Feminist Advocacy and Activism in State Institutions (Investigating the Representation of Women’s Issues and Concerns in the Jamaican Legislature) ||

This book analyzes the effect of gender on policy-making in the Jamaican Parliament, specifically regarding women-friendly policies. So-called "women-friendly policies" are categorized as those laws which seek to promote and protect women’s rights and equality and have some element addressing childcare, domestic violence, sex offences, reproductive rights, sex discrimination, property rights and family issues. It frames critical analysis of bill sponsorship and the participation levels and verbal contributions of legislators during floor debates on legislation affecting women. Using a mixed method approach, the author gives insight into how feminism is integrated into real-time public policy discourse. The book begins with a brief overview of feminist advocacy and activism and State feminism in Jamaica and an introduction to the country’s Parliamentary system. It then moves to a theoretical discussion of feminist advocacy within public policy debates. The next two chapters present a time series analysis of bill introduction and floor debates on women's interests and issues legislation from 1962 through 2017. The concluding chapter ties up the research and provides recommendations for moving forward. Combining feminist theory with a detailed view of Jamaican Parliamentary procedure and debate, this book will be useful to students and researchers interested in feminist advocacy and activism, minority representation, democratic governance, and women in politics. Acknowledgements Contents Contents Contents Abbreviations Chapter 1: Introduction Representing Women’s Interests and Concerns in Parliament Gender Consciousness and Feminist Advocacy Feminist Advocacy and Activism in Jamaica State Feminism in Jamaica Feminist Advocacy and Activism in the Legislative Body Gendering the Narrative in the Legislature Politics and Governance in Jamaica Gender Composition in the Houses of Parliament References Chapter 2: The Presence and Representation of Minority Interests: A Framework for Gendering the Policy Agenda in the Jamaican Legislature Presence and Representation of Disadvantaged Groups in the Jamaican Context Descriptive Representation Substantive Representation References Chapter 3: Bringing Women’s Issues to the Legislative Agenda: Gender, Bill Sponsorship and Participation Pro-women Legislation in Jamaica, 1967 to 2017 Introduction of Pro-women Bills in the Houses of Parliament in Jamaica Bill Introduction by Gender Bill Participation Levels by Gender References Chapter 4: Feminist Advocacy and Activism in the Jamaican Parliament: Does Gender Matter? Gendering the Debates Analysis of the Debates on the ‘Family’-Related Bills Analysis of the Debates on ‘Health and Safety’-Related Bills Analysis of the Debates on ‘Employment’-Related Bills Bringing the ‘Gender Quota’ Debate to the Jamaican Senate Framing the Debate Outcome References Chapter 5: The Story Has Been Told, What Next? Why Put More Women in Parliament? Challenges Faced by Women Political Aspirants in Jamaica How to Put More Women in Parliament? References Appendix A: Significant Milestone for Women in Politics in Jamaica Appendix B: Women Members of Parliament, 1944–2016 Appendix C: Women Senators, by Party, 1955–2016 Appendix D: Women Cabinet Ministers, by Portfolios, by Party, 1944–2016a Index