We need more women in governance

We need more women in governance

‘A Political View’ By Sherry Holliman

The public face of politics is still overwhelmingly male. We need to stop accepting all-male panels and have the confidence to challenge these. It should be made unacceptable to have women's voices go underrepresented in political positions, and it's about time this change.

Having more women in office not only upholds democratic values of fairness and representative government. Today's universal problems require leaders that have diverse skill sets and changes that can only come from diverse ideas. Women bring special skills, different perspectives and structural and cultural difference to drive effective solutions. Women leaders change the way universal solutions are provided. That's why it is important to keep pushing forward. Fairness and equality are rights that women have consistently fought for and they are able to create laws and use policies in important ways. Having more female leaders from politics to the boardroom is very important for many reasons. Creating opportunities for female leaders changes the standards about who can lead and what qualities are necessary in leadership. Having women in leadership roles is breaking down cultural and structural barriers improving leadership around the world and showing everyone what women can lead. Because women have different life experiences than men, they bring new perspectives into areas of policy-making. This includes the introduction of bills like education, health care, jobs, civil rights, the environment, and incarceration. Women legislators are also more effective in sponsoring bills and bringing federal dollars into their home districts.

If you aren't clear on how important it is to have a woman in every position because you are busy, tired, trying to feed your family, or stressed about work just take five minutes to consider the fact that issues involving women are actually being debated about whether or not women should have access to birth control or maybe why your name change at marriage might make it difficult or impossible for you to vote because of targeted voter id requirements that don't affect men. Women make up the bulk of low-wage earners with most being heads of households. At the end of the day, the best way we can make a change is to vote.

If you're someone who cares particularly about women's rights such as reproductive rights, maternity leave, and equal pay, women in the legislature are more likely to prioritize these issues over their male counterparts. It is time for women to position themselves in more leadership roles, unless the women make the attempts, she can't succeed her calling. Many voters place a high standard on transparency in government, and most women in office will certainly ensure this process is conducted to the public. People talk a lot about how we want our politics to be more diverse, representative and reflective now is the time to stop the talk and use your voting voice in 2018 to make a difference.

This is not about men against women, but when you have women in public decision-making processes, you get policies that benefit women, children and families in general. Women's participation in decisionmaking is highly beneficial and their role in designing and applying public policies has a positive impact on people's lives. Women tend to promote women's rights legislation and promote children's rights, speak up more for the interests of communities, local communities, because of their close involvement in community life.

In the political realm, the public does not see major differences between men and women on key business leadership qualities. Where they do see gaps, women have an advantage over men on honesty and ethics, providing fair pay and benefits, and offering mentorships. Men have an edge when it comes to being willing to take risks and negotiating profitable deals.

Does it matter if women have a voice in politics?

Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County and has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her neighbors.

‘ A Political View’

By Sherry Holliman