Column: Are gender quotas a good idea or do they create discrimination?

With Donegal County Council elections coming up this year, the inevitable gender quota conversation arises, and I find myself yet again pondering the merits of such a move.

Sometimes it is necessary to give a major helping hand to change. But imposed equality feels more than a little bit uncomfortable. However, as we start to see the benefits of gender quota in a number of areas, I am coming round to the idea.

As a result of the last local elections in 2019, women hold 26% of council seats in Ireland. This is in keeping with a global figure believed to be 25.8%. It begs the question, why is there such a stark difference between the number of men and women in the political field?

We are living in a time when the role and perception of women has been massively redefined within one or two generations. Remember, prior to 1973 when Ireland joined the EU, women in Ireland had to give up work when they got married. It is hard to imagine such a concept nowadays - though it is still a reality, along with even greater restrictions, in some parts of the world.

It was only with the removal of this requirement that many women could seriously think about career progression.

It still took  time for  women to be seen as equals in the workplace. Indeed, it is the experience of many women that there is still some way to go.

Another consideration is that a lot of people - certainly not only women - may feel that they have no interest in political life  because they associate politics with heated arguments in Dáil Eireann, or with European policy being discussed in Brussels, all of which can seem quite distant from everyday life.

However, politics affects us  every day in countless ways. These include health budgets, wages and taxes, the housing crisis, social welfare entitlement, road safety legislation. It comes close to home in other areas too,  such as maintaining footpaths and roads, parking charges, supporting community groups and local festivals, repairing playground equipment. 

None of us are ever distant from the impact - good or bad - of political decisions. 

And if we feel we are not being represented at a decision-making level, then perhaps it is time to either step up ourselves, or get behind someone with whom we feel aligned.

When it comes to gender quota in elections, this can take several forms. 

At its most extreme, a set number of seats must be occupied by women. This is something that is also seen in boardrooms of major companies, and it is the form of gender quotas that causes the most misgivings.

A second type of quota is the percentage of women that appear on a ballot paper. This is more palatable for everyone, as it then falls to all candidates and their teams to campaign and to win or lose their seats on equal terms.

Another form of gender quota puts the onus on political parties to put more women forward for the selection process within their own parties. Again, this feels more acceptable to a lot of people, and it may well be the spark that leads to a woman putting herself  in the running.

I have in the past voted for female candidates, but never simply because of gender. It is because I had a degree of faith in them to represent myself and my community. I have voted for male candidates for exactly the same reasons.

We have a much better understanding nowadays of the importance of representation in every area of life, be it in terms of gender, race, disability, sexuality, socioeconomic background, etc. 

When you see someone who looks like you, sounds like you, has the same challenges as you, and they are being an integral part of public life, then that role feels accessible to you. Therefore, you are more likely to see that the same path is open to you. If that means gender quotas in the short to medium term, then perhaps they are a necessary step. 

By kickstarting gender representation, a more organic equality will hopefully emerge as women in politics become as commonplace as their male counterparts.