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United Nations

Supporting Women’s Political Participation
across the Electoral Cycle

ational and local elections can support Women’s Participation, which serves as an election
women’s political participation in watchdog were established. Moreover, about
N multiple ways, but specific measures 500,000 people from 27 governorates have signed
may be required to overcome the barriers of a National Charter highlighting women’s aspirations
gender discrimination. Women candidates may for the future of their country. The Government is
face gaps in capacities or resources that prevent implementing the “Women’s Citizenship” initiative to
them from competing effectively, for instance. If issue ID cards to 2 million women who need them to
polling stations are located in remote or unsafe vote and access public services.
areas, women voters may be reluctant to use After Kenya’s 2010 Constitution guaranteed
them. Sometimes electoral management bodies are gender equality and the use of affirmative
unaware of hindrances to women’s participation action, a gender audit of a draft Political Parties
because they do not have the knowledge, skills or Bill was conducted to see if principles were
data to analyze and correct these. translating into practice. The Interim Independent
Electoral Commission subsequently adopted
Solutions recommendations to make the bill more gender-

UN Women works on measures supporting responsive. When it passed into law, it stipulated
women’s political participation across the electoral that the registration of political parties depends on
cycle, including through coordinated efforts with having no more than two-thirds of any gender in
partners. One major focus is the adoption and their governing bodies. Another provision requires
implementation of temporary special measures filling vacant seats in the legislature with people of
or quotas, a proven mechanism for increasing the the same gender.
number of women in politics. Women civil society and government leaders in
It is important to advocate for and provide Colombia, advocated for the adoption of a 30-per-
evidence to inform national electoral regulations. cent quota for women candidates in national
These should ensure that women have fair elections. To engage the broader public, an ad
opportunities to campaign and register to vote, and campaign drove home the message that “Democracy
are protected from election-related violence. without women is incomplete.”
Other pertinent activities comprise training The expert panel included: Boris Navasardian,
women as effective political candidates and leaders. President, Yerevan Press Club, Yerevan, Armenia,
Engagement with political parties encourages Prof. Kwesi Prempeh, Director, the Centre for
greater gender sensitivity, such as through internal Democratic Development, Accra, Ghana, Prof.
regulations and practices to promote women’s Miroslaw Wroblewski, Director, Constitutional,
leadership. International and European Law Department Office
At a critical point in Egypt’s political transition, of the Commissioner for Human Rights and Prof.
first Egyptian Feminist Union, comprising 500 Hajer Gueldich, Faculty of legal, Political and Social
women’s groups who advocate with a unified voice, Sciences, Tunis-University of Carthage; Member,
and the Egyptian Coalition for Civic Education and African Union Commission on International Law
Tunisia.

Source: UN Women. Link to original: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/elections

42 | VoICE International | October 2022