Elections
In order to promote women’s role in municipal politics, FCM has created a Standing Committee on Increasing Women’s Participation in Municipal Government. One of the tools this Committee has created to encourage and support more women in municipal government—including elected office—is this guide to municipal elections for women candidates.
This guide is designed to be a resource for women and for men who wish to promote the role of women in municipal politics. When reading this guide, remember that there is no single way to conduct election campaigns. In addition, this guide is by no means exhaustive. Municipal election policies and regulations vary by province and territory. This guide presents three appendices for those who have additional questions, or who would like clarification of the rules that apply in their own municipalities.
Click here to access the report.
An interview featuring Kate (Oxford) talking with Alyssa Humphrey from the Social Factory.
About Alyssa | Alyssa is a brand developer and digital media marketer located in Woodstock, Ontario with nine years of professional social media management, brand development and web design experience. Between her time in the agency world, coordinating projects, developing strategies, and cultivating brands, to working in-house for corporations and tech firms, Alyssa offers a truly holistic experience for those looking to develop and grow their online presence. An early adopter of social media for business, Alyssa uses this unique perspective to deliberately and tactfully guide her clients into the spotlight through social media strategy and management, content development, and website design. As a passionate advocate for small, local businesses, the majority of Alyssa’s client roster is made up of entrepreneurs looking to turn their small biz into a brand, rebrand an existing business or transition from brick and mortar to e-commerce. She was one of the pillars of SupportingOxford.ca and has been nominated for two Business Excellence Awards through the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at TheSocialFactory.ca
Click here to access the video.
A nationwide rollout of training on sexual and gender-based violence has recently concluded across Kenya to better equip law enforcement officials prevent and mitigate sexual violence during the country’s 2022 General Election.
A joint project from UN Women and OHCHR Kenya entitled has trained 141 police commanders on election security management. This four-day training specifically highlighted electoral-related sexual and gender-based violence and their specific role when dealing with these cases.
A further 846 officers across 12 potentially violent hotspot counties were also trained in public order management and prevention and response to violence against women in elections (VAWE). The participants were also taken through the process of developing County Election Security Operation Plans, with clear action plans developed.
Click here to read the full article published by UN Women on 26 July 2022.
Dozens of female candidates have been physically assaulted while campaigning ahead of the August 9 elections in Kenya.
Liz Njue, a Kenyan psychologist who wanted to stand for a county assembly seat, had just arrived to vote in her party primary when opponents attacked her, pulling her hair and tearing her blouse. She fled without casting her ballot and lost the race.
Njue is one of the dozens of female candidates who have been physically assaulted while campaigning for presidential, legislative and local elections on August 9, according to the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association.
Click here to read the full article published by Aljazeera on 1 August 2022.
In Zimbabwe, a deeply conservative country, fewer women have participated as candidates in elections since independence in 1980, compared to men.
Harare, Zimbabwe – On March 16, Thokozile Dube was attacked by a gang of assailants who stormed her yard at twilight in Mawabeni community in Matabeleland South province, 480km (300 miles) away from the capital, Harare.
It was 10 days to the Zimbabwean parliamentary and local government by-elections in which she was representing the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in a race for a council seat, the 61-year-old farmer said.
Click here to read the full article published by Aljazeera on 25 July 2022.
In nearly 50 years, PNG has elected just seven female MPs. Money, culture and corruption are all working against the women trying to address the problem.
When she first tried for a seat in the Papua New Guinea parliament in 2017, Rufina Peter was a political novice who’d had a gutful.
While many candidates solicit votes with lavish feasts and hollow promises, her shoestring campaign – handing out copies of her CV – struck a chord. She won the highest vote of any woman in the country, albeit not enough. PNG is one of only three nations in the world without a single woman in parliament. In its nearly 50 years since independence, the country has had just seven female MPs, meaning it has one of the worst records of female representation in parliament in the world.EN: Click here to read the full article published by Euronews on 4 November 2021.
Click here to read the full article published by The Guardian on 31 July 2022.