Ballington, Christina Alnevall and Violeta Bermúdez nal organizations and cross-country inspiration. In for helping to compile this report. 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action called on We also thank the speakers and authors who made governments to take measures to ensure women’s this report possible, particularly Clara Araújo, equal access to, and full participation in, power Christina Alnevall, Jimena Costa Benavides, Violeta structures and decision-making fora, and to set spe- Bermúdez, Drude Dahlerup, Ana Isabel García cific targets and to implement measures to increase Quesada, Maria José Lubertino, Jacqueline Peschard, substantially the number of women in politics, Gregory D. Schmidt, Rocío Villanueva Flores and including through positive action. Gender quotas Ana María Yáñez. From IDEA we are especially gra- present us with new challenges, both in practice and teful for the expertise and untiring efforts of Julie as a new field of research. IDEA is engaged in a glo- Ballington, Manager of the Gender Project, and bal research project on the implementation and prac- Myriam Méndez-Montalvo, former Manager of the tice of quotas worldwide in cooperation with Peru Project. We also thank Dr Patrick Molutsi, Stockholm University’s Department of Political Director of the Political Parties and Institutions Science. By comparing the use of gender quotas in Programme, and Dr Daniel Zovatto, Director of the different political contexts it is possible to gauge Latin American Programme. Lastly, we would like to whether, and under what conditions, quotas can be thank IDEA’s member states, for the support that implemented successfully. This project aims to raise made this event possible. awareness about the use of gender quotas as an instrument to increase women’s political representa- tion and to show that they can and are being appli- ed successfully. IDEA also seeks to develop skills and knowledge, as well as to establish useful networks and to identify partners, among the interested parti- es to assist them in making progress in this impor- Karen Fogg tant policy area. Secretary-General As a means of generating comparative informa- International IDEA 3 4 Table of Contents About the Project and the Report 6 1. Quota Systems: An Overview 8 1.1. Overview of the Session 8 Papers Presented: Drude Dahlerup, “Comparative Studies of Electoral Gender Quotas” 10 Jacqueline Peschard, “An Overview of Quota Systems in Latin America” 20 2. Introducing Quotas in Latin America: Discourses and Legal Reforms 30 2.1. Overview of Presentations 30 2.2. Overview of Discussion 31 Papers Presented: María José Lubertino, “Pioneering Quotas: The Argentine Experience and Beyond” 32 Gregory D. Schmidt, “The Implementation of Gender Quotas in Peru: Legal Reform, Discourses, and Impacts” 42 Rocío Villanueva Flores, “Taking Stock of the Implementation of Quotas in Peru” 52 3. Quotas in Practice: The Challenge of Implementation and Enforcement 68 3.1. Overview of Presentations 68 3.2. Overview of Discussion 70 Papers Presented: Clara Araújo, “Quotas for Women in the Brazilian Legislative System” 72 Ana Isabel García Quesada, “Putting the Mandate into Practice: Legal Reform in Costa Rica” 88 Jacqueline Peschard, “Quota Implementation in Mexico” 102 Jimena Costa Benavides, “Women’s Political Participation in Bolivia: Progress and Obstacles” 104 4. Democracy and Electoral Systems 112 4.1. Overview of Presentations 112 4.2. Overview of Discussion 113 Papers Presented: Ana María Yáñez, “Quotas and Democracy in Peru” 114 Gregory D. Schmidt, “Unanticipated Successes: Lessons from Peru’s Experiences with Gender Quotas in Majoritarian Closed List and Open List PR Systems” 120 5. Conclusion: Lessons Learned from the Latin American Experience with Quotas 134 6. About the Authors 138 7. List of Participants 140 5 About the Project and the Report Obstacles to women’s political participation exist ject is the first global comparative analysis of the dis- throughout the world in prevailing social and econo- cursive controversies about quotas and how they mic regimes, as well as in existing political structures. work in practice. It aims to study the debates and In 2003, the representation of women stands at 15 decision-making processes that led to their introduc- percent globally. Although this total has increased in tion, and to look at the implementation of various recent years, minimal progress throughout the world types of quota, including formal and informal quo- means that the ideal of parity remains distant. Given tas, and their consequences. the slow rate at which the representation of women As a first step in this process, a Global Database of is increasing, various methods, such as electoral quo- Quotas for Women web site has been produced, pro- tas, have been proposed or implemented to address viding an overview of the use of electoral quotas for the present gender imbalance in decision-making. women worldwide (www.quotaproject.org). It is a Governments and political parties have experimen- joint project between IDEA and Stockholm ted with different types of quotas; electoral quotas University’s Department of Political Science. The may be constitutionally or legislatively mandated or web site provides information on the various types of take the form of political party quotas. They usually quotas in existence today, detailing the percentages set a target or minimum threshold for women, and and targets in countries where they are applicable. may apply to the number of women candidates pro- Data is presented for over 90 countries, including 74 posed by a party for election, or they may take the countries where quotas have been implemented in form of reserved seats in the legislature. the constitution, regulations and laws or where poli- Increasing women’s representation and participa- tical parties have implemented their own internal tion in decision-making bodies requires well-develo- quotas. However, as the web site provides quantitati- ped strategies and information about which measu- ve information about quota types and rules, it does res have worked successfully in different countries not seek to draw conclusions about the connection with different political systems. In terms of informa- between types of quota provisions and the represen- tion on quotas, limited comparative research exists tation of women globally. Further qualitative rese- on how quotas have been or have not been success- arch is needed to illustrate the effect of quotas for fully implemented and enforced. Certain country women and quota enforcement in different countri- case studies or regional analyses are available, but es, and the impact of other factors that affect the there is a pressing need to examine different country representation of women, such as the strength of the and regional examples