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Topic Discussion III
Participation in
Democratic Decision-Making:
The Vital Voices of Women, Civil Society and
Pluralism
Room 4
(14 of 20 pages)
With these few remarks, let me actually come up with a proposal. I have done the
same with the other papers presented to different groups. Maybe in this regard, we need the international community
to come with an action plan or to develop an action plan for new and emerging democracies in the world. It could
a program of civic education on the meaning of democracy and participation by all for various groups including
political party leaders. Also to strengthen our legal systems in these countries and above all, revise and set
up the NGOs for trainers to run the civic education programs, and maybe provide funding to these, because we are
talking about democracy and about participation. If it's not equally distributed, then we have a problem. We need
to do this very seriously and urgently.
With these few remarks, I will close.
Chair: Thank you for a concise presentation and an excellent proposal. I would like to give an opportunity
for our speakers to give some reactions at the end, so I encourage you again to be concise in your remarks so that
our speakers will have time. But we're doing well.
Our next comments are from Guyana.
Hon. Desiree Bernard: I listened with interest to the comments of the Minister from Ghana, the representative
from Malawi and Mozambique, which seems to throw the burden of raising the children with certain values in the
laps of women. It would be remiss of me not to reply to that, because I would like to say specifically that the
hesitancy one finds in women in assuming high office and also following a traditional path, is due to customs and
traditional practices imposed on them by men. The machinery for government throughout the years has been in the
hands of men. Women's thinking was informed by what they were told were the positions. Boys were only to do certain
things and it will take an extremely long time for women to break out from that mold in which we find ourselves.
I think though that certain concrete proposals should be made to change this stereotyping of women by efforts to
remove traditional customs and practices. Programs should be embarked upon. Educational programs should be embarked
upon, educating women about their rights and the laws that apply to them, because I think in most countries there
is a sad lack of education where women are concerned. In my country there is a women lawyers association which
we formed, charged with the specific purpose of educating women about the laws that affect them. They compiled
booklets of the laws in simple language that the ordinary woman can understand, to let her know what are her rights.
This is something that I commend to other groups. Also radio programs to educate women about their rights. Also
the media should be educated to portray women more positively rather than negatively. I think that negative stereotyping
is the result of women not having the confidence to come forward and take high office. They just don't feel that
they can and I take the example of the colleague from Mozambique.
With regard to the judiciary, I listened with keen interest to that because that's my field. I happen to be the
Chief Justice of Guyana and maybe one of the few around the world possibly, and even though I am, there are only
two other women judges with me, despite the fact that we have a woman President as well. So we need to encourage
women to assume higher office and I sincerely hope that you in this part of the world, if there is any assistance
I can give to help you to promote women judges higher up the hierarchy, I certainly will do this. But I think that
the problem lies in changing attitudes and stereotypes which are never easy, and also law reform, reforming archaic
laws. Perhaps we can embark on a study to remove all discriminatory laws that inhibit women's full participation
in the development of their country and this I think will go a very long way to enhancing and promoting the advancement
of women.
Thank you very much.
Chair: Thank you, Madame Bernard, for such insightful comments and very concrete proposals, particularly
regarding the media. Not only does the media sometimes treat women in a negative manner, but unfortunately also
treat her like some sort of object or symbol that is not very much respected and that needs to be changed.
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