Caribbean Women in Politics 2021: “The elephant is still in the room”

“Women’s political participation is critical to fulfilling the potential of democracy. Women make essential contributions to achieving and maintaining peaceful and secure communities, the full realization of human rights, the eradication of disease, hunger and poverty, and the promotion of sustainable development. There is a benefit to all of society when women realize their full rights to participate in political processes. Unfortunately, there still exist obstacles to women’s full participation – some visible, others not so visible.”

– UN Women, 2018

According to the Inter Parliamentary Union, the overall percentage of women in parliaments has reached 24.9% in 2020 compared to the 11.3% in 1995.  On average, 22% of ministerial portfolios and/or cabinet positions in the anglophone Caribbean are held by women. Across the region, women generally do not hold more than 30% of elected positions, with the exception of Guyana, which has a legislated quota that prescribes for ⅓ of political party nominees to be women, and Trinidad and Tobago.

UN Women puts it this way: “Reconciling the importance of addressing the low number of women in political leadership may not seem to carry the same weight as the urgency of addressing the economic and environmental vulnerabilities of  heavily-indebted small island developing states (SIDS). Further, countries struggling with diminishing foreign reserves and the impacts of the increasing intensity of natural hazards do not often prioritize gender equality and the importance of women’s leadership. However, the study points out that this can be short sighted and limiting in trying to achieve national development targets.”

Feminists have long held the view, that the human rights approach to women’s leadership as embedded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) speak to the fact that women should be in leadership because participation in decision-making and public life is a fundamental right. The 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) outlined that the global standard for women’s representation should be at least one-third, in order to ensure a critical mass with influence, rather than just tokenism.

In the past decades, more women have emerged from “the shadows” and ran for higher offices, yet numerous have also failed.   It is not their qualifications that were in question, nor dedication to public service, but it is perhaps – “being a woman”.

The late Eugenia Charles, the first and only female prime minister of Dominica (July 21, 1980, – June 14, 1995), and the second-longest serving Prime Minister in Dominica, also held the distinction of being the first woman in the Americas to be elected in her own right as head of government.   She was also the longest-serving female Prime Minister in the Caribbean. Ms. Charles was also the world’s third longest-serving female Prime Minister, behind Indira Gandhi of India and Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka.

Despite proven political leadership of former women politicians, women comment today that often selecting/electing women leaders is “like a ‘beauty pageant contest’”: their appearance is more important than their experience or views on economic policies.

Former prime minister Portia Simpson-Miller of Jamaica (March 2006 – September 2007 and again January 2012 – March 2016), and Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago, (May 2010 – September 2015) are two examples from recent years.

Their defeat incited examinations of how they lost and not discussions of their accomplishments. They were thought to be too opinionated, seen as failing to connect with a changing demographics, disconnected from the working class and the downtrodden. Seldom do people talk about hidden sexism, low voters’ participation, and constant parliamentary griping, for some members refuse to accept their leadership.

Despite these cracks in the ceiling, it has not created an easy passage for other aspirants. Prime Minister Mia Mottley, twice the leader of the opposition before her landslide victory in 2018, is considered one of the regions’ brightest independent thinkers. She recently encouraged CARICOM to be more collaborative, especially since COVID-19 for better medical systems and care across the region.

Many titles are now “former” for women leadership in the region.This cannot become a comfort zone for any of us.

Every election has consequences, but losing an election does not mean upward mobility for Caribbean women is lifeless. Having more women in power is critical; especially as role modeling for young girls.  Their education, healthcare, and safety are constantly at risk. 

“The presence of women in political leadership, directly affects pro-girls and women policies in these areas.”- as pointed out by the UN Women. This requires mobilization through common threads, where more women supporting each other create tangible long-term opportunities. 

Often, politics in the Caribbean appears to operate as an apprentice at a local mechanical shop. An opportunity to show one’s skills only comes when the manager has no choice, or can no longer navigate, then one gets a chance to grow.

Unfortunately, holding on to power creates division, disconnect and stagnation in terms of new ideas for advancement, and crating pathways for the next cohort of leaders.

In a recent report for CNN, Leta Hong Fincher noted that a “United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union report highlighted that 10 of 152 elected heads of state were women, and men made up 75 percent of parliamentarians, 73 percent of managerial decision-makers and 76 percent of the people in mainstream news media.” Maybe term-limits should be considered and communities across the region must ask themselves if they are better off four years later, or feel safer regardless of party affiliation, especially in poor and developing countries plagued with crime and economic stagnation.

More than 50% of women in the labor force have at least a bachelor’s degree, effectively matching the number of college-educated men. According to new research, this does not create leaders, new businesses, or a chance to become role models for the next generation. While not every woman frequently agrees to the same norms, virtue, or values from personal experience, socio-economic equality upward mobility requires collaboration.

Presented by Lana Finikin, the Executive Director of Sistren Theatre collective, Co-President of the Latin America and the Caribbean Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations [LAC CoNgo UNCSW] of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. February 11, 2021