The new Liberal Democrat/Conservative coalition government has four women in its cabinet. This is a very small number and does not compare well with other countries. But, much as the commentary would have you believe, this is not a simple issue to fix. Broadly, there are three areas that need to be looked at in order to increase the number of female MP’s.
1. Encouraging more women to come forward to stand as MP’s.
There is research from the US (applicable here) that shows that women need to be encouraged to run for public office rather than going for it themselves. There are several reasons for this, confidence being one, culture being another. (Yes I know there are examples of women who come forward but this research shows a tendency). Addressing this would require a campaign not unlike an election campaign, reaching women in their homes and social lives. We would need to expand the scope of the political parties campaigns for increasing the numbers of female MP’s and empower them with budget to get out and about, round the country to encourage women to stand. Now that the Lib Dems are in government we might find money for increasing the work that the Campaign for Gender Balance does.
2. Changing the perception of women as leaders in the party, in politics and in society.
This is even trickier. Research shows that people automatically think of a man when you use the word ‘leader’. Our concept of leadership is masculine, which obviously makes it harder for a women to get elected, promoted within a company etc. They have to work a lot harder to prove that they can lead, rather than it being assumed they can, the position men find themselves in. (Yes I know there are examples of the opposite… etc) The solution here is, paradoxically, to create role models of female leaders. We need to develop and promote the female MP’s we have to be seen more obviously as leaders. We need to actively encourage local parties to do the same and we need to encourage the media to run stories that portray female leaders in a positive light. Less of the shoes and handbags stories about female MP’s and more about what they actually achieve in their roles. This will make it easier for women to come forward to stand because they can see they will get recognition and will decrease the numbers of female MP’s leaving due to being constantly harangued by the press.
3. We need to change the nature of the job of MP.
It’s currently set up for a man. Well, really for a person who has someone else at home looking after the kids and house full time. That tends to still be men. If a woman wants to be an MP, currently she has to fit into this mould. Hence the data showing that there are few mothers in parliament. If we are serious about making room for women, then we need to understand that women bear the burden of raising our future generations. We need to make it possible for them to do this (and dare I say for men to be able to do this too) and still become MPs. We need to work out what parliament would need to look like for women to be able to contribute their thinking and their time, as well as taking care of community and family. This is not a simple task and yes, is the redefinition of gender roles in society but it is basically what needs to happen.
So, you see, we should not moan about the numbers of women we currently have in parliament without a recognition of the deep systemic issues affecting a women’s chances of being successful at the job. I’m up for changing this and will be making an offer to the Lib Dem/Conservative government to that effect.
Photo by Mike Baird on Creative Commons
You make very good points. On 3), Dinti Batstone wrote an excellent post for Lib Dem Voice not long ago: http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-make-politics-fit-womens-lives-not-viceversa-18285.html
Isn’t it best to be represented by someone who wants to represent you? I appreciate that the Commons are not representative of the country as a whole but if the people who are there get the laws and conventions of the country right, does it matter which gender or ethnicity they are?
Lee, I can’t disagree with anything you say but equally that’s why I think we need to introduce a mandatory quota system. We need all women shortlists in winnable seats which have to be imposed on the parties (voluntarism just doesn’t work); we need a 40% quota for women in parliament (as Spain does); and we need a 30% quota for women in the cabinet. At the same time we should introduce a 40% quota system on boards as Norway did. Likely to happen? No. But that’s no reason for us not to start campaigning for it now.
Arthur, your point is about representation, which is a different issue. I’m talking about leadership. I want to see male and female leaders and there is no reason why we shouldn’t have both present in the running of our country. Men don’t have to lead for women. We are capable. Representation is more complicated….
Alison, see my earlier post on meritocracy. Quotas are probably a good idea, as the shift in perception we need is not going to happen naturally. Why would it? I agree that quotas, whilst unpopular and essentially illiberal (assuming the existence of a meritocracy), are required while we do not have such meritocracy. Once we have the role models and great examples of female leaders, we can do away with the quotas and the need for quotas.
Lee, so glad that you agree re quotas. I don’t like them instinctively, for the same reasons as you outline, but the only parliaments which have anywhere near decent female participation have used quotas.
I think you’re analysis is spot on, by the way!
Sometimes the women are their worst enemies, take TV advertising, it has not changed a lot as far as the role of women is concerned.
On their hands and knees cleaning toilets, giving withering looks as another female has apparently not used the correct hair product (you know the one i mean)etc etc.
Two guys dressed as women fighting over a brand of kitchen towel, not two good looking guys that in the right lighting could pass as women but two hairy guys obviously not gay/trannie. Why they dress as a pair of scary housewives is beyond me but it is a bit Little Britain so that is OK. Is it?
Arthur, your point is about representation, which is a different issue. I’m talking about leadership. I want to see male and female leaders and there is no reason why we shouldn’t have both present in the running of our country. Men don’t have to lead for women. We are capable. Representation is more complicated….