The participation of women in the electoral process is key for democracy. The provision of voter education can be an important tool for encouraging women to vote in elections and to assist them in making informed decisions about their vote.
Political party manifestos are a strategy to ensure women representation in all the political party structures. This is evident in manifesto of The African National Congress Party as an example. With such a provision in place women are covered in terms of numbers, though it does not automatically translate into their effective participation.
The information portal on Gender, citizenship and governance is an interdepartmental initiative. It is developed and managed by KIT Information and Library Services with support from KIT Development, Policy & Practice, area Social Development and Gender Equity. The target audience is formed by the global community of professionals (researchers, practitioners) involved in gender, citizenship and governance.
The information portal on Gender, citizenship and governance provides a unique entry point to free, full-text electronic publications, e-journals, e-newsletters, e-discussion groups and forums, websites, bibliographic databases, and directories of organizations and projects.
The portal brings together theoretical and practical perspectives on the interrelationships between gender, citizenship and governance. The information resources offered deal with the theory and practice of gender justice and citizenship, the responsiveness and accountability of governmental institutions to citizens, women in particular, and women’s capacity / ability to claim their rights. Themes addressed include political participation & representation, including quota's, decentralization & local government, women's rights, gender institutional mainstreaming, and gender-responsive budgeting.
In electoral and decision-making processes, women - and especially young women - often find themselves spectators rather than active participants. While there are many factors at play, non-education stands out as one of the key reasons for the lack of young women’s political participation. Women remain disproportionally affected by illiteracy in all parts of the world, but in Africa and Asia in particular girls face considerable difficulties acquiring basic reading and writing skills.
This consolidated response will first discuss how illiteracy and non-education affect political participation for young women. It will then examine how these issues can best be tackled by reviewing a number of strategies, policies and special programmes that have been used around the world to tackle illiteracy and help girls and young women engage in politics.
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.
This consolidated response highlights the important role that women play in referendum campaigns. It also discusses the importance of active participation of women and sensitivity to potential barriers to women’s participation in a referendum, especially in a post-conflict environment. The consolidated response provides examples from countries that have gone through the process of referenda and details how women and gender-related issues were addressed on these occasions.
This consolidated response highlights types of positive action measures, advocacy campaigns, women’s movements, and educational opportunities that help women in traditional and conservative societies to overcome some of the barriers that they face in politics and public life.
This consolidated response highlights tools used to empower women candidates, such as providing training, working with political parties, using affirmative action measures,and holding outreach campaigns. The consolidate response also provides several recommendations on how to reach out to women voters before and during elections, proactively engage women in voter registration, and hold voter education campaigns targeting both women and men.
