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Campaign Planning and Strategy

For women candidates, a successful campaign requires careful planning and strategizing. During the campaign planning stage, candidates set strategic campaign goals, including benchmarks for fundraising, volunteer recruitment, voter outreach and message development.

From the Library

Empowering Women for Stronger Political Parties

How women participate in political parties – and how those parties encourage and nurture women’s involvement and incorporate gender-equality issues – are key determinants of women’s political empowerment. They are also key to ensuring gender-equality issues are addressed in the wider society. If strategies to promote women’s involvement in the political process are to be effective, they should be linked to steps parties can take across the specific phases of the electoral cycle – the preelectoral, electoral and post-electoral phases – and to the organization and financing of the parties themselves. 
 
The most effective strategies to increase women’s participation in political parties combine reforms to political institutions with targeted support to women party activists within and outside party structures, women candidates and elected officials. These strategies require the cooperation of a variety of actors and political parties from across the political spectrum.
 
The Guide identifies targeted interventions that political parties can take to empower women. It is structured according to four phases, following an electoral cycle approach.

Political Campaign Planning Manual (Malaysia)

Originally developed a decade ago by NDI's staff team in Russia, this manual traveled the globe numerous times with localized updates. NDI's team of political party experts in Malaysia edited the version you hold for that specific context. In 2004, Indonesia's candidates ran campaigns using this manual and, later, candidates and their teams similarly followed the formula in that country's first directr elections for governors and mayors. In 2007, in the landmark elections required by the peace agreement in Aceh after a forty-year, conflict, a more substantial update to the manual gave candidates greater confidence to compete in the ever-changing world of campaign politics. The updates made to the manual reflect advances in targetting, message development and the use of technology in campaigns in every country; the lesson for all of us is that political campaigning is, quite simply, about effective planning. Campaigning techniques are refined over time. The lesson of political practitioners everywhere is to learn from each others' victories and mistakes. And, to make sure the campaign we run is appropriate to the context in which we are competing.

Advocacy and Running for Office: A Training Manual for Women

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This manual brings together training material used in Vital Voices advocacy and campaign skills trainings across the globe.  You can contact the editor at sfoster[at]stepheniefoster.com.

Campaign Plan & Strategy

Power point presentation, on campaign planning and strategy presented to women in political parties from Zambia and Lesotho, Pretoria, 1-5 November 2010.

Consolidated Response on Polling Station Management

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.

Consolidated Response on Women and Referenda

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.

Code of Conduct for Political Parties: Campaigning in Democratic Elections

This Code of Conduct assumes that governments, parties, organizations and individuals are each committed to multi-party pluralism and the democratic process. International IDEA reviewed several Codes of Conduct produced recently in various parts of the world, which are relevant and valuable to all democracies. Each of the Codes reviewed was developed at a time when the democratic process was facing significant challenges, and was implemented with the intention of minimizing conflict, eradicating intimidation, and encouraging a climate of open, free and fair competition during the election period.

Handbook for Women Candidates

This Handbook for Women Candidates is the result of a series of workshops and meetings with women candidates and women active in political parties in Khartoum. It contains a toolkit on election campaigning and public speaking and is drafted specifically to meet the needs of candidates in emerging democracies.

Ina Puken Tula Tuen Lewotana - The Woman Who Changed the World

This video introduces Petronela Peni, the first woman village head in Flores. Gender inequality in her customs made the struggles of Peni and her women colleagues difficult, but gradually she won the trust and support of her people. As a village leader Peni is trying to make breakthroughs in simplifying funeral and wedding rituals which have been financially burdening poor villagers. Click below to watch the video:

CANVAS Core Curriculum

The CANVAS Core Curriculum provides a wealth of information on a broad range of topics relevant to waging nonviolent conflict. It combines theoretical insights about nonviolent struggle with practical knowledge that is based on the authors’ and activists' real world experience. The presentation is organized in a workshop format, and each chapter serves as a lesson plan. These lesson plans were created, tested and refined by the authors through their experience leading workshops. The curriculum contains helpful graphics, tips, and important notes to make sure that valuable information is retained. Many of the lessons also contain practical exercises, which are designed so that activists can create “products” that will be directly useful in their struggles.