Active Learning Centre :: A Voice for Women

We have evidence from Europe that more women in politics leads better outcomes for families. DELPHE sponsored research has allowed ALC to share information on the work of women politicians between Scotland, Malawi and India. In poor communities, gender inequalities continue to reduce the productivity of farms and increase ill health. In Malawi women have broken taboos, organised themselves to enter parliament and are now shaping the poverty reduction strategy to improve rural development. In India, as a result of reserved seats in local government, women representatives are working on issues of safe maternity, clean water and better focused family welfare programmes.

Scottish Government Funds for Malawi

Funds from the Scottish Government have supported our continuing relationship with women MPs in Malawi. This year we completed the first year of a 3 year programme to support MPs work in constituencies. Educational material developed by the centre ‘Tools for Democracy Building’ was distributed to all women MPs. These tools were informed by research conducted through the British Government’s DELPHE programme.

An exchange with visiting Scottish MPs about the expectations of constituents, was sponsored by Commonwealth funds. Weekend workshops have been attended by all 42 MPs and have covered skills to explore and record the views of constituents and to develop dialogue about gender aspects of Malawi’s development programme.

All 42 MPs have conducted a range of community meetings where women have given their views about local issues and development priorities. The role of chiefs in the community, the fairness of fertiliser distribution to the most needy, safe motherhood and the care of water pumps were all discussed.

An end of first year evaluation of financial, management and monitoring systems has lead to changes in organisation and financial management.

Research on women’s political empowerment and poverty

Kate Phillips completed research in Malawi, funded by the British Government’s DELPHE programme and presented this to a workshop in Calcutta. Research findings cited women’s lack of control over household and community decisions as a reason why bore holes go un-repaired, fertiliser programmes are poorly targeted and the spread of HIV remains unchecked. Women MPs were well aware of these deficiencies in poverty reduction programmes but within their parties they often felt that they had limited capacity to ensure policy changes.

Training for women parliamentarians in Ethiopia

At the 2010 election, one third of those elected to the Ethiopian Federal Parliament were women. In collaboration with the British Council, consultants, Susan Dalgety and Danny Phillips conducted a training of trainers for 30 women representatives, who are now engaged in training their colleagues and women from the regional parliaments. In addition, the trainers have carried out gender training for male representatives in the Parliament and a mentoring scheme is being developed to improve the skills of new representatives in legislative and debating procedures.

UK research by Catriona Burness

The Active Learning Centre also published research by Catriona Burness updating her examination of women in the four UK parliaments. Catriona’s research was funded by the Rowntree Foundation.