Women as VotersWomen as VotersWomen and Elections

The National Democratic Institute

• Introductions• Ground rules• Ice breaker exercise

INTRODUCTIONS/INTRODUCTIONS/GROUND RULESGROUND RULES

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

• To understand the barriers to women’s participation as voters

• To increase awareness of reasons, types, tools for effective voter outreach to women

TOPICSTOPICS

• Why target women?• Barriers to women’s participation

as voters• Types of voter outreach• Tools for voter outreach• Technology • Electoral violence

KEY TERMSKEY TERMS• Family voting• Proxy voting• Violence against women in politics• Electoral violence

WHY TARGET WOMEN?WHY TARGET WOMEN?

• Historically low voter turnout• Gendered barriers to participation• In parties/candidates strategic

interest

Photo: National Democratic Institute

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONSELECTIONS

• Adapt this slide to include statistics from recent elections in target country/ies

Photo: lbcherney, NDI

BARRIERS FOR WOMEN BARRIERS FOR WOMEN

• Institutional barriers

Photo: National Democratic Institute

BARRIERS FOR WOMEN BARRIERS FOR WOMEN

• Social /cultural barriers

Photo: By NDI partner Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC)- Edo State

VOTER OUTREACH TO VOTER OUTREACH TO WOMEN WOMEN

• Research targeted groups and tailor messages

• Develop/Target message to women voters

• Target efforts to specific constituencies

TYPES OF VOTER TYPES OF VOTER OUTREACHOUTREACH

• Voter and civic education• Voter registration• Public service campaigns

TYPES OF VOTER TYPES OF VOTER OUTREACHOUTREACH

• Issue outreach• Candidate specific • Get out the vote initiatives

Photo: lrobinsonNDI

OUTREACH TOOLSOUTREACH TOOLS

• Posters• Mobile messaging• Social media• Door-to-door• Events• Radio

EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: VOTER EDUCATION IN LIBYAVOTER EDUCATION IN LIBYA

• Trained CSOs to conduct voter education for women

• Shared Tunisian experience• Used surveys to identify:

Women’s barriers, motivations to voting

Outreach mechanisms

EXAMPLE: LEBANONEXAMPLE: LEBANON

Photo: NDI

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

• Using mapping/reporting tools• New technologies and voter

education• Access and tech literacy issues

Photo: NDI

GENDER-BASED GENDER-BASED ELECTORAL VIOLENCEELECTORAL VIOLENCE

• Revisit definition• Zimbabwe case study

Photo: Getty Images

STRATEGIES FOR STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING GENDER-ADDRESSING GENDER-

BASED BASED ELECTORAL VIOLENCEELECTORAL VIOLENCE

• Awareness raising• Role of oversight institutions• Role of civil society• Legal instruments

EXERCISE: TARGETING EXERCISE: TARGETING WOMEN VOTERSWOMEN VOTERS

• Think about the phase in the electoral process

• Develop an outreach plan to target women voters

Photo: National Democratic Institute

WOMEN AS VOTERS WOMEN AS VOTERS REVIEWREVIEW

• Why target women?• Barriers to women’s participation

as voters• Types of voter outreach• Tools for voter outreach• Technology • Electoral violence

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