BDP women�s league is out of line

Correspondent | Friday March 28, 2014 12:22

 

Last week the male majority of Kenyan Parliament voted into law a bill on polygamy, which among other things denies the incumbent wives the right to consultation when their husbands take another wife. This move by the male dominated Kenyan parliament is a clear violation of women´s human rights and gender equality principles. Hence, BCPWL´s expectation that the BDPWL-- supposedly a women´s rights advocacy group within the ruling Botswana Democratic Party-- would not only show solidarity with fellow women in Kenya, but also with the gender equality agenda by inviting a guest speaker whose government supports the rights of women.

Whilst the BCPWL appreciates the fact that the BDPWL has the right to associate with whomever it chooses, it must be realised that in the International arena, the actions of a women’s league of a ruling party are deemed to be representing the position and views of Batswana women in general, and that of the Botswana government in particular. It is in view of this that the BCPWL feels compelled to question the motives of the BDPWL with regards to the message they are sending to Batswana, Kenyan women and the world regarding their position on women´s human rights and the gender agenda. Is the BDPWL saying that Kenya, with its blatant violation of women´s human rights has something that they as a women´s league would like to emulate? The BCPWL is shocked to say the least, because not only is a High Commissioner the face and representative of their government with a specific mandate to serve and push for their country´s interests but is also unlikely to take a stand that is at odds with that of their government. The question is, why would a women´s league of a ruling party have as its guest speaker a representative of a government which clearly does not care about the rights of women and gender equality?

We have previously questioned the integrity of the BDPWL, especially in line with their commitment to gender issues within this country, and whether they truly appreciate their role and the privileged position they have as women within the ruling party of influencing formulation of gender sensitive and gender responsive policies within the BDP and its government.

This current action, among others leads us to conclude that the BDPWL is not blameless with regards to-- among others-the evident de-prioritisation of the gender agenda from the national agenda today; failure by the BDP government to adopt the SADC Gender Protocol that commits member states to 50-50 representation of women and men in all governance and decision-making structure; and the continued resistance and lack of commitment by the BDP government to adopt an electoral system that would promote equal representation of women and men in elected positions.

While the BCPWL recognises and acknowledges that the promotion of women´s human rights and gender equality are not and cannot be the burden and responsibility of women and women´s organisations alone, we are convinced that it is only when the women’s leagues take themselves and the values that they purport to stand for seriously that their male counterparts and the male dominated institutions would also take gender equality seriously. As we have previously asserted, a political party women’s league is its “Conscience” in the terrain of diversity issues in general and on gender issues in particular. Unfortunately the BDPWL has amply demonstrated that it defines itself as a cheerleading organ of its party. This is a betrayal, on one hand, of Batswana women and a dereliction of duty on the other..

The BDPWL’s mixed messages with regards to its stance on women´s human rights and gender equality such as through inviting a representative of a government that clearly does not care about the rights of women, can only help to entrench male chauvinistic behaviour that is prevalent in our society in general and in the BDP government in particular. The BDPWL is in a privileged position to lead and influence the gender equality agenda in this country and it is about time that it takes its responsibilities seriously. You owe it to female members of the BDP and more importantly to the women of this country regardless of their party affiliation!

In conclusion, we wish to state in categorical terms that the BCPWL stands in firm solidarity with the women of Kenya who have been dealt a devastating blow by its patriarchal parliament that has, in the most disrespectful manner, forgotten that one of its key functions is to protect all citizens irrespective of their gender. BCPWL feels the pain of Kenyan women at this unfortunate turn of events; we can only imagine the sorrow they must have felt when this doomsday dawned on them. Polygamy is one of the oldest and socially disempowering patriarchal practices against women, which despite the pretense at promoting social justice for women, is secretly internalised and desired by many men which has dominated this continent for years. BCPWL is also aware that the patriarchal values entrenched in governance structures across the world, in Africa and in Botswana could just as easily move our own parliament in the same direction.

However the BCPWL will continue to move in concert with the women in Kenya in the collective painstaking effort to transform our societies as we fight for inclusive, just and fair approach to governance and development processes.” We are with you in this difficult time our fellow sisters in Kenya. We know very well that tomorrow it could be us given that our parliament is just as male dominated as yours and is unlikely to change anytime soon!

 

Daisy Bathusi

BCP WL Central Committee