Women s participation in the legislative process is further hampered by their lack of information and specific skills. A survey conducted by the Women s Empowerment Unit found that women in legislatures had problems reading complex financial documents quickly. They often kept silent because they felt their English skills were not sufficiently adequate for public debates. They also struggled to draft documents. Lack of in-depth understanding of gender and policy development meant that few were able to look at issues from a gender perspective impacting on the inclusion of gender in discussions.
Political parties constitute another obstacle to women s full participation.
Parties decide who should participate in plenary sessions and this selection process often reflects a male bias. ANC women have tended to be more visible and vocal than women from other political parties because the party has been more explicit about gender equality. Some of these obstacles have been slowly eroding as women have started changing things for themselves. However, these efforts have not remedied some of the underlying problems facing women in power. Funding and other logistical support for women s groups is still a problem.