Getting more women into Parliament requires systemic change: FWRM

Political systems must be examined to determine whether they enable or prevent women from participating and succeeding in politics.

This was the view of Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) executive director Nalini Singh as she weighed in on discussions about encouraging greater representation of women in Parliament.

While some political parties have been vocal about opening their doors to more women, Ms Singh said questions must be asked about their systems and processes and whether they provide an equal environment for all members.

“This means looking at issues such as political party support and candidate selection, access to resources and campaign financing, political violence and harassment, gender stereotypes, the burden of care and family responsibilities, online abuse, and the broader political culture in which women are expected to operate,” she said.

“For FWRM, increasing women’s representation is therefore not just about encouraging individual women to stand for election. It is about creating safe, inclusive and enabling political environments where women can participate, lead and exercise political power on an equal basis with men.”

Ms Singh said representation must not be limited to a particular group of women.

“We also need to recognise that women are not a homogenous group. Representation must include women from different backgrounds and communities, including young women, women with disabilities, rural and marginalised women, and women whose voices are often absent from decision-making spaces.”

She said women should not have to overcome extraordinary barriers simply to participate equally in political life, and that political systems must change to make equality possible.

Ms Singh said FWRM would continue to advocate for greater and more meaningful participation of women in leadership and decision-making, as well as structural changes needed to make that participation sustainable.