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{
    "id": 701988,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/701988/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 302,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Ombaka",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1007,
        "legal_name": "Christine Oduor Ombaka",
        "slug": "christine-oduor-ombaka"
    },
    "content": "critical if we are going to use the word “progressive” because we want to see the way it is progressing step by step. We are also going to look at how it is progressing. What are the strategies you use to make progress? That is all missing. There is no strategy. There are no indicators. It is a blind game. It does not add value. It does not show improvement in the number of women. So, we need to rephrase. We need to come up with certain things that will convince us that women are actually improving and the number is increasing at a particular stage. On the positions of Women Representatives - the 47 positions - first of all, I want to thank you, Hon. Millie, for the many things you have done for women. If you were there as it has been said and you have also said that the posts of Women Representatives were created at your time, that is a wonderful thing. But I want to say that even though it is an improvement over and above what was there before, those women still need to be appreciated. It has added the numbers of women in Parliament right now. When we are going to begin to see the number of women, we have a head-start. We will start at 47 and above. It is a good Bill for women to be here, but it is also important that it is not just the number we want. We also need a good attitude towards the women we have here. We have suffered as women in Parliament in these positions because people call us flower girls. We are not flower girls. I do not think I am one. I will never be one because I am above being a baby or a little girl who carries flowers. These 47 women work extremely hard. We have worked extremely hard and yet, there is a negative attitude that we are not relevant; we are not performing; we are a waste of time and, therefore, a waste of resources for this country. If 47 women are already being accused that much, how many more will be accused if we add the number to this? That is why I would wish that Women Representatives are respected. They must be seen in a positive light because we are going to add more women in Parliament, over and above the 47 and onto the 16 and we need more. So, I just want to prepare ourselves to the fact that the more we add women in Parliament, the more we see negativity in the role women play. We need to reverse that. So, it is my appreciation that women have come a long way and that we still have more women to add. Those who are scared of women do not realise that even the two-thirds as a formula does not make us equal. We are talking about men and women coming to Bunge on equal terms but, when you are working on that formula of two-thirds, one gender will be the two-thirds. Another will be one-third. There is still that imbalance. We are not asking for 50 per cent. We are aware that it is extremely difficult to achieve that right away. So, we are comfortable with the two-thirds gender rule that should be applied but, at the back of our minds, we are aware that it is not equal still. It is two-thirds on one side and one-third on the other. I would like to conclude by telling the men that time is coming when women will be more than men. The men will also want this new Bill. They will want to increase their number. I do not know why they are afraid. They walk out. They do not want to listen so that they can also position themselves in this House. The Bill will address both genders. As I see, the men have walked out as though the Bill is so bad and they will never benefit from it. I think they have a lot to benefit if we are here in the House on equal terms but, the two-thirds gender rule is a good Bill that we must push. The men must be there to listen to it and also to begin to position themselves should the women be more than them. Where will they be? They need to be here to fight it also for themselves and we shall support them. That is my conclusion. I do not support this Bill until we come up with a formula that is going to address the issues that we are raising; and the very fact of how many we need in this The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}