Engendering Democracy Through the Ballot Box in the Mauritius 2005

EISA OCCASIONAL PAPER NUMBER 37, October 2005 Engendering Democracy Introduction Through the Ballot Box in the Mauritius 2005 What is it that is keeping Mauritius women out of politics and invisible from Elections important decision-making positions? The island has maintained a stable parliamentary democracy with regular elections since 1968, peaceful changes By of government, and a high level of rule Bertha Chiroro of law based on a liberal Constitution. In preparation for the 2005 elections, women activists made a stout attempt to engender democracy by demanding one woman in each constituency; respect for the SADC 30% declaration; and the need to stop taking money for party tickets.1 However, the ballot box has not bestowed equal access to power on the women of Mauritius. Is it because ISBN: 1-920095-38-1 women in Mauritius do not have the ISSN: 1811-7449 political clout? Is it because the women © EISA, 2005 in Mauritius are not interested in politics? Is it because Mauritius is steeped in patriarchal traditions? Is it cultural and religious traditions that stand in the way? Is it because Mauritius has never witnessed the nationalist aspirations for popular sovereignty that propel women to fight for more progressive gender politics? Is it because of the well-developed welfare state 1 Virahsawmy Loga ‘Mauritian Women mobilise in Solidarity for Democracy and women Human rights in Parliament. Gender and Media Southern Africa. 18 May 2005. Http://mediawatch.clickpost.com/article. - 1 - EISA OCCASIONAL PAPER NUMBER 37, October 2005 providing for women’s needs and The Mauritius political parties, electoral ensuring that Mauritius women are so system, and campaign finance are well looked after so that they do not structural barriers to women’s political have to agitate for a feminist presence to participation. Nonetheless, there is a represent their needs? A number of degree of neglect surrounding the reasons have been speculated upon to perpetual marginalisation of women in explain women’s invisibility in the the institutions of decision-making in domains of power in Mauritius. This Mauritius. This is a country which set up paper grapples with these questions and a Ministry of Women in 1975. This was attempts to provide answers based on the before any other country in the SADC authors reflections on the 2005 elections region did so and with the principal aim and interviews that were carried out with of “making full use of the contribution political party representatives, civil of women in all spheres of economic and society, electoral officers and party male social activity and to redress the social and female candidates during the 2005 and institutional factors which elections. discriminate against women” (Beyond Inequalities: Women in Mauritius, Since gaining independence in 1968, 1997:19). The progress has been Mauritius has chosen its representatives disappointing and slow. The social and through free and fair competitive economic status of women has altered elections. Indeed Mauritius did not go but no dramatic changes have taken through any protracted liberation place in the area of decision-making. struggles or political upheavals which When the composition of decision- might have pushed women into the making assemblies is so markedly at public space. Its transition to odds with the gender and ethnic make up independence was smooth although the of the society they represent, this is clear ethnic segmentation and the different evidence that certain voices are being religions and castes have played a major silenced or suppressed. What does the role in shaping political attitudes and under-representation of women add to behaviour. Mauritius is regarded as one the understanding of democracy in of the developing world’s most Mauritius? This paper will examine the successful democracies. Freedom House causes of lack of advancement of women gives Mauritius a rating of 1 on Political in decision-making in Mauritius by Rights and I on Civil Liberties.2 It is reviewing the literature on gender and considered a free country. The country democracy, the religious and cultural has enjoyed steady economic growth factors that might be the basis of with a per capita income of $3,860, one women’s insubordination and uses the of the highest in Africa. However 2005 elections and campaign to reflect modernisation has not simultaneously on why the Mauritius democracy has not led to the rise of women in decision- had a statistically significant effect on making positions. Modernity now the percentage of women in Parliament. signifies both an increased transparent and democratic government, with the The most important social change of the inclusion of more women legislators as past three decades has been the part of the good governance approach to transformation of gender roles that have sustainable development. Mauritius’ transformed the lives of a majority of democratic deficit lies in the under- populations in different countries. representation of women. Like women Women have moved from the role of worldwide, women in Mauritius face wife, and mother to politicians, judges, formidable cultural and structural and presidents. Mauritius women have barriers in entering the political arena. also witnessed this historic transformation in their social and 2 economic lives. However, their rise to Freedom in the World Country Ratings 2005. occupy decision-making positions has Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/ - 2 - EISA OCCASIONAL PAPER NUMBER 37, October 2005 been moving at a snail’s pace. The ballot However, Philips (1995) argues that box on its own without supportive democracy should involve popular mechanisms has not been an efficient control and political equality as the two way of ensuring women’s presence. The key principles of democracy. Political culture of accepting more women in equality has come to set the terms for politics does not yet exist in Mauritius. modern democracy. This is evidenced by the lack of commitment by both ruling alliance and The two principles of popular control the opposition to any constitutional or and political equality provide a good party quotas. This would have been basis for the politics of presence. Control necessary in the 2005 elections to meet becomes feasible if people are actually the 30% quota called for by the 1997 there - present. Equality is hardly SADC Declaration on Gender and achieved when some groups have so Development. This paper argues that the much more leverage than others (Philips, extraordinary under-representation of 1995:31). Philips’s arguments for women in Mauritius must be considered engendering democracy are based on a serious problem for democracy in that three principles: the first of which is country. Furthermore, the Mauritius state mirror representation. In as much as has tended to concentrate on improving representative democracy cannot women’s status in the socio economic produce a perfect reflection of society as realm rather than promoting the long as the decision-makers are drawn development of an inclusive citizenship from unrepresentative sample in terms of or encouraging women to enter the gender, then democracy will remain political sphere. In spite of the local and profoundly flawed (Philips, 1991: 65). international pressures in keeping the Thus Mauritius democracy fails in-terms issue of women on the agenda, the of mirror representation. political will by the political party leaders has been consistently absent. The second principle in promoting an engendered democracy is to ensure Gender and Democracy group representation. In this case, it does not mean that women have to be The under-representation of women is represented as a constituency or that a crucial in any discussion on democracy woman’s party has to be formed in order and gender. The literature on democracy to deal with women’s interest as a takes as its starting point the notion that minority as women anyway, are in the political equality involves some degree majority. This has led to most countries of equality in participation and it treats setting aside reserved seats for women or the systematic absence of particular the implementation of a constitutional or social groups as a self evident failing of party quota in order to ensure that democracy. According to Inglehart et al, women’s needs and concerns are (2004) the link between women’s represented. Feminists presume the use representation and democracy should be of quotas as a case of increased self evident. Since women account for democratisation of states and gender half the population of most societies, if justice for women as a collective (Philips the majority does not have full political 1995). rights, the society is not democratic (Inglehart). Nonetheless in most The third principle is interest democracies both old and new, women’s representation. This principle is popular representation is still a major problem. in the Scandinavian countries where it is Women continue to be excluded from argued that women and men have political leadership roles. One common different interests and therefore it is definition of democracy presents itself as important for women to be present in a matter of simple majority rule based on their numbers. Empowered as a distinct the principle of ‘one person one vote’. category, with unique experiences, and - 3 - EISA OCCASIONAL PAPER NUMBER 37, October 2005 interests, women legislators are valued men. General modernisation is for contributing towards poverty understood to be beneficial to women eradication by bringing their difference while at the same time, the changing into the policy process. Women’s status of women allegedly brings about interests are often related to the value of general progress. The number of women children. These include equal in decision-making has been positively opportunity for education and related to a state’s level of economic employment, reproductive health, development. A link has been made nutrition and childcare are understood to between the low number of women benefit the economy as a whole.

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