Best Practices for Women’s Participation in Latin American Political Parties

This manual is designed to provide political party members and leaders with the means to implement concrete strategies for achieving equality for women within party organisations and to access positions of power and representation. It is designed for women leaders and activists from political parties, as well as international and national organisations working with them. The manual presents 41 "good practices" implemented by party organisations in 18 Latin American countries, in order for users to debate improving their own practice and to transform rhetoric on equality into real opportunities for women. Some of those best practices include:

• Policies to promote equity in their statutes, organisational structure, and government proposals;
• Differentiated strategies to attract women;
• Promotion of women internally to senior positions and to public positions;
• Training and resources directed at promoting women's leadership.

The manual includes the following chapters:

1. Introduction
2. Research Methodology
3. Using the Handbook of Best Practices
4. Women and Politics in Numbers
5. Quotas and More: “Knots” in Women’s Political Participation
6. Obstacles At Home: The Role of Political Parties in Women’s Under-representation
7. From Rhetoric to Best Practices
8. Learning from Best Practices

In the media chapter, mass media is recognised for its power to transform communication between politicians and citizens, which might mean the success or failure of a public figure depending on his or her capacity to gain access to media. According to a 2003 survey in Latin America, 8 people in 10 or 79% of the population considered mass media its most trustworthy source of information. Women may be at a disadvantage in receiving media attention. The recommendation is to turn participation and proposals into news events to attract media. Women must also acquire communication tools and proficiency in managing different media formats through whatever training they find available. The handbook notes that both internal (within the party or support organisation) and external (public and intra-party) communication require attention. The "Learning from Best Practices" section includes the following communication-related points:

1. Action by political parties to promote women's participation is fundamental.
2. Parties committing to measures to promote women members in leadership need to publicise their decisions and planning and be held accountable.
3. Best practices on gender issues need to be central to party platforms so that quota systems, if adopted, allow women to be active in the various "institutional spaces" in political systems.
4. A fundamental task is transforming cultural stereotypes affecting women. "Promoting participation of women in public spaces implies, with equal intensity, promoting male participation in private spaces."