Lecturer at Institute of Gender and Development Studies Gabrielle Hosein says UNC political leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar's victory in UNC's internal elections is just a crack in the glass ceiling and there is need for much more work to be done to secure equal and equitable representation of women in Parliament.
Hosein noted, though, that Persad-Bissessar's victory should not be underestimated as she has set the stage for other women to follow.
She said the accomplishment represented a battle for which she struggled and won on her own without the patronage of a male leader. "This is a huge victory," she added. Hosein said the follow-up process needs more work. Drawing reference to the number of female candidates on the UNC slate, she questioned why most of them were not occupying the safe seats.
She noted that most of the safe seats were dominated by men. She said if the People's Partnership was to assume Government, less than one third of the women would be in Parliament and believed that women would not be equally nor equitably represented in decision making process.
Women leaders not dealing with gender
Interestingly, Hosein said, while the PNM has a lot of women in leadership roles, they have not been able to effect the kind of change. "The policies are not gender-friendly," she said. Asked if gender was playing a significant part in how people may vote, she said, "That is difficult to measure because traditionally men and women have not voted differently."There are very complex issues surrounding voting such as ethnicity, class, race and history."
Hosein said Persad-Bissessar was receiving positive response because people felt that as a woman she could do the job. She added that the type of messages in her campaign was a reinforcement that she's going to do something different; and if people are convinced by that...then she may succeed.
Gendered language used in campaigns
Thus, this is where the gender politics has played an integral part in the election process. It has changed the direction of the campaigns, Hosein said. "The language used in the battle between the campaigns is a gendered language," she said. Hosein noted that Persad-Bissessar's campaign was crouching a language that was associated with a woman's roles such as nurturing, caring, unity, love; wielding a feminine power.
Conversely, in the initial stages, the PNM campaign represented strength and power...we would look after you; representative of a male role in society. But it has changed recently to reflect that same care and love as Persad-Bissessar's campaign. "We care about you," she added. Hosein noted that Persad-Bissessar would have to prove that her victory alone was not enough to change things but was the starting point. "Additionally, women's movement and NGOs have to continue in a relentless manner to ensure that the National Gender policy is passed."
Hosein said it is the underlying policy for all Government programmes which would guide and shape gender issues. Echoing similar sentiments was Hazel Brown of the Network for the Advancement of Women, who said that the other female candidates must fill the gap. She noted that the PNM female ministers have not made a difference in terms of gender issues. "They have made a difference in numbers which is important but was not successful in marrying gender sensitivity to their decision making and policies."
"We need to work on making them gender sensitive. Some understand it while others do not," she added. Brown said that gender is the most important difference in the general election. "Persad-Bissessar brings that difference to this election not only because she is a woman but a woman of good judgement and the capacity to lead," she said. Asked if she was confident that under Persad-Bissessar leadership there would be a marrying with gender sensitivity and decision-making, she said, "Yes, I am confident that this would take form."
