Tag: women in government

A House of Commons committee is making a cross-party call for the federal government to offer financial incentives to political parties that nominate more women candidates to run for election. "Despite their growing political participation, women represent just 35 per cent of all legislators in Canada and remain under-represented at all levels of government," the report said. "Increasing women's participation in electoral politics is essential for achieving greater gender equality. Having more women in elected office is about more than achieving equality in a traditionally male-dominated field — it could also have significant effects on public policy." One potential fix, the committee says, would be to offer cash incentives, such as subsidies, to encourage parties to help more women get nominated and then elected. The federal per-vote subsidy was eliminated in 2015. But the rules and processes associated with nomination and election campaigns can be complicated, and decision-making within parties was described by some as "opaque." The committee said Ottawa should also consider encouraging parties to set voluntary quotas for how many female candidates they plan to field and publicly report on efforts to recruit female candidates after every general election. Other recommendations include a call for publicly funded education campaigns and training to counter the negative effects of gender-based harassment of female politicians, both in traditional and social media. The MPs who worked on the report plan to ask to another Commons committee, which studies electoral issues, to consider looking into ways to eliminate gender bias in the design of voting ballots.

The Peace tower is reflected in a window in Ottawa, Tuesday March 26, 2019. A House of Commons committee says government should offer financial incentives to political parties that nominate more women candidates to run for election. This is one of 14 recommendations of the status of women committee, which studied the ongoing under-representation of women in politics. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA — A House of Commons committee says the government should offer financial incentives to political parties to nominate more women candidates to run for election. This is one of 14 recommendations of the status of women committee, which studied the ongoing under-representation of women in politics. Despite being active in their communities, women represent just 35 per cent of all legislators in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. The committee suggests political parties should be working harder to get more women to run by eliminating sexism and biases that might be built into their recruitment efforts. One potential fix would be to offer cash incentives, such as subsidies or weighted formulas for public financing to encourage parties to help more women to get nominated and then elected. The committee also says government should consider requiring political parties to publicly report on their efforts to recruit female candidates after every general election and should also encourage them to set voluntary quotas for how many female candidates they plan to field.

And yet, the state Cabinet has not a single woman. Women in party politics: Reality check During the 2018 Assembly election, 137 women contested elections in the state’s 119 constituencies; this figure is only marginally up by three numbers from the 2014 elections. Not a single party, not even some of the important national and regional political parties, fielded the token 33% women candidates to contest elections under their party banners. The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) fielded only four women this election, much less than the previous election where it fielded 10 women. This includes three women from the ruling TRS – Ajmera Rekha Reddy from Khanapur constituency in Nirmal district; Padma Devender Reddy from Medak constituency in Medak district; and Gongidi Suneetha from Alair constituency in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. Only 15 candidates out of the 134 who contested the elections in 2014 (in the 119 constituencies in Telangana region) have filed their nominations again this year. Encouraging has been 21 constituencies where women came forward to contest in the December election, however, not a single woman contested from 19 constituencies which had women’s participation in 2014. In the 2014 Assembly Elections, Banoth, who had contested as TDP candidate, lost to TRS. Contesting as TDP MLA in the previous Assembly Election, she had lost to him by 19,000 votes. Parties must make space “For all that fight I didn’t get back all my fields.

Former state Rep. Jenifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, served from 2009 to 2019. Former state Rep. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, served from 2007 to 2019. The moderator was University of Minnesota political science professor Kathryn Pearson, who worked on the congressional staffs of two congresswomen, one of each party. Professor Pearson said her research shows that women are underrepresented in Congress, and this is "caused by a dearth of women running." Erin Murphy said bias is often evident when people think about who is "electable." She added that politicians of both genders need to work more collaboratively. Jenifer Loon suggested that the ability to work collaboratively might be improved if state legislators went back to the system decades ago when they ran without party designation. State politicians get too caught up with national party politics now, she added. Loon said serving as a state legislator is "a noble calling, and unfortunately too much maligned. That's how we bridge the gap of partisanship and how we work towards solving problems."

This week has seen the Liberal party engage in public discussions about women in politics. It comes after Assistant Ministers Sarah Henderson and Linda Reynolds, spoke out against claims the Coalition is “anti-women”. While others, such as Foreign Minister Marise Payne, have said quotas aren’t the solution, they’ve acknowledged there is a problem with female representation. “I don’t support or oppose quotas but I do know that as an organisation there is more that we can do” she said. The Liberal Party set a target of 50% women MP’s by 2016, but numbers have since gone backwards. As the daughter of Senator Jim Molan, Erin’s seen first hand how tough the job can be. says it’s changing, albeit slowly, but quotas aren’t the answer. “Even 5 years ago, I remember looking at [politics] as something I’d genuinely like to do post-media…I’m passionate about a lot of charities, about Australia…[but] I look at the other side of it that’s nasty and vile…” Harnsle, the program’s Executive Producer, weighs in on the debate a well. Prior to working at 2GB, she worked in a NSW Minister’s office. Erin and Harnsle both agree, that women are too smart to get involved in Politics.

... "By 20 percentage points, Republican women are more likely than their male counterparts to say there are too few women in high political offices (44% of GOP women vs. 24% of GOP men) and in top executive positions in business (49% vs. 29%) in the U.S. today. The Republican men who have swooned over President Donald Trump's nostalgia for a bygone era (when women primarily stayed at home) are not about to see a need for more women in politics, nor are they prepared to say that there is something wrong with the system that produces a preponderance of men in business and political leadership. What's striking is the large majority of Americans (67 percent) who think it is easier for men to get elected than for women and who think "there are too few women in high political offices (59%) and in top executive positions in business (59%)." Perhaps President Trump's tenure and the #MeToo movement have left the impression that women are a safer bet when it comes to certain issues. "Roughly four-in-ten adults (41%) say women in high political offices are better than men at serving as role models; 4% say men are better at this. Ronald Brownstein points out in the Atlantic: "Democrats have positioned themselves to benefit from that energy by nominating female candidates in 183 House races, according to the Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics. (Republicans have nominated just 52 women in House races this year.) First, the parties might become as polarized on gender as they are on race, with women voters overwhelmingly supporting Democrats and elected Democratic women vastly outnumbering elected Republican women. Kavanaugh's confirmation, Brownstein explains, could wind up "helping Democrats in-and of-all races hold more college-educated white women. Such a shift, if combined with greater minority turnout, could be the final piece to elect more white Democratic women, as in 1992, and more women of color."

Given that this country is made up, more or less equally, of men and women, things would undoubtedly be fairer, not to mention calmer, if more women were on board. Handout - Getty The problem was, her pairing partner reneged on the deal and voted. Any woman would need a very understanding partner and family to do the job. Also, any MP is opening themselves up to the line of fire and a lot of personal criticism — which multiplies for female MPs. It’s no wonder women are put off entering politics. But if we want true equality then more women need to go into Westminster and the culture needs to change. Getting more women into politics is a no brainer. But also, who are these men that think that they can just grab a woman’s behind just because they want to? So why shouldn’t she take him back to court? I’m sure the diet is good for her – but who wants to add years to your life if those years are going to be so, well, dull?

Only 19.8 percent of representatives in Congress are women, per the Center for American Women and Politics, and only 25.3 percent of seats in state legislatures are occupied by women. Seeing a woman like Balter, who represents, in part, the SU community and a changing political climate, is a remarkable symbol of the progress women are making in politics. Balter hasn’t shied away from her work with the CNY Solidarity Coalition, a grassroots organization opposing President Donald Trump and his policies. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “There is something called a ‘role model effect,’” Chock said in an email. “If young women see other women running for political office, it can create the perception that this is not just possible, but also normal, appropriate, and important.” Despite the benefits of seeing women candidates on the ballot, Chock said these figures don’t always turn into immediate action in terms of diverse political engagement. “Role model effects tend to be greater for women politicians in novel or groundbreaking roles, and younger women are more likely than older women to increase their political activism,” Chock said. Her campaign means these role models showcase what kind of limits we can overcome and the heights we can surpass. My home country, the Philippines, has had two women presidents in its history. And now’s the time to take the initiative and make our opinions heard.

"We Rise: Women in Politics" is a panel discussion presented by Cape Breton Voices and Equal Voice Nova Scotia at the New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation at 6 p.m. MacFarlane, 48, said once she was elected, she found her physical appearance was constantly under scrutiny. "The type of thing that has recently happened in our party happens in any profession." 'Passionate' vs. 'emotional' Kendra Coombes, a 29-year-old Cape Breton Regional councillor and a co-organizer of the panel, recalls the first time she discussed the role of women in politics with her mother at the age of 11 or 12, after seeing a campaign sign bearing the face of her aunt, Helen MacDonald. MacDonald was equally pleased when, years later, Coombes decided to run for municipal council. "We discussed how hard it was going to be," said Coombes. She's one of three women on the 12-member council. "I believe that all women are natural-born leaders. Brenda Chisholm-Beaton feels that responsibility as the first female mayor in Cape Breton. But gender-based or not, when I became the mayor, I really wanted to create a more level playing field." The attached note from her friend said: "My daughter just proclaimed that she's sitting on her mayor's chair, and she's very hard at work, and she is very excited to help all kinds of people in her community.