Civil society urged to support women candidates
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday May 21, 2014 11:00
“Women often times in their endeavour to stand for political positions, find themselves struggling alone with only their party behind them. Civil Society activity is in most cases lacking or not there, hence for an active civil society. Women have always been the majority voters and this should be encouraging,” she said. She said despite their active roles in various political activities, women’s representation in political leadership structures continues to remain very low, accounting for only 31% in the central committees.
Phuthego encouraged women to compete with men in party central committee positions even for the presidency. She, however, said Botswana has made tremendous progress in the representation of women in decision making within the Public Service.
“As at September 2013, women accounted for 42% of all persons holding positions of deputy director to permanent secretary level. We were also second in Southern Africa, with a record of 35% women permanent secretaries and 45% directors, after Seychelles who recorded 45% women permanent secretaries and 49% directors/heads of departments,” she said.
Gaborone District Commissioner Bagomotsi Kooitse noted that in a democracy, the imbalances are noticeable and have disadvantaged women in assuming political leadership.
She said the workshop is of great importance in the nurturing of an all-inclusive democracy, and instilling the need to accommodate women who had been systematically excluded, to allow for equal participation.
Still at the workshop, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) executive secretary, Gabriel Seeletso said lack of self-confidence is the one element that hinders women from competing for political positions.
He said there is nothing wrong for women to be contesting as independent candidates since it is not too late for them to register.
He said women are better placed than everyone else when it comes to all issues including even the ones for elections.