Conclusion
In the Former socialist society women’s participation in politics provided by official quotas supposed reproduction of traditional women’s role and was connected with women’s activity in the sphere of social defense. The problems of family, maternity and childhood were the major objects of political women’s activity and women’s aspiration to political career which was considered men’s prerogative was not understood in the society.
During democratic reforms in transitive period quotas were eliminated and that practically canceled the women’s possibility to enter the level of decisions adoption not only in “men’s” spheres of occupation but even in “women’s” – social. As a result of such policy of reforms in the New Independent States on the territory of all post-soviet space women were pushed into insignificant, auxiliary roles at all levels and branches of power.
At present low level of women’s participation in politics in Kazakhstan is explained by the fact that they are less represented in electoral groups recruited into politics. As a rule, women-politicians came into that sphere from social branches (Medicare, healthcare, education, social defense, etc) and they have insignificant political experience comparing to men. Discrimination existing almost in all spheres of society is an obstacle for women’s political activity and may be seen mostly in barriers (the so-called “glass-ceilings”) on the way to key political posts in center and in remote districts.
The significant factor in this plan is unwillingness of electorate to vote for women. At present in Kazakhstan such factors as fragment women’s activity in non-governmental public groups, movements and parties leading by women, the weakness of social electoral base and political support are due to low level of political culture and general passive attitude and this cannot but influence the radical changes in political sphere.
Just at the same time in a number of western countries during last two decades significant positive shift in women’s situation occurred and the ideas of marginal political participation models are not applicable. The most successful (in gender aspect) region is Scandinavian where since the beginning of 1990-s women’s Parliament members share was 30%; in Finland – 39%, Sweden – 44%.
Such results became the consequences of balanced gender politics foreseeing not only changes in women’s status but transformation of attitude to the so-called “female” problem in the society and state. This states are under the process of crashing patriarchal state foundations, public and of course political basis and establishing new modern society forming favorable conditions for women’s active participation.
The analysis of this phenomena is valuable from the point of view of “political possibilities” whose structures are the definition of development models, goals and results of feminist movement in every country. This experience is highly appreciated for Kazakhstan where low women’s representativity in the highest legislative organ of the country (11,3%) and maslikhats (20%) demonstrate great gender problem for Kazakhstan society. Despite the fact that women comprise 51,8% in socio-demographic structure of republic’s population (by the way their part among specialists with secondary special education is 58% and with higher education – 55%) women are represented among highest political posts by minimal part (8,8%) /146/.
The decreasing of women’s political representation in comparison to the soviet period leads to displacement of the so-called women’s problems to marginal positions. Ann Fillips said, “… any system having excluded women’s voices is not only unjust it cannot be even called representative” /147/.
Obvious scarcity of women at that level of decision adoption complicates difficult transition of the country to new economic relations. For example, the great potential of half country’s populace is not used properly that reflects on decreasing the quality of social programs and in general decay in populace well-being.
“Some difficulties in the democratization process of sovereign Kazakhstan are explained …by the lack of political, democratic formation of culture. Democratization of public life is simultaneously the process of changing mentality, stereotypes of the people’s behavior which populace has during many years” /148/.
The analysis of world women’s movement results made as an example in a number of countries allows working out several standard attitudes to the achieving of gender equality in society. In general all-sided study of other countries’ experience is highly actual and necessary foe development of domestic conception for stable social and economic development. The introduction of gender factors into working out and introducing into life social-economic programs let escape negative consequences, which are possible in case of ignoring the former.
Gender evolution is followed after as the examples of the countries where feminism appeared, developed and later on integrated into international women’s movement headed by United Nations Organization. Due to effective activity of the presented international organization the UN members-states took the responsibility to overcome the existing discrimination towards women in their countries.
The stability and high living conditions of the USA and other European countries especially Scandinavian made them be a definite model of reaching the effective results, the sphere of gender relations is one of them. Of course, mechanical extrapolation is impossible without taking into consideration their own traditions and created by generation’s values. However, as it was settled above the lack of domestic history in liberating women’s movement be it negative or positive may bring greater use for foundation of selected way in Kazakhstan society development and all its members, women in their row.
Kazakhstan having joined in 1995 to Beijing declaration and Platform of actions adopted on VI World Conference on women’s position and later in 1998 to Convention of canceling all forms of discrimination connected with women took responsibilities for fulfillment a number of obligations.
Having created in December 1999 the National plan on improving women’s position in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to include women’s interests in state policy.
Despite the fact that in Kazakhstan national conceptions and strategies in the sphere of increasing women status in the society are worked out and introduced into life, the adopted measures are not enough and it is not only the matter of finance for state programs. Hiding under national mentality and “oriental” traditions many political statesmen continue to support patriarchal public mentality that women objectively may not be occupied with politics. The present stereotypes are obstacles to introduction of democratic principles in possible equality for all members of the society, they don’t permit to estimate gender resources and possibilities in the changed reality.
The ignoring and oblivion of women’s interests lead to negative socioeconomic consequences, reflected on the well-being of all populace and violated the demographic balance of the country up to this time and is prevailing in the policy of different state institutions and political parties platforms. This may be seen as in non-descript women’s reputation in party lists as in unwillingness to allow women to occupy the key state posts.
Despite this the society itself is not ready to support a woman-politician and to take part in working out gender-oriented politics. The Parliamentary elections display the reluctance men-voters and women-voters to vote for women.
The second and not less important factor is insufficient attention of state to women-leaders and dislike to finance their political campaigns.
Not accidentally that almost everywhere women demand to decrease the registration fee of a candidate. It is a well-known fact that insufficient access of women to economic resources of the country is ignored and women are blamed for bad running of election campaigns but it is universally true that precisely this particular factor initially blocked women’s initiatives on self-promotion to candidates.
This is confirmed by empirical investigations conducted at different times and in different countries. Several results of these investigations are presented in the research. These results according to our point of view may be applied to the conditions of our country. We think that the work out of special gender technologies of running the election campaign are absolutely necessary in order to expand women’s representation on the level of decision adoption taking into account all factors of Kazakhstan reality.
Investigating the leading countries experience on conducting the policy of equal possibilities for men and women let us systematically study the idea of quota representation of women at the level of decision adoption.
The policy of gradual women’s movement to the leading posts allows inserting politically perspective women to state posts. This will coincide with modern women requests oriented at professional career and aimed at realization their leader’s ambitions bringing real use to society.
The research investigation supports requests of women from non-governmental organizations about 30% quota representation despite the fact that some of interrogated women are afraid concerning the possibility to get a stamp of “the second sort” human being. We consider that this measure at any conditions may help to equal the start positions of male and female. In theory and practice such measure is called compensatory or positive discrimination. Their necessity and legitimacy even in the form of temporary mechanism in political sphere are consolidated in UN acts and also by experience of western democracy development.
New reality demand specific governmental attitude to women-politicians, to complex socioeconomic problems, disintegration of society, marginal status of populace. As researchers marked in general women on ruling posts display interest to spheres which are ignored by men at power: protection of maternity and childhood, defense of abused victims, development of kindergartens, social payment, equality in labor payment for equal labor, access to credits, etc. Women possess necessary resources to make influence on forming the state policy, helping to promote patriotic feelings and adherence to state taking care of every citizen well-being.
The major conclusions and points of research paper may be taken into consideration practically in all spheres of gender equality attainments in Kazakhstan society. The results of sociological researches conducted by Council of intellectual labor women appeal: “Development of women’s political movement, wide involving of women into political organizations, appointing them into leading posts in political and governmental structures depends to the great extent upon state ideology because … state developing political democracy must offer priorities to expansion of women’s participation in politics… and it is necessary to work out and realize the state program on involving women into politics” /149/.
Despite this the recommendations are worked out for improving legal basis and state programs in the research. These recommendations directly influence the women’s status in the society, their participation in working out and adoption of strategic state decisions.
In the result of the research the following conclusions were made:
1. At present the major form of women’s political anticipation is the participation in women’s non-governmental at local, national and international levels. Women’s activity in public organizations helps to acquire the experience of political work and increase the level of general political culture. In Kazakhstan NPO are organizations of social direction and that permits to come to a conclusion that settling socioeconomic problems is major premise to transition for higher level of political rights and freedoms.
2. In countries with transitive economy women become the object of direct and hidden discrimination despite the fact that women’s political participation in many spheres of public life may be more effective than usually applied traditional “men’s” attitudes. For countries of post-soviet period two fundamental problems in women’s political movement are characteristic: public stereotypes of major part of voters and increased aggression to women-politicians on the part of men-competitors. Consequently, women’s discrimination is rooted in irrational prejudices and stereotypes. One of possible way out from this situation is reforming of legal status and changing sex directions in social consciousness.
3. Women’s electoral behavior changes from men’s. That occurs in gender breaks during the elections. Their presence implements significant influence not only at the election results but also directly into conducting the society policy. Gender problem acquires complex political expression due to peculiar behavior of women’s electorate. Its specific feature represents significant interest for Kazakhstan society because under political competitiveness parties are forced to work out the most effective methods of electorate influence.
4. In connection with gender analysis political systems may be divided into balanced and unbalanced which in their turn are subdivided into real and nominative effective (or progressive).
5. Due to the fact that democratic institutions in Kazakhstan still do not have real power even sharp increase of women’s representation in Government or Parliament and maslikhats will not secure the women with full power equal to men’s. The problem of women’s participation in politics should be settled using the possibilities of appointment of women to leading posts in the bodies of executive power. For realization of the gender equality principle in Kazakhstan the creation of real partners’ conditions between men and women is necessary and plus the division of responsibility which would be a factor eliminating gender misbalance in public and private life. For speeding up of these processes it is necessary to introduce gender quota in the Law about equal rights and possibilities and also in election system of the Republic, World experience confirms that at definite conditions the proportional system of elections and the system of gender quota in party lists helps significantly to increase women’s representation in political power bodies.
6. Women have the right to be represented in politics and they also have specific level of political sphere influence on society. But the differences between women and barriers to their equality make women’s integration into political institutions be a complex task. Women’s political activity is limited by many thresholds at all levels of political improvement in this supposes overcoming not only structure-institutional spread on men but also gender caused barriers. Thus we come across not only doubled (in some cases multilateral) limitations for women’s political career.
During the years past after IV World Conference on women’s position (Beijing, 1995) the world changed qualitatively. New conditions force working out new attitudes of mankind survival. New threats to national security on the part of international terrorism, globalization processes, polluting of planet environment system put in front of Kazakhstan populace new demands. Under these conditions women’s movement has great potential and is able to create conditions, which will allow women to participate in the destiny of state. Cardinal decision of women’s problems and especially on the level of political representation would make a contribution to the development of strong democratic state, the preserving of peace and in general will lead to flourishing of Kazakhstan society.