We know that when we have more gender balance in our parliaments, we can ensure that our democracies include the experiences and wisdom of women. It’s why Jacinda Ardern’s time in office has been so critically important. Opinion by RunChiNguyenRun
Last week, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that she would be stepping down. She stated honestly that she “didn’t have enough in the tank.” Rarely does a person in a position of power voluntarily step down and, if they do, they never admit it’s because they know that they’re about to hit their limit. However, Prime Minister Ardern’s tenure has marked a new kind of responsible leadership in many ways.
For centuries, we’ve been governed by institutions that were designed by men. And the traditions and the cultures that have been passed down have long been defined by masculine ideas of power and politics. We have shaped the narrative of politics as a game, a battle, always confrontational. We ask a tremendous amount from our political leaders. To take all of the hits, whether they be political, or, more and more often, personal.
We know that this work exacts higher costs on women. We know that women-identified leaders, particularly women of colour, face real systemic and cultural barriers. These realities make it a challenge to recruit and retain women in politics. Canada’s track record on electing women has been dismal. Our Parliament has never had more than 30 per cent women elected; and we rank 61st in the world for gender parity in the legislature.
In our work at Equal Voice, we’ve been exploring just how our institutions could become more gender-inclusive as workplaces. We call for safer and respectful workplaces with more security and civility, with policies in place for staff and Parliamentarians to know that if they come forward with threats made to their safety, they can do so effectively.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Douglas Todd: Powers of hereditary chiefs test many First NationsOpinion: Few things range more widely in Indigenous communities than the roles assigned to hereditary chiefs.
Read more »
Vaughn Palmer: B.C. Hydro's lack of foresight means LNG Canada will power with gasOpinion: 10 years ago, Hydro said the power wasn\u0027t needed on the North Coast.
Read more »
Opinion: Welcome to neutral-ish: The Bank of Canada’s almost-end to rate hikesThe bank’s cycle of unrelentingly aggressive rate hikes (4.25 percentage points in 10 months) is over. For now. With qualifiers
Read more »
Opinion | Follow the money on private health care threatOur bond with Medicare must be vigorously protected from the American dark money lobbies seeking to break it for their private gain, Christopher Holcroft writes.
Read more »
Opinion | Don’t pine for spring, embrace the benefits of winterOpinion: Don’t pine for spring, embrace the benefits of winter. Hunkering down inside during the winter keeps us from experiencing the mental, physical, and social health benefits of spending time outdoors.
Read more »