This work has been supported by the European Social

Fund within the project «Support for Doctoral Studies at University of Latvia»

WOMEN AS LEADERS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS – SITUATION BEFORE AND

AFTER ADMINISTRATIVE TERRITORIAL REFORM IN LATVIA

Agate ZaķeUniversity of LatviaFaculty of Economics and Management11.11.2011. Rīga, Latvia

The aim of the article

to find out how the administrative territorial reform has affected the proportion of women in

leadership of local governments compared to men in leadership of local

governments

Theoretical and methodological basis of the article:

researches of foreign and Latvian scientists on the leadership issues

materials from scientific conferences and seminars

internet resources author’s research

Active female participation in the work of local governments is very crucial, if only for the argument that the proportion of women among Latvian population is 53.9%

and also because of the reason that local governments are considered as a basis of every democracy and also a mirror: the more developed local governments, the larger democracy in a state

At the local governmental level, it is more likely to involve citizens

in governmental work, use their knowledge and abilities to improve

living conditions. Therefore it is important that both genders

participate in these processes

Situation in Latvia IThere have been two different types of reforms in Latvia that have effected also gender division in leadership positions: - administrative territorial reform - comprising also the formation of counties by amalgamating several parishes - public administration reform - it included reorganization and liquidation of ministries

and also other significant changes took place in order to adjust public administration structures As a result of reorganization, staff units in public administration were decreased significantly, also by amalgamating several parishes leaders of the parishes lost their job, after which a single leader of the future county was elected

Situation in Latvia II

Currently, there are (after local government elections on 1 July 2009) operating 119 local governments in Latvia – 110 counties and nine republic cities

Prior to local government elections of 2009, there were local governments of 41 county, 424 civil parishes, 50 district towns, 7 republic cities and 26 district local governments (548 local governments altogether)

Currently, women in leadership of counties’ councils account for 21%, prior to the administrative territorial reform – 36%

Table 1 provides that gender distribution among deputy candidates is more proportionate, yet the number of men elected is larger. Still the number of female deputies exceeds 30% margin which is a high indicator if compared to other EU countries

Table 1Gender statistics of deputy candidates registered for and deputies elected in local government elections of 2009

Source: Home page of the Central Election Commission, Republic of Latvia, available athttp://www.cvk.lv/cgi-bin/wdbcgiw/base/komisijas2010.GalRezs10 (observed 01.06.2011)

Gender

DeputiesCandidates

Population in Latvia

Number

Share(%)

Number

Share(%)

Number

Share(%)

Men 1134 64,25

%

6528 58,31% 1,029,

391

46,17%

Women

631 35,75

%

4668 41,69% 1,200,

250

53,83%

Among deputies in local governments a marked majority has higher education, as provided in Table 2.A distribution of deputies according to age groups, with explicit majority in age group from 41-50 years (41,25% )

Table 2 Statistics on education of deputy candidates registered for and deputies elected in local government elections of 2009

Source: Home page of the Central Election Commission, Republic of Latvia, available athttp://www.cvk.lv/cgi-bin/wdbcgiw/base/komisijas2010.GalRezs10 (observed 01.06.2011)

Education

Deputies CandidatesPopulation in Latvia

Number

Share(%)Number Share(%)

Higher 1386 78,53% 7116 63,56% 228567

Seconda

ry

373 21,13% 3900 34,83% 88.5 %

Element

ary

6 0,34% 180 1,61%

Although female leaders of local governments in Latvia comprise 23% (out of 35.75% female deputies), it should be concluded that men are more likely to be elected as council leaders, respectively, at the moment this proportion is 77% out of 64.25% male deputies

According to the statistical data, the average council deputy in Latvia is a male with higher education, in age group 41-50 years

The author has carried out both quantitative and qualitative research in Latvian local governments before the administrative regional reform. In the course of the research, conducted in February 2005 and August and September 2006, the author interviewed 20 women in leadership of local governments from different regions and various level local governments in Latvia

In a reply to question whether during the administrative regional reform gender equality principle in local governments is taken into account, all respondents were indicate that in this process the most important is personality, not the gender

In author’s quantitative research on 2006, the author questioned 85 women in leadership of local governments, respondents’ opinion on the administrative territorial reform was not with a common tendency. 34% of respondents had a negative view of respecting gender equality principle during on the administrative territorial reform, 57% had a positive opinion, but rest didn’t even answer the question

At quantitative study carried out by the author in 2008 on women in leadership of local municipalities (it consisted of 26 questions), respondents were asked if they have encountered with discrimination (which is closely related to the said in feminism theories), and the most common answer was that gender discrimination in Latvia does not exist, however,

further questions in questionnaires revealed that almost every respondent has come into contact with “especially” negative attitude because of the gender. Similar opinions unfolded in the latest quality study carried out by the author

In total, 85 questionnaires from 190 women in leadership of local governments have been collected.

Figure 1. Evaluation of women leaders in local governments, %Source: A research by the Author in local governments, 2008 (n=85)

Figure 2. Evaluation of women leaders in local governmentsSource: A research by the Author in local governments, 2008 (n=85)

Figure 3. Impact of women’s career on family lifeSource: A research by the Author in local governments, 2008 (n=85)

Figure 4. Opinions of women leaders in local governments to question “Do there exist stereotypes of female leaders in society?”Source: A research by the Author in local governments, 2008 (n=85)

- As to the ratio of men and women in the largest local governments, there is evidence that the ratio of women tends to increase outside Riga. At the level of the large local governments and the state, decision-making depends on party politics and corporate ties. At this level the men’s lobby is attributed dishonest, brutal methods that are linked with intimidation or exerting influence on family members

- Thus “big politics” is typically assessed as negative and dirty in the opinion of its participants as well as people not involved in it. Gender inequality manifests itself in politics of the highest level. The higher the political level, the more difficult it is for a woman to enter it on her own, without men’s support. The woman feels much lonelier in politics as the cooperation networks of women are much weaker than the informal networks of men

- Although women also hold several of the highest public offices, the view prevails that in reality decision-making and policy-making take place at the level of executive power, where women in Latvia have not yet progressed to the leading positions. In politics of the highest level the impact and the pressure of various interest groups manifest themselves more clearly by using financial resources and informal relations

Conclusions I Even if women in Latvian local governments have lost their

positions, the administrative-territorial reform has not had a crucial impact on the number of women-leaders in local government compared to men. Since the majority of women-leaders of local governments hold their posts already for many years running, the decisive factor in local governments is the professionalism, not the gender aspect

The author’s study showed that discrimination exists, yet very often in a hidden form, and although the interviewed women were managers in different local governments in Latvia, still the main problems are similar. There are certain circumstances in the society hindering a woman to express herself in a leading position, and while the human attitude remains unchanged, the topicality of this problem will not disappear

Women-leaders receiving support from their families are more likely to engage in politics, they are ready to assume responsibility and have know-how of skilful personal time management thus having stable political position in a longer period of time.

Situation with regard to gender proportion changes in every elections, although statistical data indicate that women ratio in Latvian politics tend to increase, yet this cannot be necessarily predictable

Conclusions III Implementation of gender equality is hinder due to

the following factors: - insufficient understanding from the society (for example, frequently open gender discrimination is not identified);- stereotypic views (for example, a man - manager, a woman – an executor);- prejudice (for example, a woman gets fulfilment only in family);- low level of female solidarity (male social networks are stronger);- role conflict (a woman cannot equally well handle with all the roles determined by the society) - glass ceilings,

which corresponds to the facts established in the theory. Consequences of factors hindering women

participation in senior positions are as follows: - women more often are leaders of smaller local governments; - women tend to occupy lower level positions than men

Conclusions IV- A research conducted prior to the administrative territorial reform

shows that two different political spaces exist in Latvia. At the local government level the main role is played by personalities of local politicians. The small scale makes politics dependent on personal contacts. Respondents often spoke about lack of alternative candidates, as a result of which one and the same woman or man were elected to the office of a council or civil parish chairman for many years running, as there were no other candidates

- To support women's leadership roles in local government, the aim of the Year of Women in Local Government 2010 was to address the need for systemic and cultural change while supporting women and building their capacity to thrive in leadership roles. For example, in Gender Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland 2006-2016, promoting of gender equality is one of the government‘s priorities and the focus of the Women in Local Councils’ initiative for councils and political parties, as to increase women’s participation and representation in decision making processes, develop recognized good practice in relation to flexible working policies and work-life balance initiatives etc.

Suggestions Changes to the field of gender equality are determined by a

complimentary approach which includes the change of public awareness and attitude by highlighting informative and educative measures — seminars, trainings, informative base etc. Suggestions are as follows:

Examples of good governance (to raise the self-esteem of women, to encourage etc.).

To break free of perceptual sets and stereotypic thinking by raising the society’s awareness.

To reduce the cultivation of role division in the mass media, training handouts and educative materials etc.

To provide a wider reflection on the positive gender equality experience around the globe.

To activate cooperation and solidarity, information exchange and communication between women.

Possibly it is necessary to introduce concrete changes to the legislation, for example, by introducing the quota system in division of jobs or in payment of salaries, and also by organizing more informative campaigns to raise the social competence.

Thank you!