How do I make the most out of a meeting with women politicians on the subject of women's representation in parliament?
December 9, 2011 3:49 PM Subscribe
How do I make the most out of a meeting with women politicians on the subject of women's representation in parliament?
I am doing some work as a trustee for a small charity and seek your input on one of our current projects. The charity has been asked to contribute to a report on the status of women's rights in this community (lets say a small country). As part of this contribution, I thought it would be great to meet the small number of women in our parliament to solicit their collective views on why there is such a low representation of women and what can be done, etc. To my surprise (and happily) most of them have said yes to a request for a one hour meeting next week! While I think this is really great, I feel completely in over my head now and I'm getting consumed by all the thoughts of why this is all going to go wrong. For example, these are all highly educated women and I don't have an undergraduate degree. I have spent the last few years at home with small kids and don't have many intellectually stimulating conversations except for the infrequent short meetings at this charity that I joined in the last 8 months or so and listening to Woman's Hour on radio (which doesn't really count as it is passive). I don't know what I was thinking. Probably that they wouldn't say yes. I feel strongly about the status of women but I'm more used to making my contributions in other ways in which I'm more comfortable. I have never 'interviewed' anyone let alone a group. And maybe thinking of this as a sort of group interview is not the right approach. No one else from the charity (it is very small) can attend except for a note-taker so it'll be just me and the politicians. Help! So far, this is what I have in terms of guiding questions:
-Part 1 - What do you think are the main issues that disproportionately affect women entering politics in [place]? What are the specific challenges that they have faced?
- Part 2- What would be the best ways to improve women’s representation? /Are there lessons learnt they would like to share with other women that may wish to enter politics?
My questions to you:
1. Other questions I should be asking? (and keeping in mind that it is a one hour meeting for about 6-7 people).
2. Ideally, I'm looking to do little talking and lots of listening but don't want to sort of just ask a question and then be completely silent for the rest of the meeting (which is liable to happen especially if there are strong personalities who hijack conversations which I'd like to stop happening). Tips for striking this balance?
3. I would really love for one or more of them to take on this issue further in parliament and in public (media).Tips on how to do this? Or should I just drop this question for this particular meeting?
4. Any other tips or links that might help are all welcome.
Many, many thanks!
I am doing some work as a trustee for a small charity and seek your input on one of our current projects. The charity has been asked to contribute to a report on the status of women's rights in this community (lets say a small country). As part of this contribution, I thought it would be great to meet the small number of women in our parliament to solicit their collective views on why there is such a low representation of women and what can be done, etc. To my surprise (and happily) most of them have said yes to a request for a one hour meeting next week! While I think this is really great, I feel completely in over my head now and I'm getting consumed by all the thoughts of why this is all going to go wrong. For example, these are all highly educated women and I don't have an undergraduate degree. I have spent the last few years at home with small kids and don't have many intellectually stimulating conversations except for the infrequent short meetings at this charity that I joined in the last 8 months or so and listening to Woman's Hour on radio (which doesn't really count as it is passive). I don't know what I was thinking. Probably that they wouldn't say yes. I feel strongly about the status of women but I'm more used to making my contributions in other ways in which I'm more comfortable. I have never 'interviewed' anyone let alone a group. And maybe thinking of this as a sort of group interview is not the right approach. No one else from the charity (it is very small) can attend except for a note-taker so it'll be just me and the politicians. Help! So far, this is what I have in terms of guiding questions:
-Part 1 - What do you think are the main issues that disproportionately affect women entering politics in [place]? What are the specific challenges that they have faced?
- Part 2- What would be the best ways to improve women’s representation? /Are there lessons learnt they would like to share with other women that may wish to enter politics?
My questions to you:
1. Other questions I should be asking? (and keeping in mind that it is a one hour meeting for about 6-7 people).
2. Ideally, I'm looking to do little talking and lots of listening but don't want to sort of just ask a question and then be completely silent for the rest of the meeting (which is liable to happen especially if there are strong personalities who hijack conversations which I'd like to stop happening). Tips for striking this balance?
3. I would really love for one or more of them to take on this issue further in parliament and in public (media).Tips on how to do this? Or should I just drop this question for this particular meeting?
4. Any other tips or links that might help are all welcome.
Many, many thanks!
Best answer: I'm of the opinion that you can never go wrong with the practical stuff. You ask for abstractions, you're going to get abstractions, and quite possibly platitudes. You ask for specifics, and a lot of the time the little things can both shine a light on the big and get you started with stuff you can actually, conceivably fix.
So I'd ask them: What made them run --- did they get recruited? By whom? If they decided they wanted this on their own, how did they build their campaigns? Who'd they talk to? Have they ever told any other women of their acquaintance that they ought to run for office? If they did, how'd they get to know that person? What qualities did they see? If they didn't, why not? What obstacles are in the way? How do they raise money?
I'm sure there's a lot more here that might prove interesting --- depends quite a bit on how the electoral system works in your country. But I'd think about it like this: What is the path from civilian to MP, and when you imagine someone moving along that path, what are the blank spots? For instance, I know there's such a thing as film school, and I know there's such a thing as big time film directors, but I don't think it's the case that a suitcase with $10 million in it comes along with the diploma. How one gets a film financed, how you make the connections that enable you do that --- that's something I know very little about and which only successful directors might be able to tell me. Ditto here.
As for the conversation domination problem, the best way to handle it I know of is to look for a opening and use it to bring a quiet person in --- "That's a really interesting point you bring up, there, Ms. Smith. I wonder, Ms. Jones --- you're also from a western province, did you run into that also?" That method can serve double duty -- you can use such a pivot moment to move onto a new topic of conversation as well. "Wow, that's really interesting, Ms. Smith. And you know, that sort of relates to this other thing I wanted to ask the group --- Ms. Jones, you won a really tough race last term. How did you handle negative attacks?" etc.
posted by Diablevert at 5:56 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
So I'd ask them: What made them run --- did they get recruited? By whom? If they decided they wanted this on their own, how did they build their campaigns? Who'd they talk to? Have they ever told any other women of their acquaintance that they ought to run for office? If they did, how'd they get to know that person? What qualities did they see? If they didn't, why not? What obstacles are in the way? How do they raise money?
I'm sure there's a lot more here that might prove interesting --- depends quite a bit on how the electoral system works in your country. But I'd think about it like this: What is the path from civilian to MP, and when you imagine someone moving along that path, what are the blank spots? For instance, I know there's such a thing as film school, and I know there's such a thing as big time film directors, but I don't think it's the case that a suitcase with $10 million in it comes along with the diploma. How one gets a film financed, how you make the connections that enable you do that --- that's something I know very little about and which only successful directors might be able to tell me. Ditto here.
As for the conversation domination problem, the best way to handle it I know of is to look for a opening and use it to bring a quiet person in --- "That's a really interesting point you bring up, there, Ms. Smith. I wonder, Ms. Jones --- you're also from a western province, did you run into that also?" That method can serve double duty -- you can use such a pivot moment to move onto a new topic of conversation as well. "Wow, that's really interesting, Ms. Smith. And you know, that sort of relates to this other thing I wanted to ask the group --- Ms. Jones, you won a really tough race last term. How did you handle negative attacks?" etc.
posted by Diablevert at 5:56 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I think your two questions are enough as broad topics that cover what you're seeking, the key, imho, is getting a conversation going where everyone relaxes and shares their personal experiences and stories. Your role need not be anything formal other than just facilitator and interested encouraging noise maker.
My work leads me to do deep dive interviews for design research among rural populations in developing countries - I have found through experience that prepared questions don't really work as well as knowing broadly what is the topic or focus on the information exchange. Then one simply goes into a learning/listening mode and just nudges people along - everyone likes to talk and share their wisdom, getting the flow into this zone is ideal.
Your background doesn't matter and you should not let that colour your experience - all you need to think is that here is a social gathering with these ladies and they have a fascinating story/experience to share with you and you want to learn and hear more from them.
This mindset will help in creating the most fluid yet information rich exchange.
On a more formal note, however, I attended a similar meeting at the National Assembly in Paris in 2010 as part of a Nordic delegation and the MP leading the meeting (Mdm. Marie-Jo Zimmermann) highlighted a few issues on these very topics (since it was all part of the Global Women's Forum on Economy and Society) specifically to your questions:
-Part 1 - What do you think are the main issues that disproportionately affect women entering politics in [place]? What are the specific challenges that they have faced?
- Part 2- What would be the best ways to improve women’s representation? /Are there lessons learnt they would like to share with other women that may wish to enter politics?
Mdm Zimmerman, has been active in politics for some decades and heads the Delegation for Women‟s Rights and Equal Opportunities Between Men and Women, a 36-member body on which each of the political parties has representation in proportion to their parliamentary numbers.
Her main point was that if at the member of party stage there was little encouragement for women to join, much less be nominated to represent at elections, then naturally the outcome meant fewer women in politics. The body she represented was promoting the quotas legislation that is currently being implemented in France because they believe that legislation is the only thing that works.
That is, initially in order to kickstart greater representation, one had to almost force a minimum number of women be represented in order to break through the barriers and old boys clubs.
If this is indeed so, then perhaps an area of value in your questioning to the ladies you will be meeting, particularly if they have been active in politics for some years, would be to ask them to share the stories behind how they got into politics, and the path that led to their elections and current positions.
Based on their answers, subsequent questions could then explore the topic further in your region/country - are there barriers to women at the starting gate? what measures may be in place to lower these barriers ?
_
posted by infini at 9:24 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
My work leads me to do deep dive interviews for design research among rural populations in developing countries - I have found through experience that prepared questions don't really work as well as knowing broadly what is the topic or focus on the information exchange. Then one simply goes into a learning/listening mode and just nudges people along - everyone likes to talk and share their wisdom, getting the flow into this zone is ideal.
Your background doesn't matter and you should not let that colour your experience - all you need to think is that here is a social gathering with these ladies and they have a fascinating story/experience to share with you and you want to learn and hear more from them.
This mindset will help in creating the most fluid yet information rich exchange.
On a more formal note, however, I attended a similar meeting at the National Assembly in Paris in 2010 as part of a Nordic delegation and the MP leading the meeting (Mdm. Marie-Jo Zimmermann) highlighted a few issues on these very topics (since it was all part of the Global Women's Forum on Economy and Society) specifically to your questions:
-Part 1 - What do you think are the main issues that disproportionately affect women entering politics in [place]? What are the specific challenges that they have faced?
- Part 2- What would be the best ways to improve women’s representation? /Are there lessons learnt they would like to share with other women that may wish to enter politics?
Mdm Zimmerman, has been active in politics for some decades and heads the Delegation for Women‟s Rights and Equal Opportunities Between Men and Women, a 36-member body on which each of the political parties has representation in proportion to their parliamentary numbers.
Her main point was that if at the member of party stage there was little encouragement for women to join, much less be nominated to represent at elections, then naturally the outcome meant fewer women in politics. The body she represented was promoting the quotas legislation that is currently being implemented in France because they believe that legislation is the only thing that works.
That is, initially in order to kickstart greater representation, one had to almost force a minimum number of women be represented in order to break through the barriers and old boys clubs.
If this is indeed so, then perhaps an area of value in your questioning to the ladies you will be meeting, particularly if they have been active in politics for some years, would be to ask them to share the stories behind how they got into politics, and the path that led to their elections and current positions.
Based on their answers, subsequent questions could then explore the topic further in your region/country - are there barriers to women at the starting gate? what measures may be in place to lower these barriers ?
_
posted by infini at 9:24 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not an answer to your specific question, but I'd say to try an relax about meeting these women. Yes, they are all very educated and accomplished, but politicians are used to interacting with all sorts of people and there's no reason to believe they will look down on you or judge you. They're probably excited to share there thoughts on this issue and, like me, are probably impressed that you took the initiative to organize this.
As for question #3, it can't hurt to ask. Again, politicians are always asking and being asked for things. You shouldn't expect a firm yes at that point, but it can't hurt to get the idea out there.
posted by lunasol at 12:13 AM on December 10, 2011
As for question #3, it can't hurt to ask. Again, politicians are always asking and being asked for things. You shouldn't expect a firm yes at that point, but it can't hurt to get the idea out there.
posted by lunasol at 12:13 AM on December 10, 2011
It might interest you, and them, to know about the 2012 Project here in the US.
The US has a poor track record of electing women, and the last election only underscores the problem. The number of women in Congress has dropped to 16 percent, and the number of women in state legislatures declined by nearly 80 seats, the sharpest drop since CAWP began tracking numbers nearly four decades ago. Internationally, the US ranks 67th in terms of women's representation according to Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The election of 2012 presents a once-in-a-decade opportunity for women to increase their numbers in office. Following the 2010 census, every congressional and state legislative district in the country is being redrawn, and new and open seats will be created. Reapportionment creates opportunity, and research shows that women have more success winning open seats.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 3:53 AM on December 10, 2011
The US has a poor track record of electing women, and the last election only underscores the problem. The number of women in Congress has dropped to 16 percent, and the number of women in state legislatures declined by nearly 80 seats, the sharpest drop since CAWP began tracking numbers nearly four decades ago. Internationally, the US ranks 67th in terms of women's representation according to Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The election of 2012 presents a once-in-a-decade opportunity for women to increase their numbers in office. Following the 2010 census, every congressional and state legislative district in the country is being redrawn, and new and open seats will be created. Reapportionment creates opportunity, and research shows that women have more success winning open seats.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 3:53 AM on December 10, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. It has been very helpful to read them and I feel a lot more confident about the meeting.
posted by kishky at 4:39 AM on December 11, 2011
posted by kishky at 4:39 AM on December 11, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
You could also ask them how they feel about quotas? Whether they think women would have a better chance of being elected in proportional or first-past-the-post democracies? Whether more women in a legislature really leads to better outcomes for women? I attended a class on gender and representation recently (which is why I have read the book) so feel free to MeMail me if you want me to find my notes or reading list or anything.
posted by hepta at 4:11 PM on December 9, 2011