The Woman Factor – Candidate Selection in the 1990s: New Zealand, Guam and South Africa

Abstract

How do women gain political success? First, they must be chosen as candidates: the process of selection can be seen as an archway through which women must pass if they are to become politicians. Candidate selection is a complex undertaking involving the individuals, selectorates, committees and internal organizations which make up political parties. Based on a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research r carried out in New Zealand, Guam and South Africa, the principal finding of this thesis is that strong women's organisations such as the Labour Women's Council in New Zealand, and the ANC Women's League in South Africa, can help women gain political power. Through their size, strength and influence within the party, the organisations help women to overcome many of the barriers that still prevent them from taking an equal position with men in any legislature in the world. The New Zealand Labour Women's Council and the South African ANC Women's League exist within social democratic parties. Right-wing parties tend to have weakly organised women's committees and organisations which cannot offer their members the same level of support as women's organisations in left-wing parties. One finding in this thesis was that the Republican Party of Guam proved to be an exception to this expectation. Nonetheless, election results from New Zealand and South Africa consistently show a lesser number of women being elected to rightwing parties compared to left-wing parties. Without a powerful group to fight on their behalf, women can find themselves relegated to constituencies and list positions which they have no chance of winning.