Women in Elected Office

What is the impact of women’s leadership in high-level, official positions on both the process and outcomes of policymaking? Please provide examples, anecdotes or case studies that illustrate the difference women can make as political leaders.

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si claro que si las mujeres

si claro que si las mujeres son las peores enemigas de otra mujer porque es eso lo que quieren los hombres para poder tenernos engañadas y asi dominarnos haciendo que seamos su esclabas sexuales sus maquinas reproductiba nadamas asi quedamos atras

Women are Human

Although I agree that in many ways women are different leaders than men, and in some cases better leaders, I feel that we would be doing women a diservice by saying that women are somehow more perfect leaders. Women are ultimately human and capable of succumbing to the same pitfalls as their male counterparts. For example when conducting over 300 surverys with Mexican women in rural and indigenous communities, I found that elected female leaders did not necessarily assist other women in entering the political arena or use their positions of power to push women's issues. Women frequently said that they were each other's worst enemy. Women politicians have the opportunity to bring about more inclusive and representative policies; however, women's networks and specialized training are necessary to help foster those opportunities.

More Women = More Constructive Politics?

Some studies suggest that where women have a significant presence, politics is more constructive and less adversarial. Following this argment, increased numbers of women in high office could improve the effectiveness of political leaders/processes in resolving differences and finding common ground. At a time when voters in many countries express high levels of distrust of politicians, more tempered political debate could also increase public confidence in elected leaders and political processes.

A Connective Politics

Yes! to Sefakor -- I think this is the essence of why it is so critical to involve women's involvement in politics AND to create "permissions"'/expectations that they will work in the ways they do best -- connecting, collaborating, cooperating.

When women are their "own worst enemies", I suspect this is because they are emulating the kinds of behaviours and strategies that "work" in the current systems. "If you can't beat them, join them" kind of thinking and acting.

That's why we need a critical mass of women -- to allow them to interact with their colleagues and their constituents in the ways women tend to be hard-wired to do.

Politics is stressful. And men, when stressed, tend to fight or flee. Women, on the other hand, we have recently been establishing, respond by connecting. What a difference THAT would make to politics as usual!

(If I may do a personal plug, I've written about that hard-wiring in a post on my blog at: Women in Politics: how can it makes a difference? at http://positivepolitics.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/12/)

And I believe having that critical mass of women to create a "permission" to do politics differently can substantially decrease the cynicism and distrust of politics and politicians.

Karen Shue
http://www.BrainandHealth.com
http://PositivePolitics.wordpress.com

Role and impact of women leaders on the policy making

Although the trend to elect women and other high level offices is relatively new, there are numerous studies arguing that women's political involvement has a positive impact both on the political interplay and general development of the countries atively increasing women's political participation. For instance, there is an argument claiming that in the countries with higher numbers of women politicians the corruption level is much lower. Interestingly enough, the argument goes further stating that women leaders have less tolerance to corruption, including bribery, than male leaders.