Women's Political Participation and Influence in Sierra Leone
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Women's Political Participation and Influence in Sierra Leone Clare Castillejo Working Paper / Documento de trabajo 8383 June 2009 Working Paper / Documento de trabajo About FRIDE FRIDE is an independent think-tank based in Madrid, focused on issues related to democracy and human rights; peace and security; and humanitarian action and development. FRIDE attempts to influence policy-making and inform pub- lic opinion, through its research in these areas. Working Papers FRIDE’s working papers seek to stimulate wider debate on these issues and present policy-relevant considerations. 8 Women's Political Participation and Influence in Sierra Leone Clare Castillejo June 2009 Clare Castillejo is a Researcher for the Humanitarian Action and Development programme at FRIDE. She holds a BA in Social Anthropology from the University of Sussex and an MA in Anthropology of Development from SOAS (University of London). Her work has focused on issues of human rights and social development, especially in Asia. She has worked extensively across the Asia Pacific region, as well as in Southern Africa. Before joining FRIDE Clare was a Social Development Adviser with DFID. Prior to that she worked for Amnesty International conducting research on human rights in South Asia, and for UNDP developing HIV and human rights programmes in a number of Asian countries. Clare has also worked as a researcher with the European Monitoring Centre on Racism (EUMC) in Vienna, and with the South Asia Human Rights Group in London. Working Paper / Documento de trabajo 8383 June 2009 Working Paper / Documento de trabajo www.slcgg.org This Working Paper is part of a study of citizenship in Sierra Leone that was conducted by FRIDE and Campaign for Good Governance. It also forms part of a broader FRIDE research project on women's citizenship in contexts of state-building. The research for this Working Paper was conducted by researchers from FRIDE and Campaign for Good Governance in February 2009. Cover photo: courtesy of the Club of Madrid © Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE) 2009. Goya, 5-7, Pasaje 2º. 28001 Madrid – SPAIN Tel.: +34 912 44 47 40 – Fax: +34 912 44 47 41 Email: [email protected] All FRIDE publications are available at the FRIDE website: www.fride.org This document is the property of FRIDE. If you would like to copy, reprint or in any way reproduce all or any part, you must request permission. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FRIDE. If you have any comments on this document or any other suggestions, please email us at [email protected] Contents Introduction 1 Background on women’s political role in Sierra Leone 2 Sierra Leone’s political system 2 Women’s role in Sierra Leone 3 Political will for women’s inclusion 4 Women’s participation in formal politics 5 “Getting into” politics 5 Women in political parties 7 Women’s ability to operate and exercise influence 9 Commitment to gender equality and accountability to women constituents 10 Outcomes of women’s political participation 12 Support for women’s political participation 13 Women’s involvement in customary governance 14 Ability to participate in customary governance 14 Women customary leaders’ ability to exercise influence 14 Customary leaders’ attitude to gender issues 15 Women’s political participation through civil society 16 Conclusion 18 References 20 1 developing governance institutions and processes that are inclusive of women, and supporting women to Introduction engage in political processes. There is significant evidence that gender roles can be transformed by The establishment of the Millennium Development conflict and that post conflict state-building is an Goal (MDG) on gender equality1 and the development opportunity to build on and embed that transformation, of the “good governance” agenda have increased the giving women a stronger role in all aspects of public interest of the international development community in life. As Lyytikainen argues, “the roles of men and the role of women within governance and the need to women can change considerably during armed conflict strengthen women’s political participation. It is now as women take up new roles to maintain livelihoods, widely recognised that women’s exclusion from protect their families, take part in the conflict or decision making results in state institutions and campaign for peace. It is crucial that the opportunities policies that do not address gender inequalities and are that changing gender roles present are not lost in post- not accountable or responsive to women citizens, conflict peace processes and reforms”.5 However, as thereby perpetuating women’s political, social and Maley points out, in post-conflict settings the political economic marginalisation. Women’s participation in stakes are usually very high and politics is often politics is therefore recognised to be both a right and a characterised by insecurity and patronage, all of which requirement for effective development, and it is can be obstacles to women’s participation.6 generally agreed that a critical mass of women in politics are needed in order to have policy impact Sierra Leone presents an interesting case of both the (usually estimated at 30 percent of parliamentarians opportunities and challenges in strengthening women’s being women).2 This increased focus on women’s political participation in contexts of post-conflict state political participation has led to specific programming building. While the country has made significant by donors to support women’s participation in political progress in recovering from a devastating conflict and processes, as well as broader efforts to integrate re-building the state, it remains at the bottom of the gender into the good governance agenda. This has Human Development Index. Moreover, Sierra Leone included developing gender indicators in governance has extremely high levels of gender inequality and analysis3 and integrating gender into governance comes last in the 2007/2008 UNDP’s Gender models and programming. For example, UNIFEM has Development Related Index and third from last in the developed a gender-sensitive definition of good OECD’s Social Institutions and Gender Index, which governance and models of how state accountability measures gender equality. In this context, this Working functions for women.4 Paper will explore the extent to which women in Sierra Leone are able to participate in and influence both The post conflict state-building process is an important formal and informal politics, the barriers that they face opportunity to strengthen women’s political in doing this, and the outcomes of women’s political participation, enshrining this in constitution and law, participation. It will examine the policy framework and support provided for women’s participation and make 1 In particular indicator 3.3 “Proportion of seats held by women recommendations for donors and national policy in national parliament” has increased the focus of development actors on women’s political participation. makers on how they can support more women to 2 For a summary of the arguments why women’s political participate in and influence politics. participation is important for development see “Women’s Leadership and Participation”, Oxfam Programme Insights, Oxfam. 3 For information on efforts to integrate gender into governance assessments see the gender section of the UNDP governance assessments portal: http://www.gaportal.org/areas-of- 5 “Building Inclusive Post-Conflict Governance”, Lyytikainen, governance/governance-and-gender Initiative for Peacebuilding, 2009. 4 “Progress of the World’s Women 2008/2009: Who Answers to 6 “Enhancing Women’s Participation in Electoral Processes in Women?”, UNIFEM, 2008. Post-Conflict Countries”, Maley, 2004. Women's Political Participation and Influence in Sierra Leone Clare Castillejo 2 This Working Paper is based on field research These parties have a strong regional basis, with each conducted by FRIDE and Campaign for Good generally able to count on the support of the Governance in February 2009 in the districts of population in its regional strongholds – although not Kambiah and Moyamba, as well as in the capital entirely, for example some traditional SLPP Freetown.7 These research sites were chosen because supporters backed the APC in the last election. they reveal different pictures in terms of gender relations and women’s participation in politics. Sierra Leone emerged from conflict in 2002 and held Kambiah has some of the most unequal gender its first post-conflict national elections the same year, relations in Sierra Leone, with women traditionally in which 18 women were elected to parliament out of excluded from almost all aspects of public life, while in a total of 124 MPs (members of parliament). However, Moyamba gender relations are relatively more in the national elections in 2007 this figure dropped to egalitarian and women have a greater role in public life. just 16 women. One reason for this fall in female representation was that the 2002 election had used a This Working Paper is part of a broader FRIDE proportional representation system in order to take programme of research on women’s citizenship in account of the fact that so many people were displaced contexts of state-building. because of the conflict, while in 2007 there was a return to Sierra Leone’s traditional majoritarian system. This resulted in fewer women being selected as candidates as the political parties were concerned that Background on the electorate would not vote for them.8 In terms of women in leadership roles there are two women women’s political role ministers out of a total of 24. in Sierra Leone Local government was re-established in 2004 with local elections in which women won 56 out of a total of 456 district council seats across the country. In Sierra Leone’s political system 2008 local elections resulted in 86 women councillors, a significant increase on the 2004 elections.