Women’s Political Participation in Timor-Leste: Challenges and Prospects
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Transcript of Women’s Political Participation in Timor-Leste: Challenges and Prospects
Women’s Political Participation in Timor-Leste:
Challenges and Prospects
By Laura Soares Abrantes
APSC-TL, Member of Rede Feto Timor-Leste
Order of presentation:
Legal frameworkProgress in enforcing the gender quota systemRole of civil society (focus Rede Feto)Challenges and ProspectsRecommendations for Partnerships
Total Population: 1,066,498
Timor-Leste
Male 544,198 Female 522,211
Rede Feto Timor-Leste (24 members, all 13 districts)
St. Bahkita
OMT
FMH
FHAM
UNFETIP
AMST
PAS
ISMAIK
JURISTAS
ET-WAVE
Sagrada Familia
FPSH
Alola FoundationFokupersCaucusAPSCTLFKSHOPMTFEEOFHFFMFPradetHafotiGFFTL
Legal Framework
Timor -Leste ConstitutionArticle 16: Universality and Equality Article 17: Equality between men and womenArticle 46: Rights to partisipate in politicArticle 47: Rights suffrage Article 63: Partisipation in politic citizenship
Legal Framework
CEDAW (ratified in 2003), UDHR, SCR 1325.
Electoral lawNational Parliament Election Law
-No.6/2006
- No.7/2011
Suco (village) Election Law
Municipality Law
Legal Source Details
Quota type:Legislated Candidate Quotas
Electoral law (approved in 2006, amended in 2011)
On electoral lists, one out of every group of three candidates must be a woman (Law on Election, Article 12 [3]).
Legal sanctions for non-compliance:
Electoral law The list will be rejected (Law on Election, Article 12 [3]).
Rank order/placement rules
Electoral law On electoral lists, one out of every group of three candidates must be a woman (Law on Election, Article 12 [3]).
Draft Electoral Municipality Law, article 11: paragraph 3: The candidate lists, effectives and substitutes, for Municipality parliamentary should include in a group of 3 candidates at least one female.
Decree Law Pre-Deconsentration
Organic Statute Pre-Deconcentration Adminis-trative:article 13: Nomination Process, paragraph 3: THE CANDIDATE LIST SHOULD INCLUDE AT LEAST
ONE FEMALE IN A GROUP OF 3 CANDIDATES FOR THE NOMINATION OF DISTRICT MANAGER.
Progress made in the Implementation of the Gender Quota System
Percentage of women candidates in 2012 Presidential Election
15%
85%Feto
Mane
Total votes for women candidates in 2012 Presidential Election
RankNo Name candidate Total
vote %
6 Maria Do Céu Lopes da Silva
1,843 0.40%
7 Angelita Maria Pires 1,742 0.37%
% of women-led vs. men-led political parties
27% 38%
25.20%
Total Candidates (Women & Men) for Parliament Election 2012 :
Total Number of Candidates
Women
% Man %
1,908 679 35.59 1,229 64.41
% Women Candidates Compared with % Men Candidates:
Pozisaun Eleisaun Konsellu Suku 2004- 2009
Númeru Persentajen Númeru Persentajen
Xefe Suku 7 2 % 11 2 %
Xefe Aldéia 22 1 % 37 2 %
Reprezentante Ferik
2 0,4 % 6 1 %
Reprezentante Feto
1,347 19 % 1,379 28 %
Total 1,378 1,433
Total Members NP : 65 personsWomen: 25; Man: 40; Composition of National Parliament
Table: -President (male) -2 Vice Presidents (male) - 1 Secretary and 2 Vice Secretaries
(3 female)
Programs, Projects and Activities that facilitated the Increase of Women’s Participation in the Election 2012
Pre Election Advocacy for amendment the Electoral LawDialogue with political parties Trainings on transformative leadership and public speaking for women in political partiesConferences and Workshops
Public debates through the media (district and national)
Election period:Civic educationVoter education and motivating women to go
out and voteCampaign for women candidatesCapacity-building for Polling staffMarch for peaceTogether with the international community
women served as observers of the election processes
Programs, Projects and Activities that facilitated the Increase of Women’s Participation in the Election 2012
Post Election:
Dissemination of election resultsStrengthen women knowledge and capacity in their role as legislatorsAction plan for the coming elections: (municipal 2014; village 2015; general
election 2017)
GOVERNMENT
Total Government Positions (top): 55 Man=45
Women=10: - 2 female ministers
- 4 vice female ministers - 4 female Secretaries of State
% Women in Government compared to Men:
18%
82%
Feto
Mane
Challenges
Patriarchal system is still very strong and pervasive especially in far-flung communities;
Formal & traditional systems place limits on women’s full participation Mindset that women cannot do the job (true to both women and men)
Challenges
Low level of education among the majority of Timorese women narrows down our options in choosing candidates;
Political parties comply with the gender quota but place women in the third slot which prevents women from taking seats in the parliament in cases when political parties acquire limited percentage of votes (3%=1 seat);
FACTS AND EVIDENCE THAT SHOW GENDER DISCRIMINATION
IN ACTUAL ADMINISTRATION LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Source: NOG Pátria.September– October 2013.
13 Districts Administrators are Male dominated
12 Male Deputy Administrator, 1 Female.
63 Male Sub-districts Administrators, 2 Female
11 Male Directors SAIM (Secretariado de Apoio ao Instalação de Municipio), 2 Female
431 Male Suco Chefs, 11 Female
In preparation for the municipal (2014), village (2015), and General Election (2017):•more concerted and systematic effort by government and civil society •programmatic leadership formation for target women candidates;•aggressive advocacy to political parties to enlist women in higher slots in the candidates list base on merit;
•Widen scope for voters education and motivating women to go out and vote;•Continue with programs and projects that aim to promote gender equality and transform patriarchal system;•Advocate for increased women’s participation in education to improve capacity to run for elective positions in the long-term;
Continue Strong Advocacy at Local Government
Approach with 13 local government;Approach and seek for the information access from
13 SAIM (Secretariado de Apóio ao Instalação de Municipio);
Mobilize resources to include the candidate list for potential women for district Manager from 65 sub-districts;
Up-date regular information to women in 13 districts;
Identify and empowering women to compute for the structure of pre – deconsentration administrative in 65 sub-districts. The time is limited because the structure of pre-deconsentration will start be in force in: 1/1/2014.
2. REALITY !!!
1. Depends on the national mobilization;
2. Still lack of interest to seek information in SAIM / district/local administration;
3. Lack of effort to participate in the forum discussion on decentralization at district & national level. (depends on total official invitation);
4. Women themselves – their interest / priority / preference;
5. Lack of attention from GTGN + SEPI FP + GTGD!!!
There are some efforts have been doing by the partners during 2013, to empowering women’s participation in the process of decentralization.
Women´s group discussion during public consultation in 10 districts (Patria 10); (SEPI, Caucus, APSCTL, UNWOMEN 5)
NGO Pátria had been conducted program ‘Strength Women’s Participation in Decentralization Process & also in Development
Local Agenda in 13 districts (September & October 2013).
NGO Pátria with UNWOMEN conducted a National workshop, then advocate to the National Parliament
The establishment of working group for gender perspective analyzing of the DAPL policy draft.
NEED ALIIED TO BE UNITED TO CONDUCT EMPOWERING
PROGRAM FOR WOMEN IN 13 DISTRICTS TO STRENGHTEN
WOMEN’S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
- Research work to strengthen advocacy work/database of researches conducted in Timor Leste- Capacity building- Exchange program- Information Exchange
NGO Feto (Caucus, together with all members of Rede Feto), NGO Pátria need to conduct training program for empowering women to get strong ability and could contributed in local development.
Council Ministers,SEDA,SEPI,Ministry Estatal,President Gender working group in 13
Districts.
Obrigada barak! Kmanek wain basu! Thank you!