DOCSLIB.ORG

Women, Policy and Political Leadership Regional Perspectives

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Women, Policy and Political Leadership Regional Perspectives Women, Policy and Political Leadership Regional Perspectives Editors Christian Echle Megha Sarmah www.kas.de Women, Policy and Political Leadership Women, Policy and Political Leadership Regional Perspectives Editors Christian Echle Megha Sarmah © 2020 individual works, the authors Editors: Christian Echle, Megha Sarmah Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Ltd 380 Jalan Besar #11-01/06-12 Arc 380 Singapore 209000 Tel: (65) 6603-6160 Tel: (65) 6227-8343 Email: [email protected] Website: www.kas.de/singapore All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying or recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. The responsibility for facts and opinions in this publication rests exclusively with the authors and their interpretations do not necessarily refl ect the views or the policy of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. The photos on the cover were taken during the Asian Women Parliamentarian Caucus meeting. Cover design by Select Books Pte Ltd Typesetting by Select Books Pte Ltd National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing in Publication Data Name(s): Echle, Christian, editor. | Sarmah, Megha, editor. | Konrad-Adenauer- Stiftung (Singapore), publisher. Title: Women, policy, and political leadership : regional perspectives / editors, Christian Echle, Megha Sarmah. Description: Singapore : Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung Ltd, [2020] Identifi er(s): OCN 1195783105 | ISBN 978-981-14-7126-1 (paperback) Subject(s): LCSH: Women--Political activity. | Women legislators. | Women politicians. Classifi cation: DDC 320.082--dc23 Printed in Singapore. Table of Contents 1 PREFACE vii 2 INTRODUCTION Reviewing Political Patriarchy and Women’s Political 1 Mainstreaming in Asia – Breaking Barriers, Fighting Blind Spots, Carving Opportunities Andrea Fleschenberg Women in Politics 33 Ella S. Prihatini 3 OVERVIEW 49 Fact Sheet 51 Global Gender Gap Index 2020 57 World Map and Timeline – Women in Politics 58 4 REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES 4.1 Africa African Women in Political Decision-Making – 65 “A Voice that Still Remains a Whisper” Yolanda Sadie 4.2 Americas Women in Politics in Latin America 77 Jennifer M. Piscopo Women in Political Offi ce in North America 89 Farida Jalalzai 4.3 Asia Women in Politics in Northeast Asia: South Korea, 97 Taiwan, and Japan Young-Im Lee vi Women, Policy and Political Leadership Women and Political Leadership in South Asia 109 Mallarika Sinha Roy Worrying Flattening Curve: Women’s Political 119 Participation in Southeast Asia Bridget Welsh 4.4 Australasia Women in Politics in Australia 131 Elisabeth Porter Women in Politics: Pacifi c Islands and New Zealand 141 Nicole George 4.5 Europe Women in Politics in Eastern Europe: 30 Years After 159 the Fall of the Berlin Wall Ekaterina R. Rashkova and Emilia Zankina Women’s Descriptive and Substantive 169 Representation in Nordic Politics Lenita Freidenvall Women in Politics in Western Europe 181 Haley Norris and Mary Nugent 5 ABOUT THE AUTHORS 193 Preface Women’s political leadership and the equal participation of women in public affairs and decision-making are key elements of democracy and prerequisites for achieving sustainable development. In the last few decades, there has been remarkable progress in this regard with more opportunities for women in leadership roles and significant steps being taken towards achieving gender equality. The world average of women in parliament has increased from 15.7% in 2004 to 22.1% in 2015 to 25.11% in 2020. Nonetheless, we have still not reached the target of 30% of women in decision-making positions set by the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995. As we marked the 25-year anniversary of this platform in 2020, we also witnessed the importance and impact of diverse leadership and the role of women leaders in high-stakes situations against the backdrop of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Countries with female leaders were hailed to be more successful in fighting the pandemic. A study published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the World Economic Forum, which analysed 194 countries, suggests that the difference is real and “may be explained by the proactive and coordinated policy responses” adopted by female leaders.2 Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) has always recognised and stressed the importance of women in political leadership and the crucial roles they can play. In order to promote female political leadership training and empowerment in Asia, KAS’s Political Dialogue Asia office in Singapore has always been committed to pursuing programmes to narrow the political gender gap by organising conferences and thematic meetings on issues pertaining to women’s empowerment in Asia. 1 Accurate as of 28 December 2020. 2 Garikipati, Supriya and Kambhampati, Uma, Leading the Fight Against the Pandemic: Does Gender ‘Really’ Matter? (3 June 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3617953 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3617953. viii Women, Policy and Political Leadership Since 2011, we have been bringing together a network of around 40 parliamentarians to promote, strengthen and develop female political leadership in their respective countries through policy discussions and capacity-building programmes. Since its inception, the Asian Women Parliamentarian Caucus (AWPC) has built on existing strategic knowledge and solidarity systems, especially for countries that lack adequate repre- sentation of women in politics. Through the Asian Women Parliamentarian Caucus initiative, KAS hopes to address the role of parliamentarians in forging the women leadership agenda and pushing it forward through best practices and shared experiences. AWPC has also helped to unite women across party lines, offer opportunities to discuss mainstream gender is- sues and provide oversight of government action in the work of parliament. AWPC has also been a platform to inform and encourage parliamentarians to discuss pertinent issues facing the region and to look towards the best policy approach. It is our hope at KAS that through stronger regional cooperation, we can support women parliamentarians across the region to consolidate best practices, and to influence policy-agenda in bills passing in their re- spective national parliaments. As our network members take leadership roles in their countries, like Hon. Minister of Defence of Australia Senator Linda Reynolds and Hon. Minister of Education of Bangladesh Dr Dipu Moni, we hope we can support them in their efforts to bring forward a more gender-sensitive and inclusive agenda in their countries and in the region as a whole. We are pleased to present the second edition of our book Women, Policy and Political Leadership: Regional Perspectives. The papers of the first edition have been updated by prominent authors from around the world to include the latest regional insights into the situation of female political leadership and prospects as well as challenges. We also present an up- dated overview with a) a fact sheet containing comparative data on the percentage of women in national parliaments; b) the Global Gender Gap rankings, introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006 to assess the magnitude and scope of gender-based disparities within and across states, using economic, political, education and health as criterion; c) a world map illustrating the proportion of seats held by women in the upper house and lower house in 30 different countries around the world and d) a retrospec- tive timeline on milestones in global female political leadership. Preface ix We hope the material compiled by our authors prove useful for politi- cally active women. We have always believed that knowledge management is an integral part of regional network building and we hope that the con- tents of this book can help influence perspectives and narratives around the region. Christian Echle Director Regional Programme Political Dialogue Asia Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Reviewing Political Patriarchy and Women’s Political Mainstreaming in Asia – Breaking Barriers, Fighting Blind Spots, Carving Opportunities Andrea Fleschenberg Asia represents an interesting and diverse laboratory for gender-sensitive policy-making, legislation as well as women’s political mainstreaming at various levels of the political system and is home to multiple gender-spe- cific cleavages, contestations and controversies – be it in terms of formal or informal political participation, regimes and processes. Experiences of women politicians in breaking barriers of political patriarchy and carving opportunities for women’s sustainable and transversal political main- streaming have been diverse, sometimes ambiguous or with ambivalent outcomes and implications, more often than not encouraging and continu- ously widening the public space for women’s voice to be heard and agency to unfold. 2 Women, Policy and Political Leadership Assessing a Heterogeneous Region and Introducing Key Concepts1 One characteristic feature has been the introduction of different systems of gender quotas at multiple levels of Asian polities – be it in the form of voluntary party quotas, legislative candidate quotas, or reserved seats to be contested directly via elections or to be selected by male gatekeepers. Initially, public and academic debates revolved around the documentation of women politicians’ experiences and around the debate of quota designs, issues of representativeness and critical mass theorising.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll 22 – 26 May 2021
    1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll 22 – 26 May 2021 Attention: Television New Zealand Contact: (04) 913-3000 Release date: 27 May 2021 Level One 46 Sale Street, Auckland CBD PO Box 33690 Takapuna Auckland 0740 Ph: (09) 919-9200 Level 9, Legal House 101 Lambton Quay PO Box 3622, Wellington 6011 Ph: (04) 913-3000 www.colmarbrunton.co.nz Contents Contents .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Methodology summary ................................................................................................................................... 2 Summary of results .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Key political events ................................................................ .......................................................................... 4 Question order and wording ............................................................................................................................ 5 Party vote ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 Preferred Prime Minister ................................................................................................................................. 8 Public Sector wage freeze .............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Transcript of Prime Minister John Key's Speech to the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce Function, 2Nd July 2015. Good
    A transcript of Prime Minister John Key's speech to the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce function, 2nd July 2015. Good afternoon. Thank you Peter for that warm welcome and for the Chamber's hosting of this event. It's good to see so many of you here today. Can I start by acknowledging Mayor Lianne Dalziel and other local body representatives from around the region. Just as central government has to make some tough decisions and trade-offs, so too do councils as we work together to rebuild this city. Together, we're making significant progress. Although, of course, there is still much to do. I'd also like to acknowledge my ministerial colleagues Gerry Brownlee, Amy Adams and Nicky Wagner. Gerry has provided strong leadership in overseeing what continues to be one of New Zealand's largest and most complex undertakings. Most recently he has been turning his mind to where we go following the expiry of the special earthquake recovery laws next April. I'll have some more to say about that in a few minutes. As we've said before, the estimated cost of the rebuild is around $40 billion. As a proportion of the economy, this makes it one of the most expensive natural disasters in the developed world. So thanks to all of you here who have worked so hard since the first earthquake in September 2010. I want to start today by talking about the economy and the significant contribution Canterbury makes to it. A strong and growing economy allows us to provide essential public services like hospitals and schools, and support our most vulnerable families.
    [Show full text]
  • The Changing Status of Women in Taiwan: 1945-2010
    The Changing Status of Women in Taiwan: 1945-2010 by Mei-Lien Lu A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Auburn, Alabama May 7, 2012 Key words: women, status, Taiwan, culture, development, democratization Copyright 2012 by Mei-Lien Lu Approved by Cal Clark, Chair, Alumni Professor of Political Science, Director of the MPA Program Cynthia J. Bowling, Associate Professor of Political Science and Ph.D. Program Director Linda F. Dennard, Professor of Political Science at Auburn University-Montgomery Murray Jardine, Jane Dickerson Lanier Professor of Political Science Abstract This dissertation analyzes the economic, social, and political status of women in Taiwan from 1945 to 2010. This research was guided by a theoretical model of how the status of women worldwide is influenced by the extent of patriarchal culture, the level of economic development, and the degree of democratization. Hypotheses drawn from the theoretical model were tested by using data collected from 174 developing and developed nations. Overall, the statistical analysis found that patriarchal culture, economic development, and democratization exert fairly strong influences over some dimensions of women’s status but have little association with others. This implies that the nature of women’s status is complex and complicated because each nation has its own circumstances that are shaped by its historical background, traditional culture, geographic location, and so on. Therefore case studies of individual countries should provide valuable insights into the dynamics of women’s changing status in the contemporary world. This dissertation presents such a case study that analyzes the status of Taiwanese women in terms of social conditions, human and social capital, economic activities, and political participation and power.
    [Show full text]
  • What Makes a Good Prime Minister of New Zealand? | 1 Mcguinness Institute Nation Voices Essay Competition
    NATION VOICES ESSAY COMPETITION What makes a good About the author Brad is studying towards a BCom/ Prime Minister of BA majoring in Economics, Public Policy, International New Zealand? Relations and Political Science. He is a 2016 Brad Olsen Queen’s Young Leader for New Zealand after his work with territorial authorities, central government organizations and NGOs. He’s passionate about youth voice and youth participation in wider society. Leadership is a complex concept, necessitating vast amounts of patience, determination, and passion to work with others towards a position of improvement in the chosen field of expertise or service. Leaders not only bear the burden of setting the direction of actions or inactions for their team, but are also often accountable to stakeholders, with varying degrees of accountability and size of the cohort to which a leader is accountable. However, there is no more complex job in existence than the leadership of a country like New Zealand — this burden falls squarely on the Prime Minister, in charge of policy both foreign and domestic, all the while totally accountable to each and every citizen in his or her realm. Unsurprisingly, some make a better fist of it than others, with the essence of this good leadership a highly sought commodity. Three areas are critical to ensuring a Prime Minister can effectively lead — a measurement of how ‘good’ they are at their job — these fall under the umbrellas of political, social, and economic leadership ability. Politically, Prime Ministers must have foreign credibility, alongside the ability to form a cohesive support team. Socially a Prime Minster must not only recognize and promote popular ideas, but must also be relatable in part to the people.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion and the Making of Women's Alternative Space in Taiwan's Economic Restructuring
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Publications and Research John Jay College of Criminal Justice 2008 Women of the Sisters' Hall: religion and the making of women's alternative space in Taiwan's economic restructuring Anru Lee John Jay College of Criminal Justice How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/jj_pubs/12 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] 1 Women of the Sisters' Hall: religion and the making of women's alternative space in Taiwan's economic restructuring To cite this Article: Lee, Anru (2008) ―Women of the Sisters' Hall: religion and the making of women's alternative space in Taiwan's economic restructuring,‖ Gender, Place & Culture, 15(4): 373-393. During the course of my research on labor and gender politics in Taiwan‘s recent economic restructuring, I came to know a group of middle-aged working-class women who were believers of I-Kuan Tao (Yiguan Dao), the Unity Way, ‗a syncretic, moralistic religion whose members practice vegetarianism and are led by charismatic masters‘ (Skoggard 1996, 157). Aged from early thirties to late fifties when I started collecting my data in the mid-1990s, these women lived together in the Sacred Heaven Fo-t‘ang (literally ‗Sacred Heaven Buddha Hall‘), an I-Kuan Tao temple in Homei, a small town in central Taiwan known for its history in textile production.
    [Show full text]
  • NEXT Summit (Singapore 2021） 29 September 2021
    NEXT Summit (Singapore 2021） 29 September 2021 * Cooperation discussion up to August 31 v. 2021.06.18 Singapore 2021 NEXT Summit (Singapore 2021) is coming soon Online and offline G-M-A-B-C consultation on Online sub- Media Promotion by global celebrities with higher global interactions Total-Factor Cooperation forums media attention 2 5 10 200+ 500+ Country Discussion on cooperation Sharing by high-end talents Support from Global viewers regarding leading global partners interaction technological projects 20 30 60 1000+ 100万+ Promoting Total-Factor Cooperation for Global Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability Singapore 2021 NEXT SUMMIT Unite to Create Singapore 2021 About us Who we are A global platform for integration and transformation of industrial resources Our vision NEXT Summit（Aukland2017） NEXT Summit （Dubai2019） Promote global innovation, cooperation and sustainability Our main functions Seeking Optimal Practices Sharing Advantaged Resources Improving Public Relations NEXT Summit （Hangzhou2018） NEXT Summit （Sky2020） Singapore 2021 Unite to Create：Our Value and Service Reliable and long-lasting relationships with policy-makers, including face-to-face discussion Market entry and expansion support Authoritative interpretion of policy standards and execution procedures Crisis and issue management G Creation: Local networks for project delivery Create “BIG" events Communication: Reduce misunderstanding and garner public support for cooperation C M Customize “GOOD" content Supervision: Third party protects people's interests Get
    [Show full text]
  • The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: an Overview (Full Publication; 5 May
    The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people an overview 2011 The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is Australia’s national health and welfare statistics and information agency. The Institute’s mission is better information and statistics for better health and wellbeing. © Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Head of the Communications, Media and Marketing Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601. A complete list of the Institute’s publications is available from the Institute’s website <www.aihw.gov.au>. ISBN 978 1 74249 148 6 Suggested citation Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011. The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, an overview 2011. Cat. no. IHW 42. Canberra: AIHW. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Board Chair Hon. Peter Collins, AM, QC Director David Kalisch Any enquiries about or comments on this publication should be directed to: Communication, Media and Marketing Unit Australian Institute of Health and Welfare GPO Box 570 Canberra ACT 2601 Phone: (02) 6244 1032 Email: [email protected] Published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Printed by Paragon Printers Australasia Please note that there is the potential for minor revisions of data in this report. Please check the online version at <www.aihw.gov.au> for any amendments.
    [Show full text]
  • Women's Political Participation and Representation in Asia
    iwanaga The ability of a small elite of highly educated, upper-class Asian women’s political women to obtain the highest political positions in their country is unmatched elsewhere in the world and deserves study. But, for participation and those interested in a more detailed understanding of how women representation strive and sometimes succeed as political actors in Asia, there is a women’s marked lack of relevant research as well as of comprehensive and in asia user-friendly texts. Aiming to fill the gap is this timely and important study of the various obstacles and opportunities for women’s political Obstacles and Challenges participation and representation in Asia. Even though it brings political together a diverse array of prominent European and Asian academicians and researchers working in this field, it is nonetheless a singularly coherent, comprehensive and accessible volume. Edited by Kazuki Iwanaga The book covers a wide range of Asian countries, offers original data from various perspectives and engages the latest research on participation women in politics in Asia. It also aims to put the Asian situation in a global context by making a comparison with the situation in Europe. This is a volume that will be invaluable in women’s studies internationally and especially in Asia. a nd representation representation i n asia www.niaspress.dk Iwanaga-2_cover.indd 1 4/2/08 14:23:36 WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION IN ASIA Kazuki_prels.indd 1 12/20/07 3:27:44 PM WOMEN AND POLITICS IN ASIA Series Editors: Kazuki Iwanaga (Halmstad University) and Qi Wang (Oslo University) Women and Politics in Thailand Continuity and Change Edited by Kazuki Iwanaga Women’s Political Participation and Representation in Asia Obstacles and Challenges Edited by Kazuki Iwanaga Kazuki_prels.indd 2 12/20/07 3:27:44 PM Women’s Political Participation and Representation in Asia Obstacles and Challenges Edited by Kazuki Iwanaga Kazuki_prels.indd 3 12/20/07 3:27:44 PM Women and Politics in Asia series, No.
    [Show full text]
  • Uef-Spinelli Group
    UEF-SPINELLI GROUP MANIFESTO 9 MAY 2021 At watershed moments in history, communities need to adapt their institutions to avoid sliding into irreversible decline, thus equipping themselves to govern new circumstances. After the end of the Cold War the European Union, with the creation of the monetary Union, took a first crucial step towards adapting its institutions; but it was unable to agree on a true fiscal and social policy for the Euro. Later, the Lisbon Treaty strengthened the legislative role of the European Parliament, but again failed to create a strong economic and political union in order to complete the Euro. Resulting from that, the EU was not equipped to react effectively to the first major challenges and crises of the XXI century: the financial crash of 2008, the migration flows of 2015- 2016, the rise of national populism, and the 2016 Brexit referendum. This failure also resulted in a strengthening of the role of national governments — as shown, for example, by the current excessive concentration of power within the European Council, whose actions are blocked by opposing national vetoes —, and in the EU’s chronic inability to develop a common foreign policy capable of promoting Europe’s common strategic interests. Now, however, the tune has changed. In the face of an unprecedented public health crisis and the corresponding collapse of its economies, Europe has reacted with unity and resolve, indicating the way forward for the future of European integration: it laid the foundations by starting with an unprecedented common vaccination strategy, for a “Europe of Health”, and unveiled a recovery plan which will be financed by shared borrowing and repaid by revenue from new EU taxes levied on the digital and financial giants and on polluting industries.
    [Show full text]
  • Achieving the Sdgs for All and Leaving No Woman Or Girl Behind
    ASEAN Gender AchievingOutlook the SDGs for all and leaving no woman or girl behind ABOUT THIS REPORT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is the result of the collaborative efforts and UN Women would like to thank the Governments of Australia, partnership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ireland, Mexico, Sweden, the United States and the United Achieving the SDGs for all and leaving (ASEAN), ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW), ASEAN Kingdom and Alwaleed Philanthropies, Alibaba Foundation, no woman or girl behind Secretariat, and the United Nations Entity for Gender the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Elizabeth Arden Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). for their generous contributions to the Making Every Woman and Girl Count Programme, which provided support in the The publication also brings into focus the paucity of gender preparation of the ASEAN Gender Outlook data and calls for greater investment and prioritization of data for tracking progress towards gender equality and Report lead: Sara Duerto-Valero achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report authors: Sara Duerto-Valero, in ASEAN in line with the ASEAN Complementarities Initiative Sneha Kaul, and Ryce Chanchai between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 Statistics: Sara Duerto-Valero and Sneha Kaul with special Agenda for Sustainable Development. thanks to ASEAN Member States, particularly ACW, ASEAN Division for Statistics and ASEAN Community The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors Statistical System (ACSS) and do not necessarily represent the views of UN Women, Strategic guidance and substantive contributions: the United Nations or any of its affiliated organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • Somebody's Life, Everybody's Business! National Research On
    SOMEBODy’S LIFE, EVERYBODy’S BUSINESS! National Research on Women's Health and Life Experiences in Fiji (2010/2011): A survey exploring the prevalence, incidence and attitudes to intimate partner violence in Fiji. 1 2 SOMEBODy’S LIFE, EVERYBODy’S BUSINESS! National Research on Women's Health and Life Experiences in Fiji (2010/2011): A survey exploring the prevalence, incidence and attitudes to intimate partner violence in Fiji. 1 Copyright © Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre 2013 All rights for commercial, for-profit and not-for-profit reproduction or translation, in any form, rest with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced or translated, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying or otherwise), except for the purposes of training, private study, review or research. Any reproduction, translation or adaptation or other above mentioned allowed purposes must fully acknowledge the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre. Published by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) 88 Gordon Street Suva, Fiji Phone: 679 331 3000 www.fijiwomen.com This research was funded by the Australian Government’s aid program. FWCC’s national and regional programs are funded by the Australian Government’s aid program. FWCC’s Branches are funded by the New Zealand Government’s aid program. 2 Acknowledgements First, acknowledgement is due to the women of Fiji who willingly and openly shared their experiences with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) research team. Many spoke for the first time about their experience of violence; we thank them for their valuable time and for their trust.
    [Show full text]
  • Luminary Buddhist Nuns in Contemporary Taiwan: a Quiet Feminist Movement
    Journal of Buddhist Ethics ISSN 1076-9005 Luminary Buddhist Nuns in Contemporary Taiwan: A Quiet Feminist Movement Wei-yi Cheng Department of the Study of Religions School of African and Asian Studies [email protected] ABSTRACT: Luminary order is a well-respected Buddhist nuns’ order in Taiwan. In this essay, I will examine the phenomenon of Luminary nuns from three aspects: symbol, structure, and education. Through the examination of the three aspects, I will show why the phenomenon of Luminary nuns might be seen as a feminist movement. Although an active agent in many aspects, I will also show that the success of Luminary nuns has its roots in the social, historical, and economic conditions in Taiwan. One notable feature of Buddhism in contemporary Taiwan is the large number of nuns. It is estimated that between 70 and 75 percent of the Buddhist monastic members are nuns; many of them have a higher education background.1 Many Buddhist nuns hold high esteem in the society, such as the artist and founder of Hua Fan University, bhikṣuṇī Hiu Wan, and the founder of one of the world’s biggest Buddhist organizations, bhikṣuṇī Cheng-yen.2 While bhikṣuṇī Hiu Wan and bhikṣuṇī Cheng-yen are known as highly-achieved individuals, the nuns of the Luminary nunnery are known collectively as a group. During my fieldwork in Taiwan in 2001, many informants mentioned Luminary nuns to me as group of nuns well-trained in Buddhist doctrines, practices, and precepts. The term Lumi- nary nuns seems to be equivalent to the image of knowledgeable and disciplined Buddhist nuns.
    [Show full text]