23rd April 2013

1. Gender matters
in leadership

2. Meeting Plan
 Introductions
 Update since last Gender Equality Forum
 Women in leadership in Scotland and Malawi
 Comparing the Scotland and Malawi context
 Case Study: The Active Learning Centre and the Women’s
Parliamentary Caucus
 Learning from partnership
 Women in leadership: the quotas debate
 Exploring the debate
 Other examples of leadership
 Reflecting on women leaders we have worked with in Malawi
 Looking Forwards
 Identifying Scotland’s contribution towards gender equality

8. Quiz Answers
Female MPs in the UK: 22.3%
Female MSPs in Scotland: 34.88%
Female MPs in Malawi: 22.3%
Female Ministers in the UK: 17.2%
Female Ministers in Malawi: 21.4%
Female High Court Judges in the UK (2004):
7%
Female High Court Judges in Malawi (2008):
14.8%
Female Civil Servants in the UK (2011): 53%
Female Civil Servants in Malawi (2008):
19.3%

9. Female political representation-
Scotland
• 34.88% female MSPs (2012)
•24% female councillors (2012)
•Between 2007 and 2011 women
candidates fell from 36% to 29%.
• UK Sex Discrimination (Election
Candidates) Act 2002

10. Female political representation-
Malawi
•22% female MPs (2009)
•2009: 237 women (136 in 2004)
contested parliament seats - 43 were
elected
•Much of this was the result of the ‘50:50’
campaign, supported by development
partners and adopted by high profile
campaigners.
•Gender Equality Act, February
2013, assented by the President April
2013.

11. Women’s Parliamentary Caucus
Goal: to promote gender ideals and women’s
empowerment in all legislative activities
Public female role models can inspire a changing
cultural framework in which traditional roles and
responsibilities can be renegotiated
Peer support among women MPs – making them
more effective members of parliament
Report reflects work Apr 2010 to Mar 2013

12. Challenges
There is no better tool for development than the
empowerment of women and girls
• Retaining women MPs – only 4% stood for re-
election in 2009
• Getting more women MPs elected
• People need to know how to use an MP
• Attitudes to women candidates need
to change

13. A view from Scotland
“Men have a responsibility to ensure they do not put up
obstacles and barriers in front of their daughters, sisters
and mothers.” Humza Yousaf MSP
“as women politicians we quickly learned that life was
still not equal, or fair”. Karen Gillon, MSP 1999 – 2011
Humza Yousaf MSP, Scotland’s Minister for
International Development and External Affairs

18.  What qualities of leadership are being
demonstrated?
 What has led to their successes as
leaders?
 What are the challenges they have
faced?
Case study: ALC Caucus Report

19. Recommendations:
Better support for women MPs
Cross party working
Local government post 2014
Working with international
organisations
Retention of women MPs
Case study: ALC Caucus Report

20. Dr Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula-
Malawian academic and activist
•Do women have to “become like men” to
succeed?
•Need a structure to “enable women to
emerge from the base”
•What would a non-male dominated state look
like?
Prioritise female participation
Re-structuring political power
Adopt a feminist approach to development
Women would not be 2nd class citizens
Women’s labour recognised and
rewarded, even what is done at home and in
informal spaces

21. Dr Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula
“Affirmative action
is what addresses
structural
imbalances, not
having one
woman running
government.”

22. Faustace Chirwa, ED of National
Women’s Lobby Group, Malawi
The case for positive action in Malawi:
 The Gender Equality Law: there is hope that more women will
participate in political leadership backed- but much depends on
how soon the law shall be publicized to inform the
women about the importance of this law
 Awareness and education will enable women to demand their
space in political leadership, using the Law as the tool to seek
redress when they are discriminated against.
 There is need for the political parties to implement Part IV -
Employment in the Public Service of the Gender Equality Law-
hoping that this Law extends to political parties!
 At the moment political parties are heavily patronised by males
only at decision making levels or in political leadership positions.
 Need to get a “critical mass” into parliament.

23. Gender in leadership
Do you have a project coordinator/primary liaison in Malawi?
Is this a man or a woman?
How was this person ‘selected’?
Have you come across any gender assumptions, at either side
of your partnership?
What impact does this person’s role in the project have on
their status in the local community?
Is there more that could be done to support gender equality in
the leadership of your links?

24. Elizabeth –
community
leader

25. Gender in leadership
Lizzie Banda –
community
leader

26. Looking forwards-Tripartite Elections
2014
•2009 50:50 Campaign
•2014: UNDP has pledged $9m for design and
implementation of new 50:50 campaign
•Faustace Chirwa:
“Tripartite elections in 2014 offer an opportunity
to increase the number of women in political
leadership at Parliamentary and Ward level.
no political will on the part of government to
woo more women to participate in the elections as
candidates.
This is because of the current threat against the
leadership, and instead of her encouraging women
to participate in the elections in huge
numbers, she is busy protecting her seat! ”

27. Looking forwards
Ideas:
• Postcards outlining reality in Scotland and Malawi (gender
equality bill)
• Consider how we use modern technologies to support gender
messaging between Scotland and Malawi
• Local authority links between Scotland and Malawi leading up
to and beyond 2014
• CPA (Scotland Branch) offering continued support to
parliamentarians in Malawi
• Parliamentary pairing between Scotland and Malawi
• Gender Equality Act in language that can be accessible for
young girls and boys in schools (creating resources through
Scotland-Malawi network)
• SG continuing to support ALC in supporting training for
female candidates/parliamentarians