BEIRUT, Lebanon: The National reported here that Egypt’s ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has passed legislation reserving 64 out of Parliament’s soon-to-be 510 seats. It is interesting to note that there are currently 454 seats, of which 8 are held by women; it appears the number of seats will be raised so that the male politicians who currently hold 446 of them, most of them from the NDP, don’t actually have to compete head-to-head with these new women candidates. These same old fogies can rest assured of keeping their seats, without worrying that some woman might actually contest their positions.
This looks like a classic case of what my women’s rights professor at the London School of Economics, Christine Chinkin, used to call “add women and stir.” Is it enough to simply plop a bunch of women into a male-dominated institution and call it a day? What about the other barriers to political participation in Egypt besides gender, given that Egyptian politics are just about as corrupt and scummy as it gets? What about the fact that many of the women who will be seated will most likely be aligned with the ruling NDP party and its decrepit , practically embalmed leader Hosni Mubarak, who together have presided over so much brutal, flagrant corruption and authoritarianism, over such a long period of time, that you can actually smell the misery in the air when you live in Cairo? Who are they trying to impress here? Is anyone falling for it?
From my experience living in Egypt for a year (from 2006 to 2007, with several trips back since then) this government has done so little to protect and help its female citizens that I have a hard time believing they have any real interest in promoting women’s interests at the legislative level.
Quotas are always a tricky subject – many women’s groups here in Lebanon have been pushing for one for years; in its absence, the 128-seat Parliament boasts a pathetic 3% of women MPs. But when it’s the NDP making all the noise, something tells me this move is totally bogus.
In other news: Saudi Arabia says it will take some steps to enter the 21st century and Gaddafi affirms he got lost trying to get there, perhaps because he made the mistake of asking Berlusconi for directions when he visited Rome.
My favorite bit from the Gaddafi story: “"Why should these women have to apply to the head of state for the right to drive a car?" he asked. The audience applauded politely, but swiftly laughed incredulously as he went on to add that this was a matter for "their husbands or brothers should decide".” Euff.
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a certain number of seats in the bangladeshi parliament is also reserved for "appointed" women. this was done by the Bangladesh National Party, who are more corrupt and worse on human rights than their opposition, Awami League, who are currently in power.
AL ministers wanted seats reserved for elected women rather than appointed women. but as BNP had planned, the appointed women were just extra yes-women to whichever party appointed them. it did nothing to advance women's participation in legislation.
so i'm always weary of what kind of quota for women a government is setting up. 64/510 is a laughable number.