Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine the participation and influence of female councillors in the decisions of the councils of local governments in Tanzania. The central question to be answered is: How and to what extents do women councillors (try to) exert influence in the decision making of councils as compared to male councillors.
The study employs both quantitative and qualitative ways of data collection and analysis. The attempts to influence council decision making by individual councillors over a certain period of time were distracted from the minutes of the council meetings. The data this yielded were statistically analysed. Besides that, qualitative data were collected by observations of meetings and by interviewing councillors.
The findings show that sex difference partly explains overall differences in participation. Male councillors are found to participate more in the decision making process than female councillors. However, there was no difference in participation between the group of male and the group of elected female councillors. The elected female councillors had a remarkable performance in councillors’ participation and influence. They were making more successful attempts with a higher success rate. Within the group of male councillors there was a small group of equally influential male councillors. This group is about the same size as the group of elected female councillors. In contrast, the special-seat councillors do not participate and influence the decisions to the same extent as elected councillors.
The study concludes by advising two alternatives to the existing special seats programme for increasing the number of female members in Tanzanian local councils: supporting women to participate in elections and accommodating the special-seats system in local government by allocating formal tasks to special-seat councillors.
The study employs both quantitative and qualitative ways of data collection and analysis. The attempts to influence council decision making by individual councillors over a certain period of time were distracted from the minutes of the council meetings. The data this yielded were statistically analysed. Besides that, qualitative data were collected by observations of meetings and by interviewing councillors.
The findings show that sex difference partly explains overall differences in participation. Male councillors are found to participate more in the decision making process than female councillors. However, there was no difference in participation between the group of male and the group of elected female councillors. The elected female councillors had a remarkable performance in councillors’ participation and influence. They were making more successful attempts with a higher success rate. Within the group of male councillors there was a small group of equally influential male councillors. This group is about the same size as the group of elected female councillors. In contrast, the special-seat councillors do not participate and influence the decisions to the same extent as elected councillors.
The study concludes by advising two alternatives to the existing special seats programme for increasing the number of female members in Tanzanian local councils: supporting women to participate in elections and accommodating the special-seats system in local government by allocating formal tasks to special-seat councillors.
| Original language | English |
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| Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
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| Award date | 13-Apr-2017 |
| Place of Publication | [Groningen] |
| Publisher | |
| Print ISBNs | 978-94-91676-04-8 |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |