CDI - Gender & Political Leadership

Improving the representation of women in political leadership is an issue that cuts across CDI’s entire work program. In particular, the South Pacific has the world's lowest levels of female representation in parliament - click on this table for details: Women in Pacific Parliaments, electoral systems and gender special measures. Pacific Island countries have committed to promoting the advancement of women in different spheres of life, including that of political representation. There is also strong community support for better women’s representation in parliament. Almost 90 % of people interviewed in the 2007 People’s Survey in the Solomon Islands said there should be more women in parliament. CDI places a high priority on gender equality in all our activities. The main goal of the CDI’s gender and political participation program is to work with focus countries to create an environment in which women can advocate on matters of policy, run for political office, be elected and govern effectively, and participate meaningfully in every facet of civic and political life. This requires a focus on gender relations: men’s and women’s roles, responsibilities and decision making in different areas of life, issues of power and control. Engaging men in this process is of utmost importance. CDI seeks to identify and engage with emerging leaders in our focus countries. We are working to identify and invest in future leaders who can act in the national interest of their countries, with a strong emphasis on nurturing and encouraging women and up-and-coming younger political leaders as a cross-cutting goal across our entire work program - click on this table for details: Gender Equity in CDI's Training Program. Following is a list of CDI and related activities concerned both wholly or in part with issues of gender and women's political representation. Click on each link to access the item in detail: Training Projects: Pacific | Women in Politics Course | Canberra | December 2009 Inaugurated in 2008, the WiP course is held annually and aims to build the capacity of women and men from the Pacific region who are working toward the goal of improving the representation of women in parliament and public office. It is designed for women who are intending to enter national politics in the Pacific Islands, whether as a candidate for elected office, a political party organiser, or similar role in the democratic process. CDI particularly encourages nominations from young and upcoming female leaders in our focus countries of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Timor-Leste. Asia-Pacific | Women in Politics Course | Canberra | November 2008 In an effort to bolster our impact on the poor state of women’s representation in the parliaments of the Pacific, CDI implemented a new training course in 2008 under the title of “Women in Politics”. The course brought together women and men working in parliaments, governments, and civil society/private sector from PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Kiribati and Tonga. This course was convened by Dr Sun-Hee Lee who joined CDI in June 2008 on secondment from AusAID as Special Adviser on Gender Issues.                 Asia-Pacific | Political Party Development Course | 2009 - 2008 -2007 - 2006 Asia-Pacific | Responsible Parliamentary Governance Course | 2008 Asia-Pacific | CDI & WBI 'e-training' Course on Parliamentary Financial Scrutiny | 2008         Research: CDI PPS 2009/01: Stephen Sherlock - Indonesia’s 2009 Elections: The New Electoral System & the Competing Parties A Guide to Campaigning for Pacific Women | FaHCSIA, PIFs, UNDP | 2008 PPS 2006/02 | 16 November 2006: Wahidah Zein Br Siregar - Political Parties, Electoral System and Women’s Representation in the 2004-2009 Indonesian Parliaments Participation of Women in Politics and Decision Making in Timor-Leste: A Recent History | Ospina / UNIFEM | 2006 Women in Government in Solomon Islands - A Diagnostic Study | Whittington, Ospina and Pollard | 2006 A Woman's Place is in the House - The House of Parliament: Research to Advance Women's Political Representation in Forum Island Countries | Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat | 2006 Marian Sawer with Manon Tremblay and Linda Trimble, 'Introduction: Patterns and Practice in the Parliamentary Representation of Women', in Marian Sawer, Manon Tremblay and Linda Trimble (eds), Representing Women in Parliament: A Comparative Study, London & New York: Routledge, pp. 103-19, 2006.                             Further Activities: Women in Politics: CDI Visit to Fiji, Solomon Islands & Vanuatu | 2009 As a follow up to the CDI Women in Politics (WIP) course in November 2008 in Canberra, Special Adviser on Gender Issues, Sun-Hee Lee, visited Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu on 21 January – 3 February. The main purpose of the visit was to take stock of relevant activities which will help to form a position on ways of assisting national efforts to get more women elected in the next cycle of elections. CDI at the Business for Millenium Development Summit | Melbourne | 2008 Dr Sun-Hee Lee, CDI's Special Adviser on Gender, was among the high profile speakers at the Business for Millennium Development (B4MD) Summit held in Melbourne on September 24. Why doing business with the poor is good both for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and business, and how Australian businesses can create new opportunities by aligning themselves with MDGs were the main topics of the Summit, which was supported by AusAID and the UNDP. Pacific | Special Measures for Women - Sub-regional Workshop | Port Moresby | 2008 CDI special adviser on gender issues Dr Sun-Hee Lee participated in a sub-regional workshop on special measures for women, organised by the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat and held on 24-26 September in Port Moresby. This workshop built on the outcomes of the 2006 Rarotonga meeting of women parliamentarians from the Forum Islands countries together with development partners, academics and civil society organisations. CDI sponsors attachments for Bougainville parliamentary staff | 2007 CDI sponsored short attachments to the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in Canberra for two staff members from the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) House of Representatives. The two officers were: Mrs Loretta Masiria (Hansard), and Ms Michaelyne Sabin (Librarian). Panel Discussion: Female Leadership & Decision Making in PNG | 2007 CDI Executive Officer Luke Hambly was 1 of 3 speakers at an AusAID-covened panel discussion in Canberra on the subject of Female Leadership & Decision Making in PNG. CDI's 9th Annual Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue | Goroka | 2007 "Women play major role in peace process" Deputy Speaker of the Autonomous Bougainville Parliament Francesca Semoso interviewed by The National in Goroka at the CDI Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue. "Woman leader calls for gender balanced budgets " Deputy Speaker of the Autonomous Bougainville Parliament Francesca Semoso interviewed by The National in Goroka at the CDI Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue. Pacific | 8th CDI Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue | 2006 The 8th CDI Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue provided a forum for Members of Parliament from the Pacific Island Countries, Australia and New Zealand to discuss public leadership with regional and international colleagues in a practical, non-partisan and dynamic environment. A feature of this event was a full-day's programming devoted to the theme of 'Including Everyone', which explored the obstacles and opportunities of formal political representation and leadership facing women in the Pacific. Pacific | Improving Women's Representation in the Pacific | Regional Consulation | 2006 CDI Program Manager Daniela Capaccio visited Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu in 2006, for discussions with various organisations involved in promoting women in politics in the Pacific Islands. Women's Participation in Governance Workshop | PNG | 2003 CDI supported a 'Women's Participation in Governance' workshop in the Simbu Province in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea from 17 to 19 September 2003. The focus of the workshop was on women and governance, in particular their inclusion in elections and electoral processes. Issues of citizenship, democracy and the role of women in PNG were discussed and the workshop aimed to develop strategies for promoting women's involvement in electoral processes.