Real power shift needed

Despite a marginal increase in the number of women that will sit in Lower House when it resumes, at least one gender advocate believes the country is still falling short in its representation of women in the seat of power.

Gender and development practitioner Judith Wedderburn has, however, acknowledged the efforts the leadership of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) have made to bring more women into representational politics.

Of the 189 candidates nominated for the 2025 election, 136 were men and 53 were women. In the new Parliament, 19 women will take their seats – just one more than in 2020 and seven more than in 2016.

Wedderburn highlighted that a significant challenge for women is securing party backing in their constituencies: “First of all, there are people in her community who may say, ‘Is man business dat’ or others may say, ‘You’re young, you’re bright, you’re well educated, give it a try’.

“So we first have to acknowledge and congratulate the women who have put themselves forward because they must have done a lot of work to get there. We have to congratulate the women but it cannot be the end, the challenge must be thrown out to women that this is still less than 30 per cent, so women are challenged for an increasing number, so we have more going forward.”

The JLP and PNP sent a combined 12 women to face men in their respective constituencies, with the winning five – Juliet Holness in East Rural St Andrew beating Patrick Peterkin, Tova Hamilton holding off Dr Wykeham McNeil in Trelawny Northern, Marlene Malahoo Forte prevailing over Dr Andre Haughton in St James West Central, Marissa Dalrymple-Philibert fending off Paul Patmore’s challenge in Trelawny Southern, and Rhoda Moy Crawford, who dismissed Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell’s challenge in Manchester Central, to see all returning to Gordon House.

More accepting of

women candidates

While voters largely remain loyal to party lines, there is evidence that they are becoming more accepting of women candidates as equals.

Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner, Yvonne Rose Shaw reflected on the challenges women face in politics.

“Well a number of women are afraid to go into politics, you know, because of what takes place – the mudslinging, the disrespect, but ... it’s how you treat with people that [triggers] that reaction. I am happy for the rest of my parliamentary colleagues who were successful. Somebody has to do it and as women, we can’t say we must sit in the background and allow all men to go forward. I am happy for the blend and the mix that is saying something great for our democracy,” she said.

Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, re-elected as MP for St.Andrew West Rural for a third term, emphasised that having more women in Parliament should not be about meeting quotas but about ensuring focus on issues affecting women.

“It’s important there is focus on advancing women’s rights and important issues that affect women. Those things are critical. When you have women voices, women at the table, we are able to advance those issues,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.

Cuthbert-Flynn cited key legislation championed by Gender Affairs Minister Olivia Grange, such as laws supporting shelters for battered women, a hotline for victims, and a sexual harassment bill. Grange, re-elected in St Catherine Central, has served seven consecutive terms since 1997 and is only the second woman after former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to do so.

Simpson Miller was elected to Parliament in 1976 and – with the exception of 1983 to 1989, owing to the PNP boycott of the 1983 election – served until she stepped down in 2017.

Historically, women like Enid Bennett (1967 to 1997); Rose Leon (1949-1962 – JLP and 1972-1976 – PNP), and Mavis Gilmour (1976-1989) served lengthy tenures in Parliament, setting important precedents.

“It is not just about having a quota. The thing for me is we must now come to together and bring issues that affect women. The statistics for rape, for instance, I think we need to look at some of those issues, issues with children, for example, and bring those to the fore,” said Cuthbert-Flynn.

“As state minister in the national security ministry, I saw a woman on a small cot with her baby and my motherly instincts as a woman kicked in. So I worked to ensure that we now have housing at South Camp Road for women who give birth while incarcerated. We also moved the time women can have their newborns with them from six months to a year. So that is what I mean by furthering policies that us women see as important,” she explained.

Cuthbert-Flynn also touched on the political risks of advocating for controversial issues, referencing her efforts to bring abortion legalisation into parliamentary debate, which she said was used against her in the campaign.

“Backbenchers can bring any issue to the fore and we form a joint select committee so that those things can become policy. Looking at the composition of women in Parliament, I hope that the backbenchers can bring more issues. I was bashed on the campaign trail by women who tried to use the abortion issue against me, but I am hoping that we can mature as a society and bring issues ... that ... will further Jamaica or strengthen our institutions.”

Despite the increased number of women elected, few make it into Cabinet-level positions. Only in 2025 did Jamaica see its first woman head the influential Ministry of Finance when Fayval Williams succeeded Dr Nigel Clarke. In Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’ previous Cabinet of 19 members, six were women, three of whom were senators.

Set to be sworn in as prime minister again on Tuesday, there is anticipation about his new Cabinet selections.

Wedderburn expressed concern that unless additional successful female MPs are appointed to Cabinet, the increase in women winning seats might not translate into real influence over government decisions. She believes Grange and Williams will still feature in the Executive.

“It will be interesting to see who else will be in the Cabinet apart from Williams and Grange. [Simply] having more women in the JLP winning their seats will not make a difference to the functioning of the new Cabinet and the decisions it makes.”

Wedderburn also pointed out that merely having more women in Parliament does not guarantee greater attention to women’s issues. She criticised how gender concerns are often sidelined in government, typically confined to the Ministry of Gender Affairs rather than integrated across all portfolios.

Wedderburn advised young women aspiring to political careers to prepare for deep community engagement.

“First of all, are you willing to represent all the women in your constituency, not just party? And secondly, are you willing to consult them regularly, by division community groups, by youth groups, church groups? It doesn’t have to be a big group. Sit down with them and ask them to tell you what life is like in their community. Ask them questions about the situation in their homes. How many children do they have? Are they the single head? Are they earning an income? Is there a partner? Is that partner contributing to the household? And importantly, is there domestic violence? I firmly believe if you want to represent them you have to be able to represent what they are feeling,” she said.

The gender advocate, however, believes that with parliamentarians largely falling in line with their party’s positions on issues, it often stymies the approach women may want to take.

“When women are elected to be MPs or appointed as senators, to whom are these women accountable, the women of Jamaica or are they accountable to their party’s position?” she questioned.

She pointed to a recent incident involving allegations of domestic violence by a male politician and criticised Parliament’s response, which she described as “scary” and constrained by party politics.

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com

Government female MPs

Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn (St Andrew West Central)

Olivia Grange (St Catherine Central)

Fayval Williams (St Andrew Eastern)

Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert (Trelawny Southern)

Marlene Malahoo Forte (St James West Central)

Audrey Marks (Manchester North Eastern)

Juliet Holness (St Andrew East Rural)

Krystal Lee (St Ann North Western)

Tova Hamilton (Trelawny Northern)

Rhoda Moy Crawford (Manchester Central)

Kerensia Morrison (St Catherine North Eastern)

Opposition female MPs

Zulieka Jess (St Elizabeth North Eastern)

Natalie Neita-Garvey (St Catherine North Central)

Dr Angela Brown Burke (St Catherine South Western)

Nekeisha Burchell (St James Southern)

Yvonne Rose Shaw (St Thomas Eastern)

Andrea Purkiss (Hanover Eastern)

Heatha Miller-Bennett (Hanover Western)

Denise Daley (St Catherine Eastern)