Womens Political Participation. Latvia

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WomensPolitical Participation. Latvia

• University of Latvia, Riga
• Feministica LetticaAusma Cimdina

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Womenss Political Participation. Latvia

• Theoretical standpoint
• Political participation and representation is a
  precondition of democracy, sustainable
  development, social progress, justice and
  security
• Women are under-represented in politics,
  decision-making and governance
  
• Under-representation of women in politics and
  decision-making is a waste of social capital
  

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Main Research Areas

• Nature/Culture of Politics in Latvia
• Women and the Institution of Family / Family
  Politics
  
• Public Opinion/ Imagery

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Share of women among deputies and ministers,
Latvia
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Female visibility. President of Latvia Vaira
Vike-Freiberga
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Nature/Culture of Politics

• Masculine by definition
• Negative definition of politics, especially in
  Post-Soviet society
  
• High/hard politics is considered dirty
• Woman is not willing and being able to play
  according to the rules of hard politics
  
• Woman is a site of conflicts and contradictions
  managing different social roles (family,
  motherhood, job, career, politics)
  

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Institutional barriers for womens participation

• Political parties
• Gender-created discourse of power
• Position, status, influence of woman in political
  party
  
• Media
• Do the media help or hinder?
• Image is more important than political vision
• Female politicians are being portrayed on the
  bases of stereotypes old and new
  
• Family- family politics, womens role in family
  
  

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Conclusions

• Womens under representation in politics and
  governance may be reducated or eliminated by
  
• - more purposeful activities towards the
• media and public opinion
• - conteracting gender stereotypisation in
• education
• - reorganisation of political and policy
  processes
  
• Quotas are not recognized as an instrument for
  gender balance implementation
  

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Thank you for your attention!