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As Women in Public Life ramp up work to encourage women into public office, with a specific campaign aimed at increasing the number of female candidates in Guernsey's 2025 election, you may be wondering 'what is the point?'.
With fewer female deputies serving the island between 2020 and today, than during the last term of government, the team at WiPL may say that proves the need for their work.
Launched in January 2020, WiPL aims to "inspire and support the women of Guernsey to stand for public office".
By ‘public office’, the group means roles created by legislation or policy to which members of the public are elected or appointed. That does not just mean Deputies, it also covers roles such as Douzeniers and Jurats, and seats on various committees, panels, commissions and tribunals that are essential to different facets of island life.
Pictured: Shelaine Green is Chair of Women in Public Life.
The new campaign, launched today, is aimed solely at next year's island wide election for deputies though.
Using the #WomenStandGsy, the campaign will focus on the positives of being a States member, based on testimonials given by three women who were first elected to the States in 2020.
Deputies Sue Aldwell, Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, and Tina Bury have all given interviews which are being shared across social media platforms to highlight the work of current female politicians in the island.
Chair of Women in Public Life, Shelaine Green hopes this will encourage more women to follow in their footsteps.
"Yes, your skills are important in decision making, but you also bring your life experience and your personal values to the table – that's why representation is so important," she said.
"Currently only eight of the 38 Deputies in the States are women and this doesn’t reflect our population at all.
"If a woman stands for election she has just as much chance of success as a man. Guernsey simply needs more women to put themselves forward in the first place and our aim is to encourage that.
"If you’re a woman thinking of standing in June 2025, talk to us. We can help you think through whether it’s right for you and help you get up to speed on current issues, understand the election process and plan your campaign. And give you moral support – your island needs you."
As Shelaine explained above, just eight of the 38 Deputies currently in the States of Deliberation are women and this doesn’t reflect Guernsey's population at all.
The latest 'Facts and Figures' book, published by the States through data collated across numerous public services, shows that there are currently 26,325 females over the age of 20* living in Guernsey. (*You can stand for election at 18 but gov.gg data is given in age brackets split at 19 years old)
The total female population in the island - from age 0-90+ - is 32,436. That equates to 50.5% of the population. That means there are more females than males living, growing up, and working in Guernsey.
Yet just eight currently represent the island politically in the States - compared to 30 men. That's 20%.
The representation is better at parish level - where 32% of elected officials are women.
In the judiciary it is even higher, with 38% of Jurats women.
However, the figures are all well below 50.5% meaning women are not fairly represented in any of these areas of public life in Guernsey.
It's believed that some women may be reluctant to stand for election because of limited knowledge of the roles that are available, busy lives, concerns about being exposed to public scrutiny in a small island, and other individual concerns.
But WiPL say that women also experience other specific barriers that aren’t as common for men. These include global evidence* showing that women 'think they have to be perfect' before putting themselves forward as a candidate. (*Evidence includes research by Hewlett Packard showing that women assume they need to meet 100% of the criteria for a job before they apply, whereas a man will apply if he meets 60% of the criteria).
Other data suggests that women won't stand for election because they feel as if they won't belong. This includes public office roles where 'their face doesn't fit' because the majority are male or the woman doesn't meet other common factors. It's also suggested that women 'don’t get tapped on the shoulder as much as men do'.
WiPL says women also face other barriers including the burden of housework and childcare, which make it more difficult for them to stand for public office.
The new #WomenStandGsy campaign will see Women in Public Life encouraging women to stand for election, help prospective candidates with online election resources and offer in-person training sessions in the new year.
Videos sharing messages from Deputies Aldwell, Kazantseva-Miller, and Bury are being shared on social media from today.
WiPL hope this will all help more women feel able to stand as candidates in the upcoming island wide vote scheduled for next June.
WiPL is a volunteer group - currently led and advised by nine women, with one man on the committee too.
It is not a political party or association – "we support all women regardless of their political viewpoint. We don’t endorse or fund any candidate for any role", states WiPL on its website.
WiPL can be contacted HERE.
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