In most countries a woman’s right to vote is enshrined in law, leaving no formal legal barriers to the electoral participation of women. In practice, however, many obstacles still keep women from casting their vote. The hurdles can be daunting, especially for women looking to run for office and for women in post-conflict situations, and are often difficult to overcome.

This consolidated response considers how polling station management can increase women’s electoral participation. While polling station management offers no quick fix for the low level of women’s electoral participation in some parts of the world, it can make a substantial difference on voting day.

Just as Indonesia varies geographically, culturally and socially, so do women across the archipelago. Women’s roles have become increasingly public; women today enjoy many of the same educational opportunities as men and make up a significant proportion of the labour force. Women make up just under half of the civil service, and there are now more women than ever sitting in parliament.

The Government of Indonesia is committed to upholding women’s rights through a number of legal provisions, and is signatory to several commitments and covenants regarding gender equality. While a Presidential Decree issued in 2000 mandates gender mainstreaming as a task to be undertaken by the government, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment has drafted a new law on gender equality, which they hope to have passed this year, and implemented by 2011. The law would replace the Presidential Decree in order to ensure gender sensitive policies are implemented across all ministries and local governments, and would have the legal jurisdiction to do so.

The General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), proclaimed 2010 the “Inter-American Year of Women,” in recognition of the progress made and the challenges that remain to full equality between men and women. The Inter-American Year of Women 2010 constitutes a space for reflection, celebration and renewal of our commitment to advance towards the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights in the hemisphere.

Improving Liberia’s Transitional Justice Process by Engaging Women Publication Date: April 2010 Abstract: When women contribute, transitional justice efforts are more likely to address crimes of war. Women have knowledge of the distinct, complex violations of rights women suffer that can significantly inform truth commission mandates, judicial opinions, reparations schemes, and proposals for policy reform. In Liberia, following the 2003 resolution of two decades of violent conflict, the Women NGO’s Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) facilitated a series of regional women-only dialogues around the country to ensure that the voices, concerns, and priorities of local women were recognized and addressed in the transitional justice process. (4 pages)