MONGOLIAN FEMINISTS FIGHT TO RESTORE 30 PERCENT QUOTA FOR WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

Details: Created: 18 February 2008

Feminists in Mongolia, led by Jurmed Zanaa of Center for Citizens' Alliance (former CEDAW Watch Center), submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court to contest the removal of an article in the election law that had set a 30 percent quota for women in the candidates in parliamentary elections. The appeal refers the legislative body to Mongolia's commitments to international treaties on gender discrimination, including the Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Article 28.2 of the Law on Election State Great Khural (Parliament of Mongolia) states that a “minimum 30 percent of candidates for parliamentary elections from each political party should be women”. In December 26, 2007, a majority of the parliament voted to have this article removed. Mongolian president Nambaryn Enkhbayar vetoed the amendment, but in Januaary 17, 2008, the parliament again voted to reject the presidential veto.

“We consider the removal of quota for women candidates in the parliamentarian election incompliant with Article 7 of the covenant. Involvement of women in decision making within the Parliament of Mongolia has been insufficient,” asserts a statement by Asian human rights groups, including Human Rights and Development, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD). “The women’s quota in elections was one of the significant ways to guarantee women’s participation in state policy formulation and decision making process at all levels and to promote and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of vulnerable groups such as women and children.”

They see this action a step backward for Mongolia in its efforts to guarantee equal participation of women in the country's democratic processes.

Sources:
“Human rights activists question Mongolia about no quota for women candidates in Parliament “ as posted on <http://www.forum-asia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1446&Itemid=129> Friday, 01 February 2008

Ch.Sumiyabazar, “Women Lose Quota” as posted on <http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1196&Itemid=37>, 17 January 2008.

Correspondence from Undarya Tumursukh, MonFemnet, dated 3 Feb 2008

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