Project

Promoting the representation of Malagasy Women in Political and Public Affairs

Grantee: Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa

The global objective of the project was to promote inclusive democracy as a key component for the country to emerge from political crisis and to set the ground for stable governance. It targeted two groups; the participants in formal politics which included women candidates and elected representatives, institutions and political parties and more general, the wider public. Specifically, the project aimed to increase the priority of gender issues and the number of women representatives in policy-making. It also aimed to raise awareness and acceptance women participating as candidates and voters in public and political affairs.
The grantee’s intervention strategy relied on using existing Malagasy women’s associations and networks in order to push for the fulfilment of commitments made under international and regional instruments ratified by Madagascar, in particular a Protocol of the Southern African Development Community which had a parity goal of 50 per cent in elected positions. In a context marked by recurrent political crises, the project contributed in a relevant way to address the socio-political burdens that prevent women from participating as citizens and decision-makers.

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Lessons from Project

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The project’s impact on the public opinion in Madagascar was more fragmented, since media coverage was not very targeted and the journalists themselves displayed a lack of capacity and knowledge in terms of gender issues. It would be necessary to review the content of messages aimed, in order to present women’s participation and the inclusion of gender issues in politics not as a divisive act but rather as a social project aimed at increasing equality, enhancing the well-being of citizens, and above all applying the rule of law. These messages should be pushed by journalists who were trained in this area and should focus on the added value of women’s experiences and even more simply on their necessary contribution to the democratic debate.

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The fact that most of the activities were implemented in a centralized fashion in the capital of Madagascar rather than in the target regions meant that information did not cascade beyond the direct beneficiaries. While 78 per cent of voters live in rural areas, there were no real efforts to relay information to communities in order to bring about a change in attitude.

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While the project was designed by women for women, which was a strength in terms of ownership and credibility among the participants, the absence of any activities designed to engage with men in the main political parties was a weakness. The reality is that it is mostly men who are heads of executive and legislative bodies. Engaging men in power is necessary in order to integrate women into political and public life.

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The project would have benefited from an agreed action plan among all stakeholders both in the capital and regions and including international donors such as UNDP. Given the political instability in the country at the time the project was developed, a clearer vision of the risks more clarity in planning would have helped the project become more embedded and to lead to a real process of change.

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Nine woman candidates trained by the project were elected in the 2013 parliamentary elections. The training sessions were an important first step, however sustained mentoring and support will be required to ensure the women elected can continue to promote the gender equality agenda.

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The creation of a women’s caucus in the National Assembly to promote the systematic mainstreaming of gender aspects in legislative proposals made gender issues more visible in Parliament. The participatory approach to identifying women’s needs was effective for mobilizing women across political party divisions.

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