Fuzzy Signals

Women Filling the Political Vacuum in the Afghan Election

It was election day in Afghanistan on September 18th, the second time the Afghani people have gone to the polls to select their leaders since 2001. According to the Human Rights Watch blog, the process was mostly free of violence and the logistics went smoothly. Some incidents of fraud were reported, and the pervasive "climate of fear" and intimidation ensured that some people didn't vote. The FT reports that turnout was subdued with less than the 70% that voted in 2004 and less women going to the polls. (That still beats the pants off many jurisdictions, like the US, with voter turnout averaging around 50%). Overall, Human Rights Watch concludes: "the Afghan people, despite their widespread cynicism, showed that they're committed to an electoral process, even if it was flawed. Provisional results will be available October 10, 2005.

The role of women in this election is particularly interesting. By law, 68 seats out of 249 seats in the lower parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, are reserved for women candidates. In a curious case of political leapfrogging, this means there will be a higher proportion of women representation in a legislative body than many western countries. Given that just four years ago the Taliban was strictly controlling women's freedoms, this is also a huge reversal in fortunes. A cause for celebration indeed! Yet that's not even the most important bit. Many women are campaigning not just because of these quotas; they are running for office because "female candidates offer an alternative to the blood-stained hands of the country's warlords and druglords," says Jo Johnson in the Financial Times. With about 10% of the male candidates being implicated in war crimes and corruption -- about 500 in total -- Afghanis are just fed up with these leaders and want better options.

Of course, the road won't be easy for these aspiring women politicians. Afghanistan remains a deeply conservative culture, and this development represents a societal sea-change. A backlash always remains a threat. There are stories of intimidation, social ostracization, and husbands divorcing or punishing their wives for running (often by taking another wife). Still, this is an inspiring example of women finding the courage to stand up and fill the political vacuum. For this country, this is also a positive unintended outcome after years of bloodshed and unrest, not to mention proof of the wisdom in the old saying "what goes around, comes around". You pollute your own political pool with enough maladptive behaviour, and eventually the social ecosystem bites back. Other polities are likely to see similar feedback, sooner or later. For fun, just pick your political fishbowl of choice and play out this scenario. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but the long view evidence is clear on this front. Incredibly surprising things happen rather consistently these days... like the pivotal role women are now playing in Afghanistan.

Posted by nicole at September 19, 2005 12:53 PM | TrackBack