Gender and Election Gender and Election ObservationObservation

Women and Elections

The National Democratic Institute

• Introductions• Ground rules• Ice breaker exercise

INTRODUCTIONS/INTRODUCTIONS/GROUND RULESGROUND RULES

GENDER AND ELECTION GENDER AND ELECTION OBSERVATION OBJECTIVESOBSERVATION OBJECTIVES

• To identify potential gender issues related to the electoral process

• To increase knowledge of how to incorporate gender aspects into election observer trainings, materials and reporting

GENDER AND ELECTION GENDER AND ELECTION OBSERVATION TOPICSOBSERVATION TOPICS

• Pre-election monitoring• Observer team composition• Training for observers• Short-term observers• Domestic observers• Observer reporting

KEY TERMSKEY TERMS• Election Observation• Short Term/Long Term/Domestic Observation

•Gender Analysis• Family/Proxy Voting •Gender-based electoral violence

Photo: NDI

Why observe elections? Part of checks and balancesEncourages transparencyAssesses quality of elections

Why observe elections? Part of checks and balancesEncourages transparencyAssesses quality of elections

ELECTION OBSERVATIONELECTION OBSERVATION

• Conducted by parties, NGOs, the media, government, international organizations

• Can be domestic or international• Partisan or non-partisan

TYPES OF ELECTION TYPES OF ELECTION OBSERVATION OBSERVATION

• Long Term Observers (LTO)

• Short Term Observers (STO)

• Domestic Observers

Photo: NDI

GENDER AND ELECTION GENDER AND ELECTION OBSERVATIONOBSERVATION

• Seeks gender equity for men and women– Voters– Candidates– Election administrators– Observers

Photo: NDI

WOMEN AS VOTERSWOMEN AS VOTERS

• Fundamental right• Can face physical, logistical, social

and cultural barriers

Photo: NDI

• Voter registration process• Disaggregate registration data by

sex and region

PRE-ELECTION: PRE-ELECTION: WOMEN VOTERSWOMEN VOTERS

Photo: LBCherney, NDI

• Analyze voter education programs • Determine particular voter

education needs

PRE-ELECTION: PRE-ELECTION: VOTER EDUCATIONVOTER EDUCATION

Photo: NDI

PRE-ELECTION: WOMEN PRE-ELECTION: WOMEN CANDIDATESCANDIDATES

• Gender analysis of election coverage

• Coverage of women candidates

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• Women in election administration

• Leadership and decision-making roles

PRE-ELECTION: ELECTION PRE-ELECTION: ELECTION ADMINISTRATIONADMINISTRATION

• Assess election administration’s gender awareness and responsiveness

PRE-ELECTION: ELECTION PRE-ELECTION: ELECTION ADMINISTRATIONADMINISTRATION

Photo: NDI

PRE-ELECTION PRE-ELECTION

• Gender analysis of electoral dispute resolution/complaint mechanisms

• Utilize women’s organizations

Civil Society Groups Can: Be a resource on the context for

women’ s participation May have information/ statistics

on women’s participation

Civil Society Groups Can: Be a resource on the context for

women’ s participation May have information/ statistics

on women’s participation

EXAMPLE/EXAMPLE/ EXERCISE EXERCISE

• Morocco pre-election assessment of 2011 parliamentary election

Photo: Andrew Farrand, NDI

• Polling station atmosphere and security• Number of women on polling station

committee and sex of the chairperson• Representation of women among party

poll-watchers• Women voters’ level of understanding

of the procedures• Sex-disaggregated voter data

SHORT-TERM ELECTION SHORT-TERM ELECTION DAY OBSERVERSDAY OBSERVERS

• Voters turned away • Protections for secrecy of the vote• Instances of family or proxy voting • Instances of gender-based electoral

violence• Compare voter rates at the central

and regional levels

SHORT-TERM ELECTION SHORT-TERM ELECTION DAY OBSERVERSDAY OBSERVERS

• Domestic groups positioned to identify obstacles for women

• Trainings and materials should:• highlight the importance of

women’s participation in elections• provide a basic understanding of

how to observe gender-related issues and possible irregularities

DOMESTIC OBSERVATIONDOMESTIC OBSERVATION

• Incident report forms should include relevant questions on gender issues

• Questions should be added to the checklist

DOMESTIC OBSERVATIONDOMESTIC OBSERVATION

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• Gender balance of team members

• Include a gender expert

COMPOSITION OF COMPOSITION OF OBSERVER TEAMSOBSERVER TEAMS

Ensure someone is designated as the gender focal point on the team.

Ensure someone is designated as the gender focal point on the team.

Photo: NDI

• Highlight importance of gender in the training

• Identify potential barriers and how to monitor these issues

• Include background information on women’s participation

TRAINING FOR OBSERVERSTRAINING FOR OBSERVERS

Include questions for monitoring throughout process and Election Day:

Training materialsLTO weekly report templatesElection Day observer checklists

TRAINING FOR OBSERVERSTRAINING FOR OBSERVERS

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• What is the level of women’s involvement in previous elections?

• What are the similarities and differences between previous elections and this one?

• What percentages of women are registered and vote in comparison to men? Is there a difference? If so, why?

INTERVIEWS WITH KEY INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERSSTAKEHOLDERS

• What are women’s voter participation rates? How do they compare to men’s?

• Are there unique barriers to women’s electoral participation? Have there been any threats unique to women?

• Previous voter education and outreach programs? By whom?

INTERVIEWS WITH KEY INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERSSTAKEHOLDERS

• Who are the key actors in election monitoring?

• Is there a coalition?• Are women/ women’s organizations involved?

INTERVIEWS WITH KEY INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERSSTAKEHOLDERS

Photo: NDI

• Participation of women as voters, candidates

• Number of women elected (vs. previous elections)

• Number of women in election administration

• Gender-related security incidents

OBSERVATION OBSERVATION STATEMENTSSTATEMENTS

GENDER AND ELECTION GENDER AND ELECTION OBSERVATION OBSERVATION REVIEWREVIEW

• Pre-election monitoring

• Short-term/election day observers

• Domestic observation

• Observer training• Observer

Reporting

Questions?

Feedback?

Photo: NDI