Nalini Singh, APWLD Programme Officer

“Seethings and Seatings - Women’s Strategies in Electoral Processes in Asia Pacific”, launched on 17 December 2005 in Hong Kong, is the publication from the research project which is part of APWLD’s Women’s Participation in Political Processes (WPPP) Programme’s initiative to assist women in Asia Pacific to challenge existing structures which hinder women’s participation in political processes.

Members of the APWLD Women’s Participation in Political Processes Task Force with women parliamentarians at the book launch in Hong Kong

''There is a need to increase the number of women in mainstream politics”, says Liza Largoza Maza, a successful Gabriela Women’s Party candidate in the recent Philippines election and a subject for the research project. “But it should not be merely a number’s game. The women in parliament should assert the women’s agenda and fight for women’s rights. While there should be more women, they should be genuine women’s representatives and not just clones of macho men.”

One of the gains of the feminist movements in the 20th century is that women in most countries can participate in politics. However, there are many obstacles and challenges faced by women that can bring forth frustration, anger and resentment or on the other hand lead to innovative ideas, character building and the discovery of hidden potentials. It is imperative that women learn from other women in order to champion women’s issues especially at the national level.

During 2005, six researchers from Fiji, India, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, and the Philippines, conducted research on six women leaders, who are part of the women’s movement or an ally or a supporter, and who ran in their country’s recent national elections. The research identified factors, which make it difficult for women to win in elections, and strategies used by these women leaders to win or meet women’s objectives in elections or while in Parliament or any other elected position. The editorial board comprising of Task Force members Rashila Ramli (Co-convenor), Nurgul Djanaeva and Elisa Tita Lubi worked closely with the researchers throughout the year to see the completion of this project.

The six case studies portrayed in this book will not allow us to make a generalisation on overall strategies in political participation. It will, however, give insights to the challenges and obstacles that women face and need to overcome in different electoral systems.  By having these insights, better strategies can be developed by Asia Pacific women in order to cater to local situations in the future and strengthen women’s participation in political processes throughout the region.

“Why are women more vulnerable during disasters?” is an APWLD publication based on the report on women’s human rights violations in the aftermath of the December 26 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia, India, Thailand and Sri Lanka and the October Earthquake in Pakistan.

The report presents testimonies from women’s groups involved in the relief efforts which indicate that women are more vulnerable and at risk during disasters such as the Indian Ocean tsunami and Pakistan Earthquake because women are marginalised and disempowered under normal circumstances having lower socio-economic status, barriers to choice and lack of access to resources. And when disasters happen women tend to have less access to relief resources because relief efforts rely on existing structures of resource distribution that reflect the patriarchal structure of society.

The report has also recommendations to the governments of the affected countries, aid agencies, national and international non-governmental organisations involved in rehabilitation and reconstruction processes on addressing women’s needs and preventing violations of women’s human rights.

APWLD produced a documentary film entitled “Why are women more vulnerable during disasters?” based on videomaterial taken at the Women’s Consultation on Post Tsunami Challenges held in Aceh, July 2005. It is a 30 minute documentary based on testimonies of the tsunami survivors and women activists on women’s human rights violations in the tsunami aftermath. In India, relief efforts based on ugly caste system left entire communities of Dalits without any assistance for months. In Aceh (Indonesia) and Sri Lanka the armed conflict situation exacerbates the tragedy of the survivors. The military hinder free movement of people and distribution of relief. In Thailand, private corporations used the disaster situation to claim ownership to the land of entire communities.

For copies of the publications and the film contact cholpon@apwld.org