Inspiration

International links:
Inter-parliamentary Union, database Women in Parliaments: www.ipu.org
Quota Database: www.quotaproject.org
Word Economic Forum: The Global gender Gap Report 2011: www.weforum.org
European Women’s Lobby: www.womenlobby.org
Interactive International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics “I know politics”: www.iknowpolitics.org

Czech Republic:
Czech Women’s Lobby: www.czlobby.cz
Gender Studies, o.p.s.: www.en.genderstudies.cz
National Contact Centre - Women in Science: www.zenyaveda.cz
Department of Gender Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague: www.fhs.cuni.cz

 

Finland:
Nordic Gender Institute: www.nikk.no
Gender equality - Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: www.stm.fi
Nordic cooperation: www.norden.org
Council of Ministers for Gender Equality (MR-JÄM): www.norden.org
Gender equality statistics: www.stat.fi
10 Reasons Why Feminism is Good For Boys and Men: www.huffingtonpost.com

Greece:
Video channel of the Greek Green party: www.youtube.com
The ecological green wind movement: www.ecogreens-gr.org
General Secretariat for Gender Equality: www.isotita.gr
Unesco center for women and peace in Balkan countries: www.unescocenter.gr
Our webpage: www.aenao.org
Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD): www.nimd.org
Project Vote Smart, USA: www.votesmart.org
United Nations Electoral Assistance Division (UNEAD): www.un.org
World Movement for Democracy: www.wmd.org

Poland:
Women Congress in Poland (venue and association) : www.kongreskobiet.pl
Network of East-West Women: www.neww.eu
Koaltion Karat - a regional coalition of organisations and individuals focusing its actions on observance of women’s human rights, and ensuring gendered economic and social justice in the Region (territory of the Central & Eastern European and Central Asian countries): www.karat.org
Feminoteka - first feminist information service, bookstore and foundation: www.feminoteka.pl

Sexism and Politics

Definition of sexism:
1. discrimination based on gender;
2. behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex

“Sexism in politics” means reproduction of these stereotypes in the field of political office.

We should keep in mind that the right to vote was given to women globally, only after the 2nd world war.
Our history as political beings is very short and the roots of sexism in society are deep in the past.
We were raised, as our parents were raised, in a way to consider stereotypes as "common sense".

So we should all take a moment to consider: what are these stereotypes?
Do we, women in politics, know how discrimination works in our field? Or are we, also, caught up with the stereotypes?
What do you think are the stereotypes we're dealing with?
— the image: women voters don't expect the male politicians to be good looking
— prejudice that women have no time, their hormones make them unreliable, they need to stay at home to raise the children
— family life: a mother has no reliability
— the vulnerability of women in social life -"enjoying life" is not compatible with the female nature.

As a means of deffence against sexism, sometimes women in power are obliged to loose touch with their feminine side.

A woman-political oponnent is an easy target: if you want to beat a woman political opponent, you just need to spread a rumor about her sex-life or her past. Oh the other hand, men are not vulnerable in this field. Par example Bill Clinton and Andreas Papandreou.

Unfortunately, it’s not only men who reproduce the stereotypes: We, women feed sexism. We are often part of the problem and we need to become part of the solution.

Suggested measures:
— More than fifty countries around the world have adopted quota laws (positive discrimination) to regulate the selection or election of women to political office, while many more have proposed or repealed quota laws in recent years.
— Standard duration of the parties’s procedures. This way, women, who have less time available, will be encouraged to participate.