Importance of women's political empowerement - Gurmai Zita

Kaysa Penny
Importance of women's political empowerment
We need to be the change
we call for in our societies
"We need more women in politics" is a line often heard from women's organisations, but also
from political parties and decision-makers. Yet any trends of increasing numbers of women in
parliaments or in governments are stagnant or slow at best. There are obviously many reasons
for this, but I'd like to analyse one aspect in particular.
In order to get involved in politics, one needs to get involved in parties at one level or another.
And it is the parties themselves who either help or hinder female participation. It is not alone
about policies, statements or legislation, but practical issues that determine whether women
can get involved or not.
For a young mother - a very attractive person from party political point of view - getting involved
is often most problematic. Not only are we juggling with work, childcare and other
responsibilities, but we should find time to sit in meetings, go campaigning and participate in
different events as well. Now, if you are interested in politics, you are also interested in taking
part in all of this, that is not the problem for most women. The question is far simpler. When and
where do these meetings take place, and are the events organised so that a new parent can
possibly participate? Most of the time the meetings take place in the weekday evenings
relatively late, in cramped offices, taking hours in end. Taking young children with you around
bedtime is difficult at best of times, not everyone has a partner who can or is willing to care for
the children, and finding child-care is not an option for everyone.
On bigger events we rarely see children. Either, mothers and fathers - in order to participate -
have to find somewhere to leave their children, or not participate. And if someone brings their
children with them, the reception is often far from welcoming.
But it wouldn't need to be this way. It is very easy for a political movement to be supportive and
welcoming for young mothers, and fathers, who wish to be involved, and have no access to
ever-available, super-flexible care options. I wish to share a couple of great experiences from
the youth movement, as we have found some ways to ease, and encourage participation of the
young parents and families.
In the Congress of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth SSU last summer I was happy to see
a high number of children from new-born babies to school age kids. The Congress hall was
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