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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

July 15, 2019
Female candidates in Japan Upper House poll at record 28%, but hitting 30% Diet target doubtful

The ratio of female candidates for the upcoming Upper House election hit a record high, but whether the country can achieve its target of raising the percentage of female lawmakers in the Diet to 30 percent remains uncertain.

July 15, 2019
Women's parliament representation at its highest post-reform

The General Elections Commission (KPU) released a report on its official Twitter account about women’s representation at the Indonesian parliament, which the commission deemed the highest&nbs

July 12, 2019
New polling shows how much sexism is hurting the Democratic women running for president

Over the last several years, debates between Republicans and Democrats have increasingly involved extremely 

July 12, 2019
Why men thought women weren’t made to vote

William T. Sedgwick believed that no good could come of letting women vote.

The prevention and mitigation of election-related violence: An action guide

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July 11, 2019

The prevention and mitigation of election-related violence: An action guide

Understanding and explaining outbreaks of election-related violence is a complex task; predicting whether forthcoming elections will turn violent, which factors may underlie or trigger violence, and what can be done to prevent violence is even more d

Understanding and explaining outbreaks of election-related violence is a complex task; predicting whether forthcoming elections will turn violent, which factors may underlie or trigger violence, and what can be done to prevent violence is even more d

Engaging young people and women in European Parliament elections

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July 11, 2019

Engaging young people and women in European Parliament elections

This Discussion Paper puts together relevant data on the inclusion of young people and women in European Parliament elections.

This Discussion Paper puts together relevant data on the inclusion of young people and women in European Parliament elections.

Thinking of running in 2020? Lessons learned from women who ran for congress in 2018

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July 11, 2019

Thinking of running in 2020? Lessons learned from women who ran for congress in 2018

By Julie Dolan and Paru Shah,

There’s a great deal of excitement leading up to the 2020 elections, in part because of the unprecedented numbers of women running for President.

By Julie Dolan and Paru Shah,

There’s a great deal of excitement leading up to the 2020 elections, in part because of the unprecedented numbers of women running for President.