Women in Latin America and the Caribbean - Cepal

37
The data for 2006 show that less progress has been made at the level of the senate than in
chambers of deputies in Latin America: Argentina and Mexico are the only countries where women
represent over 20% of senators. This situation makes it difficult to mobilize collective action to form a
critical mass large enough to institute changes. In the Caribbean, by contrast, women represent a higher
proportion of senators than of deputies (see figure I.8), partly owing to the fact that women are appointed
to the Senate.
Figure I.8
CARIBBEAN (9 COUNTRIES): REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE SENATE, 2006
(Percentages)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
43.8
Bahamas
36.4
32.3
Saint Lucia
Trinidad and Tobago
Over 30%
30.8
Grenada
25
23.8
Belize
Barbados
Between 20%
and 29%
19
17.6
Jamaica
Antigua and Barbuda
Between 10%
and 19%
0
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Less
than
10%
Source: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report, 1999, 2000 and 2006, New York,
Oxford University Press.
The greatest differences between the two chambers are seen in Saint Lucia, Bahamas and
Guyana, with disparities of 31, 23 and 19 percentage points, respectively. The smallest disparities were
registered in Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada, with 8, 7 and 4 percentage points, respectively.
As a result of the selection process, the 30% target for women’s representation in upper chambers has
been attained or surpassed in several countries: the Bahamas (43.8%), Trinidad and Tobago (32.3%),
Saint Lucia (36.4%) and Grenada (30.8%). The information received from the Government of the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shows more uneven women’s participation in the senate, with the figure
moving from 22.2% in 1996 to 25.9% in 2004, after just falling short of the target in 2000 (29.6%).
In the lower chambers, only Cuba and Guyana have reached the target of 30%, with women
representing 36% and 30.8% of deputies, respectively, in the two countries. These are closely followed by
Grenada (28.7%), Suriname (25.5%) and the Bahamas (20%). Saint Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda have
made least progress in this respect, with 5.6% and 10.5%, respectively. In Saint Kitts and Nevis, there are
no women in parliament except the speaker (Bart-Alexander, 2007).