Incorporating a Gender Perspective into Electoral Observation: Helping the women of the hemisphere fully exercise their political rights.

Transcription

1 Incorporating a Gender Perspective into Electoral Observation: Helping the women of the hemisphere fully exercise their political rights. Sara Mia Noguera Chief of the Electoral Studies and Projects Section Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation

2 Presentation Outline I. Basis for Electoral Observation With a Gender Perspective II. Broadening the Electoral Observation Field of View III. Conclusions IV. Contributions of the Methodology

3 I. Basis for Electoral Observation With a Gender Perspective: Convention on the Nationality of Women (1933) Inter American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women (1948) American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man (1948) Inter American Convention on the Granting of Civil Rights to Women (1948) American Convention on Human Rights (1969) (Art. 23) Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights (1988) Inter American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (1994) (Art. 4) *Inter American Democratic Charter (2001) (Art. 28).

4 Inter American Democratic Charter (2001): ART. 28 States shall promote the full and equal participation of women in the political structures of their countries As a fundamental element in the promotion and exercise of a democratic culture.

5 International legal instruments: Proclaim that women and men are equal; The need to create the conditions for the full and equitable exercise of political rights; Link such exercise to the quality of a democracy. However

6 Formal equality = Real equality? VI Summit of the Americas 2012

7 48 years after the vote in all countries of the Americas Inequality prevails in public office

8 II. Broadening the Electoral Observation Field of Vision Verify, examine, and analyze conditions of equity in the exercise of political rights Voters Candidates Members of electoral entities And thus be able to: 1. Identify and highlight obstacles that may impede access to full political citizenship. 2. Develop recommendations that help the member states surmount the democratic deficit.

9 EQUITY Substantive Characteristic Principle Inclusive Competitive Men and women as voters Men and women as candidates Clean Elected office Men and women in electoral roles Men and women effectively discharging the duties of elected office

10 INCLUSIVE Elections: Men and Women as Voters Indicator Registration process Access to polling centers Voting Public policies or programs Variables Identification document Registration in the voter rolls Conditions of accessibility Conditions of accessibility for pregnant women and/or women with children Disaggregated participation Abstention (causes) Cases of intimidation, proxy vote, or family vote Public policies or programs to promote the right to vote

11 Men and Women in the Voter Rolls On average, women account for more than 50% of voter rolls 53% 52% 51% 50% 49% 48% 51.9% 48.1% 50.2% 49.8% 49.1% 50.9% Hombres Mujeres 51.5% 50.7% 50.3% 49.7% 49.3% 48.5% 47% 46% Paraguay 2011 Peru 2010 Guatemala 2011 Rep.Dominicana 2012 México 2012 Promedio

12 COMPETITIVE Elections Men and Women as Candidates Indicator Within the political parties In the electoral system Within candidacy mechanisms Within the financing system Access to the media Variables Internal rules Composition (militancy and leadership) Type (PR RM), district magnitude, type of list (rules and practices) Quotas Affirmative action measures Position or alternation mandates Direct and indirect managed public financing Access for the campaigns Coverage of gender related matters Presence of stereotypes

13 Men and Women as Legislative Candidates Participation of candidates by gender: 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 91% 9% 61% 39% 76% 24% Hombres 69% 66% 31% 34% Mujeres 54% 46% 0% Paraguay 2008 Peru 2011 Guatemala 2011 Guyana 2011 Rep. Dominicana 2012 México 2012

14 CLEAN Men and Women in Electoral Roles Indicator Integrity of women s preferences Gender equity in electoral bodies Gender equity on electoral boards Variables Limits to the exercise of free and secret suffrage External pressures caused by any type of violence Composition of the electoral body Internal policies or offices Composition of electoral boards Gender equity in election monitoring Composition of party representatives Composition of national observation missions

15 CLEAN Elections Men and Women in Electoral Roles Electoral poll workers (distribution by gender): 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 83% 65% 54% 55% 54% 61% 46% 45% 46% 35% 39% 17% H M H M H M H M H M H M Paraguay Peru Guatemala Guyana Rep. Dominicana Mexico

16 CLEAN Men and Women in Electoral Roles As chairpersons of electoral boards (distribution by gender): 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 72% 57% 60% 64% 56% 57% 43% 44% 40% 36% 43% 28% H M H M H M H M H M H M Paraguay Peru Guatemala Guyana Rep. Dominicana Mexico

17 ELECTED OFFICE Men and Women Effectively Discharging the Duties in Elected Office Indicator Variables Gender equity in elected public office Reserved seats Composition of elected offices In the irreversibility of election results Post electoral fraud Political harassment against elected women

18 Men and Women Effectively Discharging the Duties of Elected Office 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 91% 9% 12.5% 61% 39% Hombres Mujeres % Mujeres Elegidas 21.5% 76% 24% 13.3% 69% 66% 31% 31.3% 34% 20.8% Paraguay 2008 Peru 2011 Guatemala 2011 Guyana 2011 Rep. Dominicana % 46% 36.8% México 2012 Source: DECO OAS and Inter Parliamentary Union:

19 III. Conclusions

20 Conclusions Conditions of equality are better for women in exercising their right to vote than in exercising their right to be elected In countries where there are currently regulations governing quotas, such regulations contribute significantly to increasing women s participation in politics The lack of clear regulations on how political parties should adapt their internal decision making mechanisms to integrate established quotas threatens the spirit of affirmative action Gender equity in public financing systems and in access to the media remains a challenge, but is now a visible one In different countries in the region novel strategies to mainstream the gender perspective are being implemented and may be shared and used as a point of reference for each country in its own context Deepening women s political participation brings new challenges but also proves that the efforts have been fruitful

21 Contributions of the Methodology: It helps to identify differences between regulations and practice in the exercise of political rights. It places the subject of equality in men s and women s participation in elections on the agenda of political actors. The methodology s findings help local actors make an impact. Recommendations may become technical cooperation projects.

22 Fostering gender equality is essential for democracies: Democracy without women is only half democracy. José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS