The small number of people participating in the panel discussion allowed for an in-depth introduction period. The chairperson, Hyun Sook Lee, is a representative of Women Making Peace. The organization deals with peace and reunification issues. Jebbeh Forster is the UNIFEM Gender and AIDS Advisor from Sierra Leone. One of our participants, Heisoo Shin, works for the Korea Women’s Hotline. This organization works against violence and discrimination against women. It also provides assistance to victims of violence and is committed to changing the system of people’s consciousness. Our remaining participant was Jana Chrzova. She works for the Czech Helsinki Committee, which is an international federation that deals with human rights. Her work focuses on general human rights, but she oversees specific programs in penal reforms with an emphasis on women. The Czech Helsinki Committee also has programs on Romanian gypsies, equal opportunity in the labor market, and runs a human rights library. Lee In Duk is a representative of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions. All five women share a profound interest in eliminating discrimination against women in society.

Jebbeh Forster’s presentation dealt with the plight of women in Sierra Leone, which can also be seen as representative of most African women. In 1961, Sierra Leone, in terms of resources, was deemed a country of potential greatness. Currently it is considered one of the least developed nations in the world. Only about 30% of the population is literate, of those 30%, accounted for by a literacy rate of 44% among males and under 17% for women. Although women comprise more than 50% of the population, they only make up 16% of the representative body. There are many reasons for this gender disparity. Gender roles have always been clearly defined. Women are recognized for their reproductive capabilities and have been conditioned by society to mainly maternal roles. Effective leadership is portrayed as incompatible with women’s traditional role. The two main religions in Sierra Leone, Islam and Christianity, are interpreted to give higher status to men as well. Although, there is no legal distinction in gender, there is a pervasive tacit discrimination against women. Thus, women are underrepresented. Some think that gender equality is the indication of the level of democracy within a certain country. Although, it is not impossible for women to find employment as doctors, government officials, and other professions, women’s subordinate status makes it quite difficult to attain this level. As mentioned before, in the eyes of the law, women are equal to men. Unfortunately, in the eyes of traditional society, women are looked upon as chattel or simply part of their husband’s estate. Presently, there is a great build-up of democratic institutions that are conducive to female participation. Women’s equal participation in decision-making is a necessary condition for women’s need to be taken into account. In order to remedy gender inequality, many African leaders are establishing action policies. But much more needs to be done. Women need education about the decision making process and about issues in government. Society needs to stop violence and intimidation when women do dare to step outside prescribed cultural norms. Women need to be appointed in positions of national importance to act as role models. Finally women need to introduce and push for women-intended legislation.

Ms. Forster’s presentation touches most of the critical gender issues. In most countries women are under-represented in ruling bodies. In Korea, only 5.9% of lawmakers are women. Czech fares better with 33%, but still it is proportionally low. Women are employed, but the relative representation of women in high paying jobs is quite low. Women are paid less than men for the same amount of work, or it harder for women to find employment in certain labor markets.

Legally, women have achieved equality with men. It is written into many constitutions around the world, such as Brazil. Unfortunately, the government and society does not practice what it preaches. Women are discriminated in the hiring and firing process. Jobs are open to all in writing, but not in practice. It is necessary for women to get into positions of power, and then the law can be written and implemented. Society needs easier access to information. We need to increase legal awareness, through training and education. Also, we need to provide a monetary means for women to afford lawyers when women are discriminated against.

We also need to deal with the reconciliation of private and professional lives. Women are often forced to carry the double burden of outside employment and primary caregiver within the family. The government does not provide the necessary social service support that would lighten women’s burden, although many policies have been written in recent years to rectify the situation. In Korea, the labor law states that either a man or a woman can take unpaid parental leave for up to one year, although only two percent of men take it, mainly due to economic or social pressure. In the Czech Republic, women are given 3 years, but ironically this law works against women, since employees are now hesitant to hire women. Again we need women in the decision-making process so women can then have equal economic power. It is up to women to push the agenda.

Even in the NGO organizations themselves, you don’t see many women in positions of power. Women can get jobs, but how high can they go?

Tomorrow, the Chairperson wants to link the welfare system to the military budget and discuss the issue of violence.

Today’s discussions began with a review of yesterday’s main ideas. Everyone agreed that women need to be more active. Complacency can no longer be allowed. They need to support pro-active policies, one that actively closes the gender gap. Women have been marginalized for so long, women are no longer aware of their rights. The international community needs to monitor and evaluate the nation’s implementation of human rights especially those conventions that touch on the lives of women. Women’s organizations also need more support and funds as a lack of governmental and societal support affects their efficiency. This led to a discussion on the need for a transparent budget responsible for those it tries to help.

Women’s rights should go hand-in-hand with social movements. Gender and democracy issues affect all countries, both established and emerging democracies. Women need training and exposure to the decision making process. One participant raised Rwanda’s 1999 implementation of the parallel system. Women in Rwanda are traditionally strong in the home, but outside the home, they become silent shadows. In order to rectify the situation, women should participate in the government in a parallel system. This provides training for future participation at a national level after acquiring skills and confidence.

The following issues need to be addressed. What constitutes a success? Do numbers tell the true story? Women vote in large numbers in Yemen, but they vote according to their husbands’ wishes. The lack of male participation in the women’s movement is also problematic. Women’s issues have to stop being seen as only women’s issues. For instance, violence is seen as women’s issues, but until it is recognized as a gender issue, violence will continue to adversely affect society. Ms. Shin says one of the differences between developed and developing countries are the involvement of men in the fight against violence against women. Developing countries have a lower number of involvement. The whole concept of gender is not understood on a practical level. How do we get people to understand that gender is part of democracy instead of just a women’s issue? Gender issues need to be incorporated at the basic level. Society needs to change the discourse at the basic level. According to one of the participants, international laws should supercede national law. Gender is not a women’s issue cropped up time and again.

Democracy cannot exist without gender equality. Gender issues should be an integral part of education. Government delegates concerned about democracy need to understand that gender issues are an inherent part of democracy. It is not a separate issue affecting only women. Government officials and bureaucratic workers need gender issue education. Moreover, both women and men need to be educated on government issues. And for those outside the formal education system, gender education should take part in the civil education system.

Society needs to ensure equal opportunity. Nations need to stop flouting their own laws and put gender equality laws into practice. But how should it be measured? The government should produce sex-segregated gender statistics. From these reports, the international community can evaluate the present situation.

Violence is an obstacle to development and democracy. Legislation against sexual violence and violence against women need to be introduced and enforced. Law officials need more training. Society needs to allocate more resources towards women’s organizations and women’s education.

Targets should be set in political representation and women’s employment. The government could submit yearly sex-segregated gender statistics.

Gender and Democracy
Recommendations to Ministers

Gender refers to the social construct of sex; i.e., masculinity and femininity. Incorporating a gender perspective into expanding and strengthening democracy helps us to understand how these social constructs of gender may assist or hamper efforts to promote democracy.

While gender issues are not necessarily women’s issues, it is obstacles to women’s full participation in democratic societies that present some of the greatest challenges to the achievement of full democracy. When over half a population is hampered in their participation with government, or ignored in government policy, or even restricted by government, there is not full democracy.

We send out greetings to the Ministers who have come to Seoul for the Community of Democracies meeting. We commend the Ministers for their inclusion of gender issues in the Warsaw criteria for inclusion in the Community of Democracies, namely in the right to full and non-discriminatory participation regardless of gender, and the promotion of gender equality.

We also encourage ministers to add to the criteria the following:

1. The existence of a coherent national action plan for achieving gender equality, which includes specific targets for the achievement of, inter alia:

a. Increasing the political representation and participation of women elections and at different levels of government

b. Eliminating discrimination against women in government programs

c. Increasing women’s access to employment

d. Reducing violence against women

e. Inclusion of gender issues in civic education at all levels, particularly the inclusion of gender issues and awareness in any educational reform efforts

f. Inclusion of gender issues in government budgeting processes

2. Member and candidate governments should measure and report on gender opportunity and equality, and present sex desegregated data to the Community of Democracies. Member governments should report on the implementation of national action plans.

In addition, we recommend that the following:

3. Member governments of the Community of Democracies should commit to supporting and raising gender issues in international organizations

4. Should the Community of Democracies establish a Secretariat, the Secretariat should have equal gender representation at all levels.

5. More women should be present on official government delegations to the Community of Democracy meetings.