The idea that women occupy half of the high positions of the Executive Branch has the support of various women leaders.
Larger feminine participation would help to eliminate prejudices about their ability, leading to a larger leadership opportunity in areas such as economics, the environment, production, and competitiveness.
Likewise, it would exploit even more the potential of female Costa Rican leaders, who traditionally have been relegated in politics, in their perspective.
Nevertheless, many don’t agree with this idea recently proposed by Epsy Campbell, congresswoman of the Citizen’s Action Party (PAC), according to a survey held yesterday by La República.
Until now, the promises of political equality haven’t been met. Men still have a larger participation in ministry and vice-ministry positions, executive presidencies, and board positions of autonomous institutions. This was the case even during the government of Laura Chinchilla, the first woman president of Costa Rica.
The new frontier in regards to women’s political rights complements a ruling of the Sala IV last October, which obliged the parties to distribute in an equal manner the positions elected by popular vote, such as congressmen, mayors, and aldermen, respecting the vertical and horizontal alternations, so that women have the possibility of heading the selection lists.
A draft law to reform the Political Constitution presented by the congresswoman Epsy Campbell would oblige the president to nominate women in half of the positions, thereby eliminating the current discretionary power.
Even though the legal reform would guarantee a new step in women’s political conquests, the certainty of the matter is that it could bring a new headache for the Chiefs of State.
It’s difficult in these times for leaders to convince capable professionals to take on a public role, given that national exposure is high and the salary is not good, while the topic of gender could complicate the issue.
Source: larepublica.net