EISA Programme Puts Women in Parliament

Interview: Ms Aurélie Razafinjato, MP for Vohibato, Fianarantsoa II, Madagascar

Ms Aurelie Razafinjato, elected for the Vohibato constituency following the September 23 2007 Legislative Elections, speaks. The new lawmaker participated in the EISA capacity building programme for women in politics in Madagascar funded by the Norwegian government. Two other sitting MPs participated in the programme.

EISA: What led you to be candidate for the last legislative elections?
Aurélie R: I have to be a candidate since 2005. I wanted to become MP to bring about change in my constituency. Then I was working, and still am, with rural women's organisations from 38 communes of my constituency. As head of the regional education department for Fianarantsoa II, I also chaired the association Tim Fanabeazana which is the ruling party education committee. I believed I had the skills and the charisma necessary to be elected but I didn't know how to use them. I had many ideas but they were not well structured.

EISA: Did the EISA training prove useful for your election?
Aurélie R: Indeed, I seized the opportunity provided by EISA although I was enrolled at the last minute. I remember submitting my application on the deadline day. I wanted very much to attend the programme. I should also mention that I have participated in three election campaigns before attending the EISA programme. The first one was during the 2002 legislative elections, then the December 2006 presidential election. Finally, I was active during the April 4 2007 Constitutional referendum.

EISA: What did you then gain from the training, owing to that experience?
Aurelie R: The EISA training I attended from June 11 - 14 2007 has been very helpful. It gave me a clearer idea of how my campaign planning should look and provided me with tools to anticipate in the many obstacles I had to face. Above all, it gave me self-confidence and trust. Since I didn't get the nomination from the ruling TIM, my party, I could only stand as an independent candidate. To this end, I adopted the slogan Vohibato tapa-kevitsa (Vohibato, my constituency, determined) and was surrounded by a dynamic group of volunteers committed to the development of our area. And I must say I received the training that was needed to persuade the electorate. I did not also have enough money for campaign materials. Therefore my only chance was to associate the message I wanted to convey to voters with my image, so as to communicate efficiently and cost effectively.

EISA: Now that you are elected, what can you do to enhance other women's participation?
Aurelie R: Just after my election, I trained my teammates ahead of the municipal and communal elections. We managed to get four male candidates elected as mayors and 12 others as councilors. Unfortunately, women were still to make up their minds to stand but I am confident that this is a matter of time. On the other hand, I joined the independent MPs caucus to keep democracy alive in Parliament although we are very few in the group. What I wish to see are more and more capacity building programmes organised, such as the one from EISA. Dynamic women who are keenly interested in politics should be targeted accordingly in order to encourage them to stand for seats in the next elections. Women living in rural areas also need to be sensitised. I am looking forward to seeing the set up of the Malagasy women in politics network to foster our mobilisation and preparation for the next elections, and to having women take up 30% of decision-making positions in Madagascar.