Annexes. Annex1: Attendance List Annex 2: Concept Note Annex 3: Final Agenda

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1 International seminar on electoral violence against women: Strategies to prevent violence against women in the upcoming elections in Tunisia Tunis, October 1-2, 2014 Hotel Golden Tulip - El Mechtel P / Introduction 2. Opening Session and general introduction to the seminar 3. Defining Violence Against Women in Election in the Tunisian context 4.Landscape on Tunisian initiatives to combat, prevent and mitigate electoral Gender based electoral violence 5. Lessons learned from comparative experiences 6. Conclusions 7. Strategies for short term and mid-term to prevent and mitigate gender based election violence 8. Final Recommendations Annexes Annex1: Attendance List Annex 2: Concept Note Annex 3: Final Agenda 1

2 1. Introduction International IDEA and CEMI/TSOP organized, within the The joint International IDEA and Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy s (NIMD) program Respect for women s political rights: participation and leadership of women in politics in Tunisia, an International seminar on electoral violence against women: Strategies to prevent violence against women in the upcoming elections in Tunisia on 1-2 October 2014 ar Golden Tulip-El Mechtel Hotel in Tunis. This international seminar has special importance. Beside it is organized just before the legislative and presidential elections (October-December 2014), interviews with some female politicians during the candidate nomination phase for the forthcoming legislative elections revealed that the fear of political violence in general and gender based election violence in particular are among the most important reasons women rejected their party s proposals to head or be included in the party list. The program will focus, during the entire course of the project, on the theme of political violence against women in order to sensitize the main national stakeholders on possible strategies to monitor and prevent gender-based political violence. This international seminar, as it is the first activity dealing with this issue, will focus on the electoral violence against women. It aims to: 1. raise awareness on gender based election violence among the main electoral stakeholders 2. Assess gaps and identify needs to prevent and mitigate gender based election violence 3. Provide comparative experiences on good practices to combat, prevent and mitigate gender based election violence and foster discussions and exchanges of practises among Tunisian and non-tunisian electoral actors. 4. Agree on preliminary urgent actions to be taken by the main electoral stakeholders during campaign period, Election Day and results periods to prevent and mitigate gender based election violence. Around 100 participants, from Tunisia and other countries such as Nepal, Cote d Ivoire, United States of America, Italy, Portugal, attended this seminar (See: Annex 1- Attendance List). The participants were: Representatives of partners political parties Representatives of NGOs promoting women s political participation Representatives of domestic observation missions focusing on women s participation in elections Representatives of ISIE and HAICA Representatives of the Secretariat of State for Women and Family and other governmental institutions. Experts from Tunisia and abroad Representatives of international governmental and non-governmental organizations promoting women s participation in the legislative and presidential elections of

3 Media professionals 2. Opening Session and general introduction to the seminar *Mrs. Lamia Zargouni, the ISIE representative, opened the seminar by highlighting the importance of the issue she would address given, in particular, the highly competitive and charged atmosphere in the country, which is different from the general atmosphere surrounding the elections of the National Constituent Assembly. She stressed the interest the ISIE has in the issue of electoral violence against women and how it works to mitigate election violence to ensure the conduct of free and genuine elections which involve different parties from across the political spectrum as well as inclusive of women and men without any form of discrimination. Mrs. Shana Kaiser emphasized that International IDEA is concerned with the issue of electionrelated violence and electoral risks constituting two elements that can generate a strong negative impact on opportunities to establish democracy and gender equality. Then, Mr. Chafik Said introduced the Centre of Mediterranean and International Studies and the program of the Tunisian School of Politics which was launched in the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution. Mrs. Mouna Tabei, from International IDEA, presented the objectives of the seminar, the topics to be addressed and the methodology to be adopted to achieve the set of objectives (Appendix No. 2 the Concept Note). She invited party leaders, men and women at the opening of the seminar to diligently attend all seminar sessions in order to confirm their political will in support of women political participation and to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of elections for female candidates and voters. Mrs. Donia Ben Romdhane elaborated, in her presentation, on how the risk of election-related violence against women increased in recent years along with the increase of women participation in the political sphere. She added that field studies conducted throughout the world show that electoral and political violence against women aims at: 1. hindering women participation in elections and in the political and public life in general 2. punishing women who dared to: challenge a patriarchal system that lays the foundation of the society and is established by the State, act not in line with gender-based expectations of society which impact the roles of men and women and break the prevailing social rules. 3. reestablishing the traditional distribution of gender roles. 4. delivering a message to women and society in general that women do not belong to the world of politics and should be confined to the private sphere. 3

4 She noted that the importance of electoral/political violence against women resides in its connection with (1) the integrity of elections which cannot be duly maintained in the presence of violence (2) the principle of gender-inclusive system of governance in the state and (3) women s effective exercise of their human rights as consecrated in the national legal system (on the one hand, political rights given that fear and intimidation restrict women s ability to effectively contribute in politics and on the other hand, civil rights since restricting the free movement of women could hinder their ability to fully participate in the political field). She pointed out that the most important challenges which are faced when addressing electoral/political violence against women include: (1) Not recognizing electoral/political violence against women and in some cases, the phenomenon is denied by different stakeholders: political parties / courts / EMB / media / the government (2) Keeping silent about the phenomenon which may result in shortage of data, information and studies about facts on electoral violence against women, the parties who exercise and incite such violence as well as the extent thereof. (3) The complexity of the problem: Violence is linked to personal or cultural issues or in some cases issues that know no geographical boundaries (cross-border crimes) and complex crimes which can amount to crimes against humanity (Kenya/ Cote d'ivoire). (4) No full legal framework in place to protect women or failure to enforce existing legislation sufficiently and effectively. She then introduced the concept of electoral violence against women, its types, forms, effects, parties who exercise such violence and roles which render women more vulnerable to violence. She presented, thereafter, comparative examples of successful strategies developed to prevent and mitigate election-related violence against women. She also thanked the two experts, Mrs. Gabrielle Bardall and Mrs. Mona Krouk, who put at her disposal unpublished reports and studies to be used in this seminar. 3. Defining Violence Against Women in Election in the Tunisian context Mrs. Hamida El Bour showed in her presentation on electoral violence against women in Tunisia that women, in particular, whether they are candidates, party adherents or supporters of political parties were subject to different forms of violence prior and during the electoral process (verbal and physical assaults as well as psychological and virtual violence in cyberspace through social media). She added that violence did not yet reach its highest levels though the phenomenon needs to be addressed. To achieve this, it is required to collect testimonies of violence and compile statistics in this regard. She noted that political parties and civil society launched on the occasion of the legislative and presidential elections of 2014 a number of initiatives to renounce electoral violence in general and specifically against women. She mentioned in particular: 4

5 * The document that was signed by political parties which is entitled Principles for an Election without Violence and contains political parties rejection of different forms of physical, virtual and psychological violence during the electoral campaign as well as their commitment to fight all forms of violence against women to ensure their effective participation in the elections. * The initiative of women against violence which was launched in March She referred to the results of an opinion poll conducted by UNDP on Tunisians perception about women s political participation 1 whereby it was concluded that: * The majority of Tunisians who support the presence of women in the political life are aged between 45 and 59 and over. * the youth between the age of 18 and 29 years old are the least supportive of parity between men and women on candidate lists and the presence of women in political decision-making positions. * 63% of Tunisians do not support the idea that a Tunisian woman holds the office of the President of the Republic. * 59% of Tunisians believe that women do not provide any added value to politics. * 18% of Tunisians intend to vote for a woman in the next elections. * 20% of Tunisians consider that women lack the necessary skills and attributes required to take part in the political life. She stressed the importance of identifying the roots of violence against women by examining this discriminatory attitude towards women. She added that this field survey showed paradoxically at the same time that 49% of Tunisians think that women in political positions may help in reducing political violence while 76% consider that if electoral violence is lessened, women would be motivated to participate in the political life. She then addressed political leaders among the attendees to ask them to implement the necessary reforms and develop the required policies which aim to mitigate political violence in order to encourage the political participation of women and change stereotypes which determine the role of women and men in society. Mr. Chawki Gaddes participated to the seminar with a presentation on the legal framework for fighting electoral violence against women where he indicated that Article 46 of the new Tunisian Constitution places a general obligation on the state which shall take all necessary measures in order to eradicate violence against women. However, the new Electoral Law 2, 1 The opinion poll, which was on Tunisians perception about the political participation of women in Tunisia, was administered by 3C Etudes which was commissioned by UNDP Country Office in Tunisia for the period between 3 and 27 October, 2013 across Tunisia. 2 Organic Law No dated May 26, 2014 on Elections and Referenda, the Official Gazette No. 42 dated May 27, 2014 p

6 adopted in 2014, does not contain any provision on forms of violence which can be exercised against women in particular during the electoral process, which entails that there are no specific sanctions applicable in this regard. He further explained that it is possible to deter violence against women during the electoral process based on Article 52 and 56 on principles of electoral campaign in the Electoral Law wherein it is stated that electoral campaigning is subject to ( ) non-promotion of hatred, violence, intolerance, and discrimination. He also noted that Articles 162 and 164 thereof provide for financial penalties and a punishment of imprisonment for non-compliance with the law. He then presented a set of recommendations including the following: Organizing workshops after the elections and during the evaluation of the electoral process to identify cases of violence against women during the electoral process and compile recommendations on strategies to mitigate these practices to be presented to the parliament to amend the Electoral Law by including provisions on deterrence of electoral violence against women. Conduct education and awareness activities for men and women on characteristics of violence against women during the electoral process to raise their awareness and sensitize them on the phenomenon of violence against women. Mobilize public opinion against this phenomenon to promote a zero tolerance attitude towards violence and change the mindsets. Train women on communication techniques to be able to respond to violence against them. Impose strict sanctions, including incarceration, on persons who exercise electoral violence against women. 4. Landscape on Tunisian initiatives to combat, prevent and mitigate electoral Gender based electoral violence Many initiatives were presented at this session to fight electoral violence against women from women associations, national organizations observing the elections, political parties, international organizations and regulatory bodies. In what follows, key points which were highlighted in the proposed initiatives will be presented. * The Center for Humanitarian Dialogue: It facilitated the dialogue between political leaders from across political spectrum on ethical obligations and the required conduct in order to rationalize political relations and preserve peace and security in all electoral events. The dialogue lasted more than 8 months and resulted in the signing of a pact of honor entitled a "Charter of Honour of parties, coalitions and independent candidates for elections and referendums in the Republic of Tunisia." The Charter addresses the issue of electoral violence and sets out the obligations required from signatories thereto in this regard. The Charter provisions on electoral violence distinguish between (1) violence where part of the responsibility is placed on political parties or where it can be avoided (violence against voters, 6

7 candidates, supporters and citizens in general) and (2) unexpected violence (arises from terrorist acts, a political assassination or a natural disaster). These provisions also provide for procedures agreed upon by parties to handle cases of violence. Although the Charter does not contain principles with particular focus on women, principles and obligations set out therein can be used to protect women from election-related violence. The Charter was signed on July 22, 2014 by more than 20 parties and movements. It is to be noted that there was only one female leader among the signatories. * The League of Female Tunisian Voters (LET): As part of a program implemented to support female leaders in the public sphere, LET conducted a training session for 8 young women in the legal field and gender issues in order to accompany female leaders and in their campaigns and public meetings as well as report and document cases of violence against them. The initiative encouraged women to increase their field activities. The program involved 144 women with 70% of whom affiliated with different political parties and 30% members of civil society organizations. 70 women out of 100 expressed a desire to run for the legislative elections. 16 women managed to be nominated as candidates by their parties. (3 women as heads of candidate lists and 6 in the second place and the others were in different positions on the list). This limited success was due to several factors including moral and verbal violence exercised by political parties against their female members. One aspect of violence is justified on the pretext that the Electoral Law does not oblige appointing female candidates as heads of lists and that people in the regions do not welcome the idea of women heading candidate lists One women was subject to verbal violence exercised by her fellow party member because she endorses the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Violence against Women. Evidence shows that most women who are affiliated with political parties refrain from reporting violence against them because they fear this would damage their reputation or the political career they are pursuing within their parties. In addition, LET prepared a guide on election observation from gender perspective. It also prepared a number of forms including one form to document cases of violence against female voters and candidates. Recommendations drawn from observations will be presented to the ISIE in order to provide assistance for developing the Electoral Law with respect to municipal and regional elections. * International IDEA: International IDEA launched a project designed to prepare a practical manual for observing women participation in the Tunisian elections and a number of questions that could be used by election observation organizations to observe the electoral participation of women. The manual and questions will be piloted in 2014 legislative and presidential elections. Although this practical manual takes into account the Tunisian legal framework, it provides a work methodology that could be used by organizations working in the field of elections throughout the world. The manual outlines the range of the electoral operations that are conducted during one electoral cycle and is targeted at 6 stakeholders throughout the 6 phases of the electoral cycle. The manual addresses the issue of electoral violence against women and sets out a number of questions on electoral violence exercised against EMBs as well as national and international observation groups (while observing the electoral campaign, polling day, the counting process and the period between elections for it 7

8 is during this period that laws are developed, specific measures are taken and capacity building of institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs) is enhanced with respect to prevention strategies against electoral and political violence directed at women). Therefore, the project effectively contributes in reducing one of the major difficulties faced by persons working in the field of fighting electoral and political violence against women by addressing the lack of data and information on the issue in question. This practical manual was developed to observe women participation in the Tunisian election in partnership with the 3 organizations: (1) The Association for Transparency and Integrity of the Elections (ATIDE), (2) " "Tunisia Votes" Association and (3) Tunisian Association of Women and Leadership. An agreement was reached with the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law and the Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR) to provide assistance to the other organizations which partnered on this project by collecting data, reports and information. * ATIDE: In 2014, ATIDE worked on the observation of the entire electoral process starting from the preparation of the legal framework and extending to the registration process, the electoral campaign, polling day, counting of votes and the announcement of results The association included questions aiming at gathering data on women participation in the questionnaires it prepared to observe every stage of the electoral process. For example: what is the number of women among the registration staff of IRIEs? Was there any woman in the electoral campaign? How many were they? Was there any woman on the rostrum during the electoral campaign? In addition, other questions related to violence which may be exercised on women whether they are candidates, voters, registration agents or tabulation workers The association coordinated with International IDEA in this field. Although ATIDE does not specialize in the observation of the participation of women in elections, it was noted that the number of the association female observers exceeded the number of men (67% women compared to 33 % men). * The Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA): tracking violence against women in audiovisual media: Convinced, since the establishment of the monitoring unit in February 2014, of the seriousness of the phenomenon of violence against women in audiovisual media, HAICA included in the specifications to create audiovisual media an article which places an obligation on audiovisual media to be committed to refraining from broadcasting any speech inciting discrimination, hatred and violence on racial, ethical, religious grounds or origin. It also created an observatory for tracking infringement by audiovisual media. Prior to the election campaign, the HAICA set up a work team to track violations against women and hate speech which incites violence against women. The work team is tasked with identifying the party responsible for such violations whether the press, the audience, political or religious actors. 8

9 Professional behaviors of journalists were categorized as follows: accomplice, spectator and intermediary. HAICA issued a manual for journalists on how to undertake their work in preparation for the media coverage of the election campaign. Among the recommendations brought by HAICA in this regard, the following could be mentioned: * using neutral language: avoiding reference to feminine characteristics * using precise language: such expressions as "female voter, female citizen, and female candidate should be used to highlight her capacity and avoid the vague and frequent use of the term woman. * involve women not just around issues of concern to women but also in addressing all issues. * ensure that women interviewees do not appear in stereotypical role: in the kitchen or as a babysitter. * use professional language without being arrogant, comic or funny while showing respect to the women interviewees. 5. Lessons learned from comparative experiences Mrs. Imen Houimel, the Director General of the State Secretariat of Women and Youth, outlined the importance of learning from from national and international experiences to adjust interventions, improve performance and avoid mistakes. She noted that Tunisian women are victims of different forms of violence (verbal/physical/moral) either directly or indirectly. She also brought to view that women are underrepresented as heads of candidate lists (12%) and in media outlets intended to introduce themselves and their electoral program 9

10 together with discrimination suffered by female candidates in campaign financing. These elements all constitute forms of violence suffered by women and affect their participation in political and public and limit the opportunities for an increased representation of women in decision-making positions. She added that the State Secretariat in charge of Women and Youth relaunched a national strategy to combat violence against women. The strategy comprises the following 4 key elements: 1. Gather and use data on violence 2. Appropriate and diversified services (a green number to answer calls, guidance, counseling and accommodation centers) 3. Awareness-raising and sensitization to bring about institutional and social change in order to combat all aspects of violence 4. Lobbying and advocacy campaigning intended to review legislation and incriminate perpetrators of violence. The Director General of the State Secretariat of Women and Youth referred to Article 46 of the new Tunisian Constitution which places the obligation on the state and thereby the State Secretariat to translate constitutional provisions into effective strategies to combat violence against women. She added that the State Secretariat prepared a draft framework law to combat violence against women and address the issue of violence against women during elections and outside election periods. She indicated that a national committee comprising experts, representatives of civil society and representatives from relevant ministries was set up to establish the process of preparing a new draft law. A drafting committee composed of experts from various fields was also formed to draft a bill under the auspices of the State Secretariat of Women and Youth. She noted that the process of law drafting was consensual and participatory given the regional consultations held on the bill to gather the maximum amount of feedback. Principles underlying this framework law on combating violence against women were referred to the National Constituent Assembly on August 13, 2014 in the presence of 4 ministries in order to gain political support and get the bill passed. The Ministry hoped that the project will be ready by November 25, 2014 to be introduced within the context of the global campaign to combat violence against women. The Ministry also wishes that the draft law will be ratified as soon as possible. Three comparative experiences from different countries and different parts of the world were presented. * The experience of Nepal: Mrs. RajjuMallaDhaka, the Executive Director of the Center for South Asian Strategic Studies presented an overview about the participation of Nepali women in representative bodies and referred to several reasons which explain their low presence in those bodies. Notable among them being victim of visible (physical and verbal) and invisible 10

11 or moral violence while remaining silent on the issue. She indicated that in the 2013 elections, women suffered from psychological harm and threats and noted that it is difficult to address this type of violence. She added that in some cases it was indeed women themselves who exercised violence against other women. She pointed out to a number of strategies for mitigating aspects of electoral violence against women including the following: 1. Develop an integrated approach to gender in electoral administration 2. Train security agents on how to detect and address cases of invisible violence 3. Review the legal framework by passing laws which impose sanctions for committing moral and invisible violence and thereby avoiding recourse to the interpretation of legal texts on physical and verbal violence 4. Conduct a permanent campaign in all media against violence 5. Reinforce media capacities in order to maintain its impartiality 6. Promote positive images of women participation in politics 7. Enhance the access of women to courts competent in adjudicating election disputes. 8. Cooperate with political parties to promote a women-friendly environment. * The experience f the United States: Mrs. Melanie Allen, from International IDEA, presented a general overview of women participation in the political life within the United States. She 11

12 explained how women whether they are voters or candidates face different forms of electoral and political violence although the most frequent type of violence which occurs during the electoral process is psychological and symbolic. She noted that the main perpetrators of violence against women are: traditional media, alternative media, the general public through the use of social media. Traditional media exercises psychological and symbolic violence against women during the electoral process by the use of a discriminatory discourse with bias towards male candidates to the detriment of female candidates (The media focuses on appearances, family characteristics and personal traits when it comes to female candidates. With respect to male candidates, the media focuses more on the stance they take towards diverse political attitudes and general policies. Female candidates of exquisite femininity are depicted as persons with limited competence while female candidates known for their diligence are represented as unfeminine). Alternative media and the general public exercise psychological and symbolic violence against women in social media. Discriminatory discourse in media and offensive language as well as threats are used. Posting photos is among the most serious methods of abuse against candidates. Mrs. Melanie Allen illustrated her remarks with some examples in this regard drawn from practices of Texas legislature and the elections of 2008 when Sarah Palin run for Vise-President and Hilary Clinton for President. She identified the most important challenges which face the United States in combating electoral violence as follows: * EMBs are established in all the fifty states and every EMB operates under a legal and organizational framework it sets for itself, making it difficult to have one definition for electoral and political violence in order to be able to combat it in a systematic and effective manner. * Lawmakers are reluctant to put restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press enshrined in the Constitution. They are also reluctant to act against speeches which are regarded in other countries as inciting hatred, gender discrimination and racism. * The desired outcome of measures taken to address violence in alternative media and social networking sites is often achieved too late that is when the injury is already suffered by the person targeted by violence. * There is no way to know what could be written in alternative and social media in the absence of legal texts which hold perpetrators of violence in media accountable. * The difficulty to trace perpetrators of violence because they can hide their identity. * Absence of legal texts which define political/electoral violence based on gender particularly in cyberspace. Mrs. Melanie Allen presented examples of initiatives implemented to combat psychological and symbolic violence: 12

13 * The initiative of Name It. Change It which targets traditional media: A civil society project which aims at tracking biased media coverage against female candidates, women who hold elected positions and women who are recruited in the private sector in a view to prevent and combat such practices. * An initiative targeted at social media: In response to Slap Hillary Game in social media, Emily s List mobilized members of its network on the web to collect signatures in 24 hours to urge for refraining from funding the PAC which released the game and any other group which calls for violence against women. She added that field studies have shown that whenever women speak about discriminatory practices which they endure, the more positive the effect would be on the voter. Therefore, female candidates and politicians should react and face discriminatory practices early and systematically even when such practices target their opponents (an example: Mrs. Annette Bosworth, a doctor who run in the Republican Party primaries for the Senate in 2004, invited artists to a hall whose walls were decorated with expressions posted in social media to discredit and insult her. She held a press conference to expose these discriminatory practices against her. * The experience of Cote d'ivoire : Mrs. Namizata Sangare, from the National Commission for the Promotion of Human Rights, presented a general overview of the political crisis which erupted after the announcement of presidential elections in She explained how violence broke out between supporters of the two presidential candidates who both declared their victory. The Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission recorded deaths among citizens, including 40% women. She added that the civil society conducted a study to document, categorize and map cases of violence against women in order to draw lessons learned and develop preventive strategies for the future. She presented excerpts from the report prepared in this regard and underscored the importance of the role of CSOs working in the field of election observation because in doing so they may note aspects of tension and this will alert electoral authorities responsible for the conduct of the elections to take immediate measures to mitigate violence. She also emphasized the importance of developing a national legal framework on combating violence against women in accordance with the international obligations arising from international conventions which have been ratified. 6. Conclusions Women active in politics have suffered from political violence since before the revolution. Thereafter, they have become victims of new forms of political violence where it appears that this violence is due to various reasons including the demonizing of political work and political parties which created tension towards parties with a more negative impact on female members. Moreover, the lack of transparency within political parties and the lack of democratic culture even among politicians themselves 13

14 as well as the prevailing patriarchal culture are among the reasons which explain political violence against women within political parties. There is a gap between law and practice: There are general legal texts which incriminate violence in general or punish its perpetrator. However, these texts are not an effective deterrent in most of the cases. There is also a legislative vacuum with respect to various new aspects of political violence endured by women. Producing a real change in the mindset occurs more quickly in the presence of legal texts prompting new practices. Lack of studies and statistics about electoral and political violence against women. There are men active in political parties and civil society who support the participation of women in political life and condemn violence against them. They should be involved to provide assistance in raising public awareness. 7. Strategies for short term and mid-term to prevent and mitigate gender based election violence The participants were divided into groups to discuss the following three topics: Topic 1: What role can political parties play to create a friendly environment for women during the 2014 elections both in the long and medium term? Topic 2: What role can CSOs play to create a friendly environment for women during the 2014 elections both in the long and medium term? Topic 3: What role can the ISIE and HAICA play to create a friendly environment for women during the 2014 elections both in the long and medium term? Each group comprised: representatives from political parties representatives from CSOs working in the field of election observation and in the field of enhancing political participation of women journalists and representatives from the ISIE and HAICA. In what follows, key points of what was agreed upon among the groups and in the plenary session after groups reported back their presentations to the plenary. Topic 1: What role can political parties play to create a friendly environment for women during the 2014 elections both in the long and medium run? The working groups considered that violence within political parties exists and takes different forms: psychological / symbolic / intellectual / physical. It exists prior, during and after the elections. 14

15 What forms of electoral violence can be found in political parties? Not appointing female candidates to the head of lists Rejecting candidate application of a number of militant women Exercising male guardianship over female candidates The absence of women in the media landscape and in political programs Providing financial support to male candidates more than female candidates At which stage of the electoral process violence can occur? Recommendations to mitigate violence Prior to elections Amending the law by mandating horizontal and vertical parity. Ensuring that the party committee in charge of nominating candidates is not composed only of male members. Prior to elections During the campaign period During the campaign period During the campaign period Preparing female party members for the elections by conducting specific and comprehensive training programs taking into account their specific needs in some areas (in communication especially) and encouraging them so that political parties do not use any pretext to reject candidate applications submitted by women. Enhancing women presence in party leadership structures to involve her in decision making within the party. Training women in the field of politics, communication and enhancing women presence in the media Establish control over party distribution of financial resources among male and female candidates during the electoral campaign in order to enhance gender equality in party funding. 2/ What are the decisions and steps that could be taken by parties to prevent, mitigate and combat electoral violence against women who are party militants (in the medium and long term)? * At the level of practice: - maximize training sessions for female party members to reinforce their capacity, skills and raise their self-confidence in order to encourage them to express their desire to hold leadership positions in the party. - using standardized means of communication with male and female members without excluding women by the use of other means of communication with them. - setting up a discipline/control committee to track any violation or case of violence against female party members. - issuing statements to condemn any form of violence which could be suffered by female party members. 15

16 - promoting women presence in media and refrain from demonizing political work. * At the level of guidelines which govern the work of parties: Reviewing the statutes of political parties by mandating gender parity in party leading bodies. * At the level of discourse: Adopting a discourse which clearly supports women participation in the public sphere and calls for the change of mindsets and discriminatory practices. 3/ Who is the body within the political party in charge of combating electoral and political violence against women? The participants distinguished between violence against female party members inside the party and outside it. It was emphasized that political parties shall take a strict position in both cases. The body responsible could be: - An internal committee if violence is committed by party members. - The political bureau or a leading body if violence is exercised from outside the party. In this case, a clear public stand should be taken by condemning violence exercised against female party members. 4/ What initiatives could be developed to combat electoral violence against women and could involve different political parties? Conduct training and awareness sessions on political and electoral violence involving several parties. Draft a code of conduct and involve several political parties in the drafting process Form a coalition which comprises members from different political parties and civil society to be in charge of condemning violence against women politicians and developing strategies for mitigating violence either at the party or legal level. 5/ Can the women committee play a role in combating political violence against women? The participants noted that most of the parties do not include women committees. They suggested that political parties set up special women committees which comprise men and women and is charged with tasks including tracking every aspect of political violence suffered by female party members in addition to considering internal measures which could be taken by the party to combat and reduce political violence. Topic 2: What role can CSOs play to create a friendly environment for women during the 2014 elections both in the long and medium run? 1/ What role could be played by CSOs which support the political participation of women in providing assistance in order to combat electoral violence against women? Convince women who are active in the public sphere from different regions and categories of the importance of exposing discriminatory practices and aspects of 16

17 violence which could target them in order to sensitize the public of the seriousness of this phenomenon and its impact and to put an end to the silence surrounding this phenomenon. Sensitize political leaders of the existence of violence against female members of different parties from inside and outside the parties and convince them to combat this phenomenon. Establish mechanisms to track political violence against women (for example creating regional bureaus to receive complaints submitted by aggrieved women) and expose the perpetrators. Form groups which exercise pressure to pass laws on combating all forms of violence against women. 2/ What role could be played by organizations working in the field of election observation to assist in combating electoral violence against women before and after the elections? Hiring female observers and actively involve them in the activities undertaken by organizations working in the field of election observation because they can communicate with other women more easily. Tracking and documenting all forms and cases of violence against women throughout the entire electoral process in observation forms, documenting testimonies of women who were victims of violence and transmitting appropriate recommendations to the new parliament to review laws on this matter. Creating a network between organizations working in the field of election observation and coordinating together on observing violence against women in the various constituencies to better control and cover a larger geographical scope. 3/ What role could be played by CSOs to assist the ISIE and HAICA in combating electoral violence against women? Observing political statements, media programs, public meetings to monitor aspects of electoral violence against women and prepare reports in this regard for the two authorities. Propose suggestions to improve the performance of the two authorities in combating electoral violence against women. 4/ What role could be played by civil society to change the legal rules for combating electoral violence against women? Submit suggestions to the new parliament in the form of recommendations to make amendments to the legal framework in place to combat political violence against women based on lessons learned from the 2014 elections. Form a coalition between various associations to create strong pressure on the parliament to modify the legal framework in place in order to combat political violence against women. 17

18 Conduct studies and researches in the field of electoral violence against women to understand this phenomenon and consider proper ways of combating violence and publish and discuss these studies on a large scale and learn about their outcomes in order to develop policies and draft new laws in this respect. Topic 3: What role can the ISIE and HAICA play to create a friendly environment for women during the 2014 elections both in the long and medium run? 1/ What measures should be taken by the ISIE to combat electoral violence against women throughout the electoral process? Train a group of field observers from among the ISIE staff on: (1) how to monitor electoral violence against women in the various phases of the electoral process and especially during the campaign period and (2) how to report violations to the ISIE to address irregularities. Apply provisions of the electoral law related to the electoral crimes and take procedures and decisions as prescribed by the law in this regard (make administrative decisions or refer the matter to the court). React positively to the proposals made by civil society with respect to combating electoral violence. Conduct training and awareness sessions for political parties to sensitize them on electoral violence which target women and get them to take action against their party members and supporters to combat violence. Suggest proposals to the new Assembly of Representatives of the People aiming at amending the Electoral Law by including restraining orders against any perpetrator of violence against women during the electoral process. 2/ What procedures should the HAICA take to combat electoral violence against women throughout the electoral process? Participants proposed different recommendations for each of the respective phases of the electoral process: * Before the start of the electoral campaign: include media analysts to the ISIE staff and train them on how to monitor electoral violence against women. * During the electoral campaign: Directly monitor violations and report daily to the ISIE on cases of electoral violence against women in the media. Take measures which ensure the neutrality of the journalists who are required to use a professional discourse without ridiculing or disregarding the role of women 18

19 and avoid the use of expressions which are sexist as well as impose sanctions on media in the cases of non-compliance. Take the necessary measures to urge media to ensure that female and male candidates receive equal coverage to speak and introduce their programs. * After the campaign: Publish statistics on media appearance of male and female candidates and prepare and publish reports on aspects of violence against women to be used as well as take the necessary measures for the upcoming elections. 8. Final Recommendations: 1. Combating political violence against women should be permanent and not only linked to elections. 2. There should be a strong political will to be able to combat political violence effectively and develop comprehensive and multi-dimensional strategies which involve many stakeholders in their implementation: the electoral administration, civil society, political parties, the legislature, the judiciary, media 3. Designing comprehensive legislative strategies to develop legal texts which can be used to prosecute perpetrators of violence and pass new laws taking into account new forms of violence against female politicians. 4. The definition of violence against women should be (1) very precise to avoid making interpretations and free perpetrators from any liability or punishment and (2) derived from international legal texts which define violence against women particularly the General Recommendation No. 19 of 1992 adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against women. 5. Focus on the mindset (through awareness and educational activities directed at the public in general, members of political parties, media, EMB staff ) in line with working to get the legal texts revised and new laws passed. 6. Conduct studies to understand the phenomena of electoral and political violence against women and identify the causes. Annexes Annex1: Attendance List Day 1 األحزاب السياسية Partis politiques 19

20 # Nom et prénom Organisation/réseau et position Adresse électronique Téléphone 1 Sassi Mahfoud Soumaya Mouvement Ennahda nahdha.fefa@gmail.com MraihiZeinib Mouvement Ennahda zeinebmraihi@gmail.com ChkoundaliFaiza Mouvement Ennahda Faiza.chkoundali@hotmail.fr ChihaouiNahla AffekTounis Nahlachihaoui@gmail.com Hamdihouda Attayar houda.hamdi@cnudst.rnrt.tn M barek Hager Attayar Leila Haddaji Attayar leila.haddaji@yahoo.fr NebilChemek AfekTounes nebil.chemek@afektounes.org Amel Chaherli AfekTounes Asma Ben Salah Ettakatol bs-asma@yahoo.fr BouslamaJilani UPT/ Massar afhjbdrhm@yahoo.fr HamoudiaZoher Attayar hamoudiazoher@gmail.com Rekik Rafika Parti des Travailleurs rafikabenjilani@hotmail.fr MiadiSouha Parti des Travailleurs souhati2804@gmail.com اإلعالم Médias 20

21 1. RabaiMounira TAP Mahjoubi Arbi Anadoulu Agency arbimahjoubi@gmail.com Boughmada Sana IFM boughmadasana87@gmail.co m منظمات المجتمع المدني و المنظمات الدولية Associations ONG et Institutions internationales 21

22 4. Baya Lengliz ATIDE RabiiZouhour ATIDE zouhourrabii@gmail.com SihemBouazza Mourakiboun 7. ThourayaTijani Mourakiboun thouraya.ahmed@gmail.com JabriHana Tounissiet jabrihana2@gmail.com Ben SaidIkram SFCG/ Voix de femmes ibensaid@sfcg.org Ben KhederTorkia LET chebbitraki@hotmail.fr M RabetMajda Tunisie Vote majdaskan_2008@yahoo.fr Nihel Ben Amar Tunisie Vote benamar_nihel@yahoo.fr 13. Ben ChaaèneMouna Femmes Démocrates BelAouedNaziha Femmes Démocrates TrabelsiImen CAWTAR imen.trabelsi@cawtar.org 16. Lara Heskestad CAWTAR 17. skandaranifaiza Egalité et parité jugurt.sk@gnet.tn

23 18. Lorenco Vera NDI Riccardo Barranca UNDP riccardo.barranca@undp.org Einrini-Maria Gounari The Carter Center eirini.gounari@cceom.tunisia. com Said Chafik CEMI said.ch@laposte.net SeddikOmmeyya HD seddik@hdcentre.org 23. Chris Thomton HD thomton@hdcentre.org Chekkir Hafida Experte chekir.ha@gmail.com Valentina Florio Anthropologue valentinafloria27@gmail.com المؤسسات الحكومية Institutions étatiques 1. HouimilImen SEFF/DGAFF zahwa.imen@yahoo.fr Ben SaidHouda SEFF houdabensaid@yahoo.fr Zargouni Lamia ISIE lamiazargouni@yahoo.fr Hammami Samira HAICA hammamisam@yahoo.fr ChakrounHane n CREDIF

24 Day 2 األحزاب السياسية Partis politiques # Nom et prénom Organisation/réseau et position Adresse électronique Téléphon e 1 Sassi Mahfoud Soumaya Mouvement Ennahda nahdha.fefa@gmail.com MraihiZeinib Mouvement Ennahda zeinebmraihi@gmail.com ChkoundaliFa iza Mouvement Ennahda Faiza.chkoundali@hotmail.fr ChihaouiNahl a AffekTounis Nahlachihaoui@gmail.com HamdiHouda Attayar houda.hamdi@cnudst.rnrt.tn M barek Hager Attayar Haddaji Leila Attayar leila.haddaji@yahoo.fr Amel Chaherli AfekTounes Asma Ben Salah Ettakatol bs-asma@yahoo.fr HammamiTh ouraya Ettakatol thammamibekri@gmail.com اإلعالم Journalistes 24