Women and Politics in Latin America

Major Influences on L.A. Women’s Lives

1. Gender definitions

--machísmo – cultural norm characterized by sexist attitudes and behavior and masculine bravado

--marianísmo – cultural norm that ideal of womanhood is self-abnegating motherhood

2. Catholic Church

First Wave of Women’s Movement, 1890-1940

• Period of Political “Modernization”

• Influx of European immigrants to S. Cone

• Movement of upper and middle class women

• Emphasis on “women’s different mission” and social reform

Women’s Suffrage in Latin America

• Not a top priority of most women’s movements in Latin America

• No consistent pattern for achievement of women’s franchise

Women in Executive Branch

Presidency – 3 female presidents in Latin American history

1 elected to office

2 assumed office after husbands died in office – “Widow Track”

        

               

Vice Presidency3 Vice Presidents, all during 1990s

Cabinet MinistersTend to serve in cabinet posts associated

with women’s traditional roles

Women’s presence is higher at lower levels of bureaucracy

Women's Presence in Latin American Cabinet Positions

1994 1998Ministerial level 7% 9%Sub-ministerial level 11% 17%

Judicial BranchWomen’s presence higher at lower

levels within judiciary

Women's Presence in Latin American Judicial Branch

Trial Court judges 45%Appellate Court judges 20%Supreme Court judges 10%

Women's Presence in Latin American Legislatures

1987 8%1995 10%1999 15%

Legislative BranchWomen’s numbers are low, but on the rise

Women legislators more likely to be from leftist parties

Women more likely to be elected from areas outside of capital cities

Why such low participation of women in institutional politics?

1. Challenge of fulfilling roles of wife/mother and politician

2. Clash between gender expectations and political expectations

3. Lower social and economic status of women

4. Discrimination within political parties

Why should we care about women’s representation in politics?

1. Descriptive Representation Theory – all groups deserve to be represented; strengthens legitimacy of government

2. Substantive Representation Theory – belief that with increase in number of women legislators, policy outcomes likely to be different (women have different political interests and beliefs from men)

How to help women gain access to power – and more quickly?

1. Improve women’s educational opportunities, promote women’s education through development programs (long-term strategy)

2. Electoral quotas (quicker fix)

--National quota laws

--Internal quota rules by parties

2nd Wave of Feminism, 1980s-present

• Military Regimes – h.r. violations, cuts in social services

• Revolutionary Conflict in Central America

• UN International Women’s Year (1975)

• and UN Decade of the Woman (1975-85)

Characteristics of Latin American Feminism

• Connection between political oppression by military and gender oppression by men

• Primacy of class and economic issues in feminist agenda

• Primacy of race in feminist agenda

Challenges within LA feminism

• Tension between motherhood as identity v. gender identity

• Tension between privileging class/race or gender

• Tension between militantes and feministas (double militancy v. autonomy)