Women seek more than parliamentary seats

ARUSHA: THE conversation on women in politics is shifting from how many women are in Parliament to how much influence they have once they get there.

That was one of the key messages emerging from the Forum of Women Parliamentarians held as part of the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Arusha on Monday, as lawmakers from different countries discussed women’s leadership, gender parity and the barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in political decisionmaking.

The official programme for the forum included discussions on cooperation with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), women’s leadership and a gender-related resolution.

IPU IPU President, Dr Tulia Ackson told parliamentarians that achieving gender equality requires more than increasing the number of women occupying parliamentary seats.

She called for political systems that give women equal access to power and allow them to participate without fear, harassment or intimidation.

“We want parity to be a culture,” Dr Tulia said, urging parliamentarians to take commitments made at international forums back to their national legislatures and turn them into practical action.

She challenged lawmakers to examine who holds leadership positions, who receives opportunities and who is able to speak freely in political institutions.

For Tanzania, the discussion comes as women account for 39.5 per cent of Parliament, according to Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu.

While describing the representation as progress, Mr Zungu said the numbers should be accompanied by greater participation, leadership and influence in parliamentary and political processes.

“Representation alone is not enough. We must continue addressing barriers that affect women’s participation, leadership and influence in political and parliamentary processes,” he said.

The forum also brought a new dimension to the discussion: technology and violence against women in politics.

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IPU Secretary General, Ms Anda Filip warned that advances in technology, including artificial intelligence, are creating new forms of abuse against women in public life.

Among the concerns she raised were sexualised deepfakes, which can be created and circulated rapidly.

She called for measures to prevent such abuse, remove harmful content quickly, support survivors and hold perpetrators and technology platforms accountable.

She also called for democratic oversight and responsible governance of artificial intelligence.

The Guardian For women seeking leadership positions, therefore, the challenge is not only gaining entry into political institutions but also creating conditions in which they can remain, lead and influence decisions.

Dr Tulia also called for greater inclusion of young women, women from marginalised communities and women with disabilities, while stressing that men must be part of efforts to achieve gender equality.

The Guardian The discussions in Arusha point to a broader reality: representation is an important beginning, but meaningful participation requires access to leadership, protection from abuse and the freedom to influence decisions.

As women continue to take their place in parliaments around the world, the question is increasingly becoming not simply who is in the room, but whose voice has the power to shape what happens there.

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