This group was initiated following the query of Helena Catt, a consultant for UNDPs Global Programme for Electoral Cycle Support. Helena is currently searching for best practices on how women have been encouraged to vote in developing countries, for her report on Election Management Bodies. If you have good examples, don’t hesitate to share them here.

Her question was the following:

I’m compiling a report that showcases examples of actions introduced by Election Management Bodies in developing democracies with an aim of encouraging the electoral participation of women as voters, candidates and EMB staff at all levels.  We hope to cover the following areas: 

•  the registration process
•  the polling process, including security
• voter education and information
• internal staffing policies and actions, including appointment of Commissioners
• statements in strategic plan, vision statement 
• gender mainstreaming mechanisms
• enforcement of candidate gender quotas by EMB
• data collection and reporting that allows or shows gender position

From material on iKnow Politics and ACE I have examples from:

• Separate polling booths or stations in Lebanon, Jordan, Pakistan and Yemen
• Palestine procedure for women wearing a veil
• South Africa 1994 election various education and training programmes
• Issues around family voting in Macedonia
• Morocco 2002 education and media work
• Use of radio, song and film to counter illiteracy in Malawi, Afghanistan, Mali, Kenya
• Women only registration teams in Afghanistan
• Timor L’Este 2001 legislated gender quotas in staffing
• Candidate gender quotas in place

I’d appreciate information on other examples or suggestions on countries or specific elections to investigate.

If you have any advice or comments for Helena, please join this group and share your views. We are looking forward to a fruitful debate.

The iKNOW Politics Team