Ramola Ramtohul questions whether the patriarchal culture and political system caused Mauritius to fail to uphold international commitments made at the Nairobi Conference. The final document of the Nairobi Conference, the ‘Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women' (NFLS), provided an analytic framework together with prescriptive measures to address obstacles to the advancement of women. Twenty-one years after the conference, African women in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have worked towards ensuring greater balance in women's representation in different spheres.

Ramtohul outlines that although women are present in politics globally, they are still fewer than men. She then says that politics have been historically regarded as a public activity dominated by men and requiring masculine characteristics. Feminism has questioned the conservative understanding of the extent and nature of politics and has called for a wider conception of politics as relationships of power. In most democracies, the removal of legal and formal discrimination against women has, however, not ensured a balanced female representation in politics.

According to Ramtohul, Mauritian women's access to formal power began with the introduction women's right to vote under British colonial rule in 1948 long before independence. However, women's presence in politics remains marginal despite the prevalence of democratic governance and a distinct improvement of the status of women since independence.  The surprise is, Mauritian women do not seem to be aware of the fact that, given their numerical strength, they have the power to determine the outcome an election or form an important pressure group lobbying for more women candidates. The current low percentage of women in the Mauritian political scene reflects the surface of a deep-rooted pattern of exclusion of women from public life.

The need for an increase number of women candidates in political parties is brought up, as well as more women-friendly codes of conduct in parliament. There is awareness of women's under-representation in Mauritian politics at higher levels, and concrete and valuable recommendations have been made, but action remains to be taken. Ramtohul adds that party leaders prioritise the nomination of representatives of social, religious and ethnic groups. The level of gender sensitisation in the country is still relatively low in Mauritius, with gender issues still considered to be women's issues. The task of furthering gender empowerment is also complicated by the multicultural societies of Mauritius. This means a number of different religious customs have to be respected. Gender discrimination also takes place in parliament as the work of women parliamentarians is not given the same importance and attention as that of men.

Sheila Bappoo, Mauritian Minister of Security, states that when a female member of parliament stands up to speak, many of her colleagues would go out to smoke or to have tea. Frequent reference is made to the norms and values, including social and cultural factors, prevalent in Mauritian society, which do not encourage women to take up public roles, especially active politics.

Ramtohul also highlights that Mauritian society is often described as being family-orientated, leading to reluctance on the part of women to enter public life. It usually becomes very difficult for women to combine work, political activity and family commitments. Unless women have a significant financial base to help them, the triple burden leaves them very little time to pursue a dynamic and successful political career. The EISA Electoral Observer Mission to the 2005 Mauritian National Assembly comments that most political parties did not establish clear strategies aimed at enhancing the representation of women. Although the results were not impressive, 12 women were elected to be members of parliament (MP), bringing women's presence in Mautitian politics from 5.5 percent to 17 percent. This is the highest number of women MPs ever attained since female suffrage, but was not sufficient for Mauritius to honour the 30 percent gender representation as required by the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. Although women's presence is significant in grassroots level where they play important roles in campaigning and mobilising support for their parties, they are faced with obstacles and their numbers decline as one ascends the party hierarchy.

Testimonies, mostly from women, received by the Commission on Constitutional and Electoral Reform revealed that male-dominated political parties lack sensitivity for the needs and concerns of the female population. The change in the political ideology that has taken place in the country has also discouraged women from embracing a political career.

Ramtohul says the overall Mauritian system remains biased towards preserving men's power, supremacy and gender inequality. Men consider politics as their ‘playground' and are still resistant to an increased female presence since it directly implies that men would have to give up their seats to women. Ramtohul also suggests that a new electoral system that will guarantee a more balanced gender representation is greatly needed in the country. She says political parties also need to introduce specific measures to improve the representation of women and ensure that these measures are respected and applied.   

Amandla ezopolitiko nokuthatyathwa kwezigqibo emva kwenkomfa yaseNairobi: Imeko yaseMauritius

URamola Ramtohul ubuza ukuba, ingaba inkcubeko yokuphatha kwamadoda nunkqubo yezopolitiko yakhokelela iMauritius ekubeni ingaphumeleli ukubamba izibhambathiso zehlabathi ezenziwa emva kwenkomfa yaseNairobi na. Umqulu wokugqibela wenkomfa yaseNairobi waseka umgaqo kwanendlela ekungasuswa ngayo imiqobo emi phambi kophuhliso lwabaseTyhini. Kwiminyaka engama21 emva kwenkomfa, abaseTyhini kumazantsi eAfrika asebenze nzima ukuqinisekisa ukumelwa kwamakhosikazi kwiinkalo eziliqela.

URamtohul uchaza ukuba nangona abaseTyhini bekhona kwezopolitiko kwihlabathi jikelele, basembalwa kunamadoda. Uthi, ezopolitiko bezisoloko zithatyathwa njengomsebenzi ongenziwa ngamadoda nokwafuna izigalo. Abaququzelela amalungelo abaseTyhini babenengxaki nendlela eziqondwayo ngayo ezopolitiko bekwamemelele ukuba kujongwe banzi ezopolitiko ngokubhekiselele emandleni. Kwinkululeko eziliqela, ukususwa ngokusemthethweni kocalu - calulo lwabaseTyhini aluqinisekisanga ukumelwa ngokulinganayo kwabaseTyhini kwezopolitiko.

NgokukaRamtohul, ukufikelela kwabaseTyhini baseMauritius kumandla ngokwasemthethweni, kwaqala ngokuvezwa kwelungelo lokuvota phantsi kolawulo lwaBhrithani ngonyaka ka1948 ungekabikho umaziphathe. Nangona kunjalo, ubukho babaseTyhini kwezopolitiko buseyingxaki noxa kukho urhulumente wentando yesininzi nophuhliso kwimeko yabo, oko kwabakho umaziphathe. AbaseTyhini eMauritius, babonakala ngathi abawaqondi amandla abanawo ekwenzeni iziphumo zovoto kungenjalo amaqela alwela ukubakho kwabagqatswa babaseTyhini. Ukungabikho kwenani elibonakalayo labaseTyhini kwezopolito zaseMaritius, kubonisa ukubekelwa kwabo ecaleni kubomi basesidlangalaleni.

Imfuneko yokonyuswa kwenani labagqatswa baseTyhini kumaqela ezopolitiko iphakanyisiwe, kwanendlela yokuziphatha epalamente ebalungeleyo abaseTyhini. Noxa le meko isaziwa, kufuneka kubekho into eyenziwayo. URamtohul wengeza ngelithi, iinkokheli zamaqela zikhetha ukonyula amalungu amele amaqela asekuhlaleni, awezenkolo nawobuhlanga. Izinga lokuqonda ngezesini kwela lizwe lisephantsi kakhulu, kwanezesini zisathatyathwa njengezabaseTyhini. Imeko yozophuhliso ngokwesini yenziwa nzima ziinkcubeko ezahlukeneyo eMauritius. Ucalu - calulo ngokwesini lukhona nasepalamente, nalapho umsebenzi owenziwa ngamalungu abaseTyhini ungakhathalelwanga njengowamadoda.

USheila Bappoo ongumphathiswa wezokhuseleko eMaritius uthi, xa owaseTyhini olilungu lepalamente esukuma ukuze enze intetha, amanye amalungu ayaphuma aye kutshaya kungenjalo aye kuphunga. Le meko yayanyaniswa nemithetho yasekuhlaleni, apho abaseTyhini bengakhuthazwa ukuthabatha inxaxheba esidlangalaleni ingakumbi kwezopolitiko.

URamtohul uchaza nokuba uluntu lwaseMauritius luluxabise kakhulu usapho, nekuthi kube nzima ukuba abaseTyhini bathabathe inxaxheba kubomi basesidlangalaleni. Kuye kubenzima kuwabaseTyhini ukudibanisa umsebenzi, ezopolitiko kwanezosapho. Ngaphandle kokuba othile unemali eyaneleyo ukumnceda, kuba nzima ukuzibandakanya kwezopolitiko.

Igqiza elijongana nezovoto iEISA ngonyaka ka2005 lafumanisa ukuba eMaritius, amaqela ezopolitiko awabekanga migaqo ejoliswe ekuqinisekiseni ukumelwa kwabaseTyhini. Nangona iziphumo zazingancumisi, abaseTyhini abali12 bonyulwa ukuba babengamalungu epalamente, neyenza ukuba abaseTyhini abakwezopolitiko eMauritius basuke kwi5,5 yeepesenti ukuya kwi17 leepesenti. Eli libe lelona nani liphezulu lamalungu epalamente abaseTyhini eMauritius, kodwa alifikelelanga kuma30 eepesenti okumelwa ngokwesini, nelabekwa ngonyaka ka1997 ligqiza lamazantsi eAfrika elijongene nezesini nophuhliso. Nangona bebonakala abaseTyhini kwizinga eliphantsi lokuququzelela amaqela abo, basajongene nemiqobo kwaye inani labo liyehla xa kufikelela kwizikhundla eziphezulu.

Ubungqina babaseTyhini babonisa ukuba, amaqela anamadoda aliqela awazikhathalelanga iimfuno zabo. Ukuguquka kwemeko yezopolitiko kwela lizwe iyabatyhafisa abaseTyhini ukuthabatha inxaxheba kwezepolitiko.

URamtohul uthi, inkqubo yaseMauritius ngokubanzi isenengxaki xa kufikelela kumandla amadoda kwanokulingana ngokwesini. Amadoda azithabatha ezopolitiko njengomdlalo wawo, ekwanengxaki yokonyusa inani labaseTyhini, kuba engaphulukana nezikhundla zawo xa enokubabandakanya. URamtohul uthi, inkqubo entsha ejongene novoto eyakinceda ekulinganiseni ukubandakanywa kwabaseTyhini iyafuneka kwela lizwe. Ukwathi amaqela ezopolitiko kufuneka aseke iindlela ezithile, ukuze kwande ukumelwa kwabaseTyhini, aqinisekise nokuba ezindlela ziyahlonitshwa yaye ziyalandelwa.

Abezepolitiki nokuthathwa kwezinqumo ngemva kwengqungquthela yase nairobi kwelase mauritias

URamola Ramtohul ubuza ukuthi ngabe ingqubo yezepolitiki kumbe isiko elithile kwelase Mauritias elaholela ekutheni kufekele izinqumo ezathathwa kwingqongquthela yese  Nairobi.  Lengqungquthela yephuma neziphakamiso kwahlanganiswa usomqulu ekumele ulandelwe ngamazwe ukuqinisekisa ukuqedwa kokucwaswa okuvimbela intuthuko yebesimame. URamtohul ukhala ngokunganeli kwesibalo sabesimame kwizinhlaka zepolitiki emazweni jikelele.  Uthi nakuba emazweni asebenzisa intando yeningi seyisusiwe imigomo ebivimbela abesimame kodwa baseyidlanzana isibalo sabo asikeneli njengesabesilisa. 

Ngokuka Ramtohul, abesimame kwelase Mauritia abakabonakali kwezepolitki nakuba lelizwe selazuza uzimele gelekeqe. Ukhala ngokuthi lokhu kungabaqmbi iqhaza elibonakalayo kwabesimame kwezepolitiki kuveza isithombe sokuthi nasemphakathini jikelele kusobala ukuthi abafundiswa ngokubaluleka kwamalungelo abo.  Uthi izindaba ezithinta ezobulili kulelizwe zithathwa njengento yabesimame njekuphela.

USheila Bappoo, ongungqongqoshe wezophepha eMauritia uthi ephalamende kuthi uma owesimame eveza umbono amanye amalunga amane aphumele ngaphandle abanye baye kobhema abanye bazenzele itiye bangalaleli nokuthi ufuna ukuthini. Ubala lesenzo njengesinye kulezo eziqeda abesimame umdlandla wokubamba iqhaza kwezomphakthi.   Akushoyo kwesekwa nangu Ramtohul othi kumele abesimame bathole ukwesekwa okwenele ukuze bezokhona ukwenza imisebenzi yabo ngenkululeko.

Abe EISA Electoral Observer Mission yakulelizwe ngonyaka ka 2005 bakhala ngokuthi amaqembu ezepolitiki eMauritia ngesikhahti sokheto akukho ayekubala ukubhekela abesimame ezinhlelweni zawo.  Lokhu kwenanelwa nangabesimame emaqenjini epolitiki abathi   iningi lamaqembu abuswa ngabesilisa awazinaki izimfuno zabesimame. 

Esephetha uRamtohul unxusa abamaqembu ezepolitiki ekutheni baqikelele ukuthi bayazibhekela nezimfuno zabesimame emaqenjini abo. 

Matla a dipolotiki le ho nkwa ha diqeto ka mora Nairobi: taba ya Mauritius

Ramola Ramtohul o ipotsa hore na ebe matla a ho nka diqeto  a beilweng banneng le tsamaiso ya dipolotiki  ke tsona tse entseng naha ya Mauritius e hlolehe ho boloka dilekane tsa matjhaba tse enstweng sebokeng sa Nairobi  ‘Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women' (NFLS), se neng se fana ka moralo le dipehelo tsa ho shebana le ditsela tsa ho ntshetsa ditokelo tsa basadi pele.  Dilemo tse 21 di fetile kamora kopano ena, basadi ba Afrika, ba ‘Southern African Development Community (SADC)' ba sebeleditse ho netefatsa hore basadi ba na le boemedi bo lekanang dikarolong tsohle.

Ramtohul o re le ha basadi ba ne ba le teng dipolotiking lefatsheng ka bophara, ba mmalwa ho feta banna.  Hape o re haesale dipolotiki dinkwa e le taba tsa banna fela.  Ba lwanelang tokelo tsa basadi (feminism) ba phepheditse monahano ona mme ba lwanela hore dipolotiki di bewe e le dikamano tse akaretsang bohle.  Mmusong e mengata ya thato ya bohle, ho tloswa ha kgenthollo tsamaisong ya molao le kgenthollo ya basadi, ha e ya netefatsa hore basadi ba be le boemedi bo lekanang dipolotiking.

Ho ya ka Ramtohul, basadi ba Mauritius ba kgonne ho fumana matla semolao ha ho ne ho dumellwa basadi ho ya dikgethong tlasa puso ya mehleng ya Britain ka 1948, kgale pele ho tokolloho.  Le ha ho le jwalo boemedi ba basadi dipolotiking bo ntse bo qhelelwa thoko le ha ho le teng puso ya thato ya bohle le phetoho e bonahalng ya maemo a basadi haesale ka mora tokoloho.  Ho tshosang ke hore, basadi ba Mauritius ha ba bonahale ba tseba hore ho ya ka palo ya bona e hodimo ba na le matla a ho susumetsa diphetho tsa dikgetho kapo ba thehe sehlopha sa bohlokwa se tla lwanela ditokelo tsa bona.  Palo e tlase e teng ya basadi dipolotiking tsa Mauritius e hlahisa bokahodimo fela ba kgenthollo e metso e tebileng ya basadi bophelong ba setjhaba.

Ho tlameha ho eketswa palo ya bonkgetheng ba basadi mekgeng ya dipolotiki e hlahiswa pele, ha mmoho le dipehelo tsa boitshwaro tse sa akaretsang basadi palamenteng.  Ho ya tsebesahala hore palo ya boemedi ba basadi ditulong tse phahameg Mauritius e be tlase, mme ho beilwe dikeletso tse tiileng tsa bohlokwa ho fihlela sena, empa ha ho bohato bo nkuweng.  Ramtohul o tlatsa ka hore baetapele ba mekga bea ho thonngwa ha baemedi ba setjhaba, kereke le merabe.  Maemo a tsebo ka bong e ntse e le tlase Mauritius, mme ditaba tsa bong di ntse di nkuwa di ama basadi fela.  Mosebetsi wa ho ntshetsa ntlafatso ya bong le ona o thata ka lebaka la merabe e nang le ditumelo tse fapaneng tsa Mauritius.  Sena se bolela hore ditumelo tse ngata tsa kereke di lokela ho hlophuwa.  Ho na le kgenthollo ka bong palamenteng hobane mosebetso wa basadi ba palamenteng ha o fuwe tlhompho le tsotello e fuwang wa banna.

Sheila Bappoo, letona la tsa polokeho, o re ha setho sa palamente sa mosadi se bua bongata ba basebetsi mmoho le ena ba tswela kantle ho ya tsuba kapo ho ya phoka tee.  Ho dula ho qotswa ditlwaelo le melawana e busang boitshwaro ba setjhaba ka tlwaelo, jwaloka ka setso se fapaneng sa batho ba Mauritius ba se kgothaletseng basadi ho nka karolo setjhabeng, haholo dipolotiking.

Ramtohul hape o qolla setjhaba sa Mauritius se dutseng se hlaloswa ka hore se nyolla ho hlokomelana lapeng, ho isang ho huleng maoto tabeng ya ho dumella basadi ho nka karolo setjhabeng.  Hangata ho ba thata ho basadi ho kopanya boikarabelo ba mosebetsi, dipolotiki le lelapa. Ha fela basadi ba na le tjhelete e bonahalang ho ba thusa, boikarabelo bona bo ba siya le nako e nyane ya ho latela mosebetsi wa dipolotiki.  Sehlopha se beang leihlo dikgethong tsa ‘EISA Electoral Observer Mission ya   Mauritian National Assembly ya 2005 e re mekga e mengata ya dipolotiki ha e na dipehelo tse hlakileng tsa ho ntlafatsa boemedi ba basadi.  Le ha diphetho di ne di sa thabise, basadi ba 12 ba ne ba kgethwe ho ba ditho tsa palamente, palo ena e tlisa boemedi ba basadi dipolotiking tsa Mauritius ho 5.5%.  Ena ke palo e hodimo haholo ya basadi ba palamenteng, empa e ne e sa lekanela ho fihlella selekane seo Mauritius e se kenetseng ka 1997 sa SADC Declaration on Gender and Development sa ho fihlela 30% ya boemedi ba basadi.  Le ha boteng ba basadi bo bonahala tlase moo ba nkang karolo e bonahalang ho qoqopela le ho eketsa batsheetsi ba mokga, ba shebane le mafika mme palo ya bona e a theoha ho ya tulong tse hodimo mokgeng.

Bopaki bo tswang basading bo beilweeng ka pela ‘Commission on Constitutional and Electoral Reform' bo hlahisitse hore mekga ya dipolotiki e tlasa palo e hodimo ya banna ha ena kutlwelo ya ditlhoko le ditletlebo tsa basadi.  Diphetoho tse teng dipolotiking naheng ena di nyahamisiste basadi ho latela mosebetsi dipolotiking.

Ramtohul o re tsamaiso ya Mauritius ka kakaretso e shebane le banna fela, ho boloka matla a bona le ho se lekane ka bong.  Banna ba bona dipolotiki e le ‘lebala la bona  la dipapadi' mme ba ntse ba sa batle ho eketsa boemedi ba basadi hobane ba tshaba hore ba tla tlameha ho nea basadi tulo tsa bona.  Ramtohul o re ho lokela ho kgethwa botsamaisi bo botjha ba dikgetho bo tla netefatsa hore ho be teng boemedi bo lekalekanang ka bong naheng ena.  O re mekga ya dipolotiki e tlameha ho etsa dipehelo tsa ho nyolla maemo a boemedi ba basadi le ho netefatsa hore dipehelo tsena di ya hlomphuwa hape di ya latelwa.