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
This International IDEA guidebook provides an overview of how electoral systems function with different kinds of quotas for women. It assesses how women’s representation can be increased under different combinations of electoral systems and quotas.
This report examines the political system in Jordan; identifies the obstacles and challenges facing women’s political empowerment; and determines the degree of prejudice in Jordanian society towards women's political empowerment.
This manual provides political party members with guidelines for building an effective media campaign. It discusses the importance of media campaigns as vehicles to communicate with citizens and to involve citizens in the work of the political party.
In January 2004, the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women convened an expert group meeting in Glen Cove, New York.
Despite the Philippines’ patriarchal institutions, narrow elite class, and repression of women, other social variables such as family ties, the Catholic Church, corruption, and gender symbolism have provided an opening for women to enter into the male-dominated political arena.
By providing an overview of the current situation of women in local governments in the Asia-Pacific region, this presentation identifies the factors that affect their involvement in local government; discusses the impact of women as transformative leaders; and offers proposals for change.
This manual provides political candidates with techniques to use during press briefings and interviews. It offers tips on writing effective press releases and general guidelines for effective campaign communication.
This training manual provides political parties and candidates with step-by-step guidelines for developing an effective campaign plan. It covers topics such as conducting campaign research, targeting voters, developing a campaign message, and constructing a voter contact plan.
This document consists of two papers, "Electoral Operations, Human Rights and Public Confidence in a Democratic System" and "Electoral Campaigns and Pre-Election Issues: The 'Level Playing Field' and Genuine Elections." Both papers were presented at the 1994 African Election Administrators' Coll