Centre for Democratic Institutions Representation and Parliament: Gender Dr Sun-Hee Lee Representative Democracy A form of democratic government whereby peoples interests are represented by elected officials in open elections. Representation of peoples interests is done either by martialling together electors views or through personal initiative and independence between elections. (source:http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/sarc/e-democracy/final_report/glossary.htm) 1
Perceived Key Roles of MPs (Solomon Islands) To assist individual people in their electorate (69 %) To represent electorate in parliament (24 %) To get better condition for their electorate (17%) To govern the country / to make laws (17%) (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) Community s perceptions of MPs Performance of MPs MPs Visit to Electorates Well (9%) Satisfactorily (29%) Not well at all (36%) Don t know (1 %) Visited electorate since election (32%) Had not visited (9%) Don t know (8%) (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) 2
Representation and Civic awareness Easy to make an arrangement with MP? Easy (3 %) Not easy (49%) Don t know (16%) MP speaks out on behalf of electorate Yes (34%) No (39%) Don t Know (27%) Use of RCDF Funds Spent in the electorate (31%) Not spent in the electorate (1%) Don t know (18%) (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) Electorates Made up of different groups Gender Age Religion Ethnicity Urban/rural Income groups Employment status 3
Women more right wing or left wing? Source: Inglehart and Norris (:) Key peoples issues (Aim of country first choice) A high economic growth Aus M 4 Aus F 43 Indo M 84 Indo F 8 Strong defence forces 7 6 9 7 People have more say on how things are done To make cities/country side beautiful 39 9 43 7 2 3 (Source: World Values Survey) 4
Key peoples issues (most important issue) Stable economy Aus M 38 Aus F 3 Indo M 84 Indo F 8 Progress toward a less impersonal, more humane society Ideas count more than money 21 13 2 12 9 2 8 1 Fight against crime 21 29 6 (Source: World Values Survey) Accepting a bribe OK? Aus Aus Indo M F M 1. Never 72 76 79 Indo F 86 2 3 4 6 7 8 9. Always.4.1.4.2 (Source: World Values Survey)
Voter Turnout Trend worldwide declining participation in elections (from 8% in 194 to 67% in 6) Why voter turn out varies Contextual and systemic factors Individual and social factors Gender Age Education Public Accountability: Perceived Government s Performance on Improving Basic Services and the Economy (Solomon Islands,7) National Government Provincial Government 4 3 2 1 Well Satisfactory Not well Don't know 4 3 2 1 Well Satisfactory Not well Don't know (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) 6
Public accountability: Government s Performance on efficiency, fairness and Independence National Government Provincial Government 4 3 2 1 Well Satisfactory Not well Don't know 4 3 2 1 Well Satisfactory Not well Don't know (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) Performance of National Politicians and Government Officials (compared to one year ago) 6 better same worse don't know (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) 7
Dishonest Behaviour / Misuse of Power among Senior People in community 6 Yes No Don't know (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) Changes in dishonest behaviour / Misuse of Power (Compared to one year ago) 3 2 1 less dishonest behaviour/misuse power same more dishonest behaviour/misuse power don't know (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) 8
Women in Parliament There should be more women in Parliament (89 %) There should not (6%) Men (9%) Malaitans (%) Will vote for women (91%) Will not vote for women (%) Don t know (4%) (Source: 7 Peoples survey, RAMSI) Women in Pacific Parliaments PICs with women Parliamentarians New Caledonia (24/4-44%) French Polynesia (24/7-42%) Niue (4/-%) Wallis and Futuna (3/-1%) Fiji (8/71-11%) Cook Islands (2/24-8%) Samoa (4/49-8%) Kiribati (2/46-4%) RMI (1/33-3%) Tonga (1/ -3 %) Vanuatu (2/2-4%) PNG (1/9-1%) Indonesia (64/-12%) Timor Leste (19/6-29%) PICs without women Parliamentarians American Samoa FSM Nauru Northern Marinara Palau Solomon Islands Tuvalu 9
Legal Gender Quotas in Use (constitutional/legislative) France (%) Costa Rica (%) Belgium/ Bosnia Herzegovina (33%) Argentina/ Peru/ Venezuela/ Bolivia/ Mexico/ Bolivia/ Brazil/ Mexico/ Indonesia/ Macedonia/ Serbia (%) - Iraq/ Dominican Republic (2%) Rwanda/ Ecuador/ Paraguay/ North Korea/ Philippines (%) Armenia/ Nepal (%) Source: Norris (6)/IDEA Quota Data Base Cons Pros and Cons of Quotas Quotas are against the principle of equal opportunity for all, since women are given preference over men. Quotas are undemocratic, because voters should be able to decide who is elected. Quotas imply that politicians are elected because of their gender, not because of their qualifications. Many women do not want to get elected just because they are women. Introducing quotas creates significant conflicts within the party organization. Pros Quotas for women do not discriminate, but compensate for actual barriers. Quotas imply that there are several women together in a committee or assembly, thus minimizing the stress often experienced by the token women. Women have the right as citizens to equal representation. Women's experiences are needed in political life. Election is about representation, not educational qualifications. Women are just as qualified as men, but women's qualifications are downgraded and minimized in a male-dominated political system. It is in fact the political parties that control the nominations, not primarily the voters who decide who gets elected, therefore quotas are not violations of voters' rights. Introducing quotas may cause conflicts, but may be only temporarily. Source : IDEA (7)
Women s representation by type of Electoral system, All Majoritarian Alternative vote Block vote First-past-the post All Combined % of women 11 14 No of Nations 72 36 All Proportional Total Source: P. Norris (6) 14 67 17 Reserved Seats for women 11