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	<< Back "DAWN" Newsletter of The DAWN CENTER GENDER-FREE PERSPECTIVE IN THE LEGISLATURE Report on the Activities of "More Women to Assemblies Backup School" Yuko Moriya Representative of the World Conference on Women Networks in Kansai The Third Wave of Women's Participation in Politics The movement "More Women to Assemblies" in the unified local elections in April,1999 was said to be "The Third Wave" of women's contributions to Japan's political process. "The First Wave" occurred at the time of female enfranchisement soon after World War II. "The Second Wave" was the so-called Madonna sensation in 1989. This time, in "The Third Wave," the percentage of women members of local assemblies rose from 4.8 percent to 5.9 percent, according to research by the Ichikawa Memorial Foundation. This was the highest ever, both in number and percentage, as the total number of members was reduced. Thereafter, the election of women governors in Osaka and Kumamoto Prefecture in succession and the considerable increase of female Diet members in the general election in 2000 shows that "The Third Wave" has become a big swell of women's real advancement into policy-making bodies in Japan. The main feature of "The Third Wave" is that, without charismatic figures such as Fusae Ichikawa in "The First Wave" and Takako Doi in "The Second Wave," grass-roots women from all over the country developed effective political movements, for example "Backup School to Send Women to the Diet" and "Women and Politics Campaign." Because it is activity rooted in local communities, this wave is stronger, steadier and more sustainable than the First or Second Wave. "More Women to Assemblies Backup School" which began in the Kansai District was a pioneer in support systems around the country and one of the main powers in "The Third Wave." The Birth of "More Women to Assemblies Backup School" At the time of the united local elections in 1995, many women supported our friends in the campaign, between juggling our jobs and our own activities. We were angry at the small number of women members in local assemblies, and we strongly hoped to send more women into legislatures. At the time we realized how difficult it was for women involved in grass-roots activities to win the election without the support of large organizations. The women didn't have knowledge or experience regarding how to make policies, how to organize supporting groups, how to raise money, or how to make street-corner speech, posters and campaign literature. These skills would have been learned properly if we had belonged to political parties or unions. In addition, as we intended to fight the election and outline our policies without spending much money, we had to grope for a satisfactory way to do so. We had to go beyond the conventional ways of only strengthening organizations or simply calling the candidate's name repeatedly. Not only did we have the joy of creation, but we also felt impossibility and waste, which sometimes led to regrettable results. A fundamental lack of ability and experience sometimes forced us apart. Despite these difficulties, how did we go about making a network for political amateurs to study, exchange information and determine our own election agenda? We became determined to send more women into assemblies through our networking in the next local election! Thus we started "More Women to Assemblies Backup School" in June, 1996, fixing our eyes on the united local elections of 1999. Practice of Backup School The school has been held at Dawn Center twice a month for six months every year. The contents of the course are divided into three groups: making policies, learning politics, and determining methods of election. Incumbent assembly women supported the school as lecturers and advisers for candidates with the "Assembly Women's Supporting Network." "Students" in the school got experience by joining in a network, visiting senior council women's offices and helping other members in their elections. In August, 1996, two months after opening, the school was excited with the election of two city councilors. In the 14th united local elections in 1999, we began the "Women and Politics Campaign" under the slogan of "Target 50 percent for Council Women," and succeeded in sending 15 alumni and participants into the legislature. Almost all of the new assembly members had been working in the community, had both families and jobs, and wanted to use their experience in the local government. It is almost impossible to talk about local and citizen activities in Japan without referring to women, as stereotypes of sex roles remain deep-rooted. The more the activity continues, the more necessary it becomes to draw the problems we see into political decision-making and to pursue their realization as policies. The women involved found that policies had been decided without women, and that the assemblies consisted of only men, who did not share the gains and losses with women. Gender equality, environment, education, food, peace, human rights ...in every field women cannot find ways to reform the fundamental social system if we stay in the semi-formal arena of social action. We must enter the formal decision-making area where traditionally only men have had roles. Thus, "The Third Wave" in the local communities is also the movement of women to break through their shells and to change the social structure. Toward the 21st Century Now the movement of "More Women to Assemblies Backup School" in Kansai is stepping into the next stage, the search for a more efficient strategy. To make the movement more genuine, representatives, candidates and citizens must coordinate more widely and deeply. What is needed is the ability to manage networks and to unite different people and the funds to support these activities. The World Conference on Women held in New York in June, 2000 emphasized the establishment of "political will" to create a gender-free world. Women are required to supply the power to establish "political will" on the political stage. Page Top Copyright (C) DawnCenter. All Rights Reserved.