Reserving seat for women not ‘equal’

The National Letters

GENDER equality is a worthy goal genuinely pursued for many years but not yet reached even in many of the most advanced democracies.
Depending on countries such as PNG, many gender-related strategies have been implemented with mixed success.
That being said, what drew my attention in the present question was the proposition to define or create if you will, woman only constituencies.
A proposal recently put forward by some woman groups and supported by some members of parliament.
I will limit my comments on this issue which violates several electoral principles and could eventually undermine the progress of woman in the political arena rather than foster their advancement.
Equal voting rights – electors would be denied a fair choice of candidates.
Equal voting power would be distorted by creating more favorable conditions for one group of candidates.
Equality of opportunity denying candidacy rights to male potential candidates in some constituencies.
Equality and parity of the sexes creating a disparity against one gender in trying to compensate existing disparities against other.
It appears to me that reserved seats would not solve the major underlying gender issues that have prompted the reserved constituencies’ proposal.
To be sure, the electoral world is one of the venues where gender-related progress is needed and feasible but the reserved seats proposal is not a proper way to achieve truly equal opportunity.
In PNG we are pushing for reserved seats for woman in order to help ensure that 10-15 per cent of woman are elected, even woman leaders are asking for reserved seats.
There is no problem with having woman in politics or parliament but the question is:

  • WHAT examples are there of countries that have adopted similar practices of reserved seats or constituencies?
  • WHAT criteria are used to reserve seats or constituencies in this examples?
  • WHAT are the experience, challenges and outcomes of reserving seats or constituencies around the world? and;
  • THE best way forward is to be elected in instead of having a reserved seat for woman.

If Dame Josephine Abaijah and Dame Carol Kidu can do it, there is no excuse for our woman leaders today.

Ian Aima Serege

One thought on “Reserving seat for women not ‘equal’”

  • Its a democratic society. Follow the precedents set by Josephine Abaija, Loujaiya Tony, Dame Carol Kidu, Julie Soso and rest of the women leaders who have gone through all ords to contests and win the seats. Some of these women leaders have served for more than two terms.
    There are women leaders, in Australia, America, New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany, Philippines you name it who have contested those seats with the same challenges faced by their male counterparts and proven to come ontop.

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