Violence against women in elections in Afghanistan: An IFES assessment
On October 20, 2018, Afghanistan held its long-delayed national parliamentary (Wolesi Jirga) elections.
The right to vote and the right to stand for election are two fundamental elements of democracy. Notably, many countries did not afford women the right to vote until the 20th Century. Even today, universal suffrage is not a given right in all countries, and women often face obstacles that undermine their participation in political and electoral processes. There are various ways to support women in overcoming these obstacles. Such methods include revising the electoral system used, applying affirmative action mechanisms such as quotas, improving voter education for women and training political candidates. These are a few of the modes available to strengthen women’s political participation .Photo©Jens Franssen
On October 20, 2018, Afghanistan held its long-delayed national parliamentary (Wolesi Jirga) elections.
Why does a lower proportion of women get elected than stand for election? That was a key question posed at a meeting held in Dublin to discuss the barriers facing women entering politics, in the wake of the recent local elections.
By Jennifer Hollett,
Politics is the worst.
With a record 78 MPs, this election proved that female candidates can win.
Meet some first-timers without any political lineage to find out the odds they conquered on the way to Parliament.
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