Gender and political leadership in Kyrgyzstan

1
Gender and political leadership in Kyrgyzstan

• The National Round Table
• 25 September, 2008?., Bishkek

2
Topics for discussion

• Representation of women and men in public
  administration bodies statistical data
• System of reproduction of gender asymmetry in the
  power structures
• Political mobilization
• Mechanisms for selection of leaders
• Gender perception of power and political
  practices

3
Representation of women and men at various
positions in public administration bodies

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Representation of women and men at various
positions in public administration bodies

• According to data of NSC as at 01.10.06.According
  to the data of ???? as at 01.01.08. Women Men
  Women Men
• Political and special positions 18822674
• Number 107484213602 Administrative positions
  Higher positions 10901783
• Principal positions 34663268
• Senior positions 39614357
• Junior positions45554357
• Total number 615186226265870342584258

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Dynamics of representation of women in the
structures of the State Power remained negative
until recent time
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The system of reproduction of gender asymmetry in
the structures of civil service conclusions of
surveys, carried out from 2000 to 2008.

• Vertical and horizontal segregations (gender
  misbalance with characteristic subdivision of
  employment spheres)
• Unequal career opportunities and in upgrading
  qualifications for staff of different sexes
• Lack of clear policy of encouragement and
  supportof women/youth leadership of different
  sexes
• Prevalence sexist mentality and biased/prejudiced
  approaches in explanation of the reasons of the
  existing situation
• Lack of environment/conditions for combining
  career with implementation of home/domestic
  responsibilities

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Channels for mobilization of womens political
activeness

• Development of independent womens
  organizations/nets for support of womens
  political participation
• Forming womens parties and factions
• Integration of this issue into practice of not
  only womens organizations
• Inclusion of the topic of womens political
  participation into public discussions and
  research
• Main strategies social activeness and
  enlightenment

8
Channels for mobilization of womens political
activeness

• Lobbying and adoption of special measures for
  support of women at elections
• Womens political networks at legislative level
  of administration

9
Mechanisms for selection of leaders

• Scenarios of entry to the political scene became
  diverse
• Process of nomination of candidates has become
  more open, more democratic, however the system of
  selection of leaders is missing
• The gap between the leadership on the level of
  the big policy and local policy level

10
Nomination of candidates to local councils of
deputies preliminary data on the city Bishkek
(44 mandates)

• Men
• Total - 292/72
• Candidates from parties - 19
• Under 30 - 21
• Business representatives -33
• Not working - 23

• Women
• Total - 86/28
• Candidates from parties - 40
• Under 30 -16
• Business representatives -24
• Not working - 7
• The most active in nomination of women are the
  Green Party. Jany Kyrgyzstan, and Erkindik.

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Gender perception about power and political
practices

• Commonplace politics is not womens business
  reflects negative definition of politics, the
  essence of which can disappear if women come to
  power
• The accepted model of leadership is specifically
  the masculine one

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Widely used approaches for forming political
leadership of women

• Neutral approach - politics must be done by
  professionals - sex is not important what
  counts is professionalism
• Approach of a specific predestination of women -
  two origins a male one and a female one must be
  present in politics - ...a woman is more
  moralistic, responsible, attentive, is more prone
  to compromise than to conflict she thinks less
  about a career and is more sensitive...

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On the issue of challenges

• Traditional womens political leadership as the
  back side of the normative masculine model of
  leadership
• Prevailing approaches are based on traditional
  concepts about masculinity and femininity and
  ideas of the natural predestinations
• Exclusion of opportunity for equal partnership
  and disallowing for possibility of political
  competition between a man and a woman