Asia: Supporting Women Political Leaders in Muslim South Asia
Current Political Situation
Women in the predominantly Muslim areas of Southeast Asia historically have been politically and economically marginalized and, until quite recently, effectively precluded from participating in political life. Although they have served as heads of government in the region, women in Muslim majority Southeast Asia have been under-represented in the leadership of governing institutions and political parties. They occupy a small percentage of the seats in their respective legislatures, and many of those in elected government are often ill equipped to perform their duties in office. This problem is due in large part to the reluctance of the leaders of the parties to provide women party members with the support necessary to assume positions of leadership within the parties, and subsequently in elected government. Greater support from political parties, particularly skills development, can provide women the necessary leverage to enter politics in a more permanent and prominent way. Enhancing the capacity of women to represent their parties and serve the public as elected officials allows women to participate in and more effectively influence legislative and policy-making processes.
Women constitute nearly half of the membership of each of the main political parties in Malaysia but have traditionally been relegated to supportive roles within these parties, and as a rule have not been viewed as either party leaders or as part of the pool of potential candidates for elected office. In Indonesia, although a woman recently served as president, women historically make up a small percentage of elected assembly members, and very few women are district executives, provincial governors or senior national government officials. Women in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) face the same challenges as their neighboring counterparts--local politics continue to be male-dominated and women traditionally take on support roles for male leaders. In all three locations, political parties often do not provide women with the necessary skills training to be effective candidates or, if successful, confident elected representatives. Nevertheless, the current climate for women in politics in Malaysia, Indonesia and the ARMM is growing more hopeful with greater numbers of women nominated, elected or engaged in the political process.
NDI Programs
To promote political opportunities for women in Malaysia, Indonesia and ARMM, NDI began a new program in February 2005 to enhance the training available to women inside political parties in these three countries. Specifically, NDI first conducted an assessment to identify the challenges women activists in political parties face in competing for leadership positions in parties. NDI then facilitated further discussion of the assessment's findings at a regional conference followed by a workshop for core trainers to address those challenges. This initial training program brought together women from the major parties in these three countries with regional and international expert trainers, to hone their practical political skills. The gathering hoped to encourage information sharing and collaboration among women political party leaders on issues of internal party reform and electoral reform. NDI facilitated and supported each of these core trainers to deliver follow-up trainings and activities tailored to specific political needs and interests of political women leaders upon return home.
Now in its second year, NDI’s Strengthening Women’s Political Leadership in Southeast Asia continues to demonstrate how investments in skills-based training and networking for women directly results in changed party behavior. By the end of October 2006, after only 18 months, more than 3200 women in political parties in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao were trained in political leadership skills. The results of these trainings are impressive.
One party in Malaysia reported a 50% increase in its membership of young women, directly related to this program. Two other Malaysian parties established training department institutions that previously did not exist. In Indonesia, one party changed its party by-laws to ensure minimum numbers of women in leadership positions at all levels of the party; that same party established a women’s wing to build upon the program’s achievements and to support these new women leaders. In ARMM, against a backdrop of long-term, protracted and violent conflict, program participants learned from their Indonesian counterparts about the value of a formal network of women. As a result, the women of ARMM decided to establish a Political Caucus of Women Leaders in Mindanao. This caucus has the express purpose of supporting greater numbers of women to run for office in 2007 and 2008 on a platform of peace and enhanced good governance. Additionally, a special International Visitors Leadership Program was put in place by the US embassy in Malaysia to enable six women from this program to see the US elections first hand in November 2006. Program participants credit the program with increased personal and political skills, enhanced confidence, greater recognition within their parties and networks, and increased knowledge on politics, gender and the region.
Building on the successes of a similar program NDI is conducting with women political leaders in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, this program cooperates closely with NDI's other programs in the three countries: the new political party reform program in Malaysia, the ground-breaking security sector reform program in the ARMM and the well-established legislative, political party and civil society development programs in Indonesia.
Contact Information
For further information on this program, please contact:
Stephanie Lynn, Resident Director, Indonesia
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Blair King, Senior Program Manager
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Anne Tsai Bennett, Program Officer, Asia
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Updated August 2007
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