Women still woefully under-represented in politics
Female representation in elections continues to be less than satisfactory with the percentage falling far short of the set 30 percent target.
There may be 80 women contesting in the current polls for both parliamentary and state seats but this is merely 5.2 percent of the total number of candidates, according to the Women Monitoring Elections Candidates (Womec).
Also, in the Womec's view these candidate will have a tough time winning as the odds are against them.
Womec is a coalition of women's organisations that have been set up to scrutinise the pledges of election candidates to check if they encourage democratic participation and take into account issues of gender equality.
"The Inter-Parliamentary Union statistics show Malaysia's current ranking as 72 out of 181 countries where the representation of women in the Lower House of Parliament is concerned. The Asian average statistics show 14.9 percent meanwhile ours is 10.5percent," said the statement issued by Women's Development Collective executive director, Maria Chin Abdullah on behalf of Womec.
Maria added that though it's necessary to encourage more women to take part in politics, that in itself will not guarantee that they will participate in the traditionally male dominated realm.
"Women face different sets of difficulties in relation to politics. They do not take up offers to get involved for reasons related to social norms and cultural stereotypes", said Maria.
Cultural stereotypes
Among them are lack of confidence where women been conditioned for years into believing the right place for them is housework and motherhood; not as workers with politics painted as a man's world.
The lack of the necessary support mechanisms also works against them.
Married women with children will have to think twice about who is to take care of them and the house.
Cultural stereotypes are cast so far and wide that they discourage even the brave of heart to rise to the challenge, she added.
Long and gruelling hours demanded of politicians to be effective can also mean that women may not be able to give their best.
Maria said that unless division of labour in households changes , women will find it hard to function optimally in discharging their political duties.
Even elected women fail to adequately represent their kind, said Maria, because they lack gender sensitivity.
"A much bigger obstacle is the lack of autonomy to raise women's or development issues of concern to them without fear of repercussions," she added.
Maria said a major problem is their inability to cross party lines and vote according to their conscience where gender issues and those linked to democracy are concerned.
This is also connected to a culture which does not encourage critical thinking and does not provide the needed democratic space in society, she added.
Another negative point, Maria said, is the absence of local council elections which deprives women of an important avenue for women's involvement in politics which would ensure that their voices carry weight in the decision making process.
No coverage
Meanwhile in another press release, Nora Murat also from the WDC said she is dissatisfied with only women bringing up issues affecting them, not men.
And another point of contention is that more often than not whenever women touch on issues of concern to them in election campaigns they do not receive wide coverage.
"Political parties select women candidates in the hope of attracting votes because women make up 52 percent of the voters, "said Nora.
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