Gender Equality in Elected Office: A Six-Step Action Plan Dr. Marcin Walecki OSCE-ODIHR April 2012 A study by Pippa Norris and Mona Lena Krook

Aims of Presentation Introduce Gender Equality in Elected Office: A Six-Step Action Plan Stress important role of political parties in promoting women’s participation Focus on voluntary measures political parties can adopt to increase women’s participation

The Six-Step Action Plan 1. Constitutional Rights 2. Electoral Systems 3. Legal Quotas 4. Party Rules and Recruitment Procedures 5. Capacity Development 6. Parliament Reform

Steps 1-3: Legal Frameworks Step 1: Constitutional Frameworks –Equality of women and men enshrined! –Equal ballot access for women and men –Equal rights of men and women to participate in policy processes Step 2: Electoral Systems –Legal Framework: Registration, Equal Access to Resources –Type of electoral system –Aspects of electoral system Step 3: Legal Quotas –Placement, percentage, sanctions –Temporary special measures –Must be vigilant and comprehensive!

Step 4: Party Rules and Procedures Candidate Selection Process –Are women on the Selection Committee? –Are rules transparent and equal for all? Party and Campaign Resources –Money, airtime, party property Party Activities –Hours of meetings –Overtime, weekends Campaigning Culture –Hours, travel –Campaign habits

Voluntary Measures Increase ‘Supply of’ Female Candidates –Support training of women as candidates –Establish a fund to pay women candidate deposits Increase ‘Demand for’ Female Candidates –Initiate recruitment drives to actively seek and recruit qualified women as party members and candidates Integrate Gender Issues into Party Platforms –Build capacity of women members to develop party policy Gender Action Plans and Strategies –Develop specific Gender Strategies and Action Plans –Identify activities, budgets, actors and timeframes Develop gender-sensitive Rules of Procedure –Family-friendly meeting hours; meeting places with childcare –Promote democracy internally as well as externally

Voluntary (Political Party) Quotas Most OSCE States have voluntary quotas But most effective when… –1) Adopted by many parties, especially large parties –2) Quotas set relatively high targets –3) Quotas reflect widely accepted cultural practices and traditions –4) Parties have transparent structures and formal nomination procedures, so rules are enforced Country% Women in Parliament Electoral System Quota Level Placement Policy SanctionsPolitical Party Quotas Georgia7%Parallel Mixed None Citizens’ Union 30% (2003)

Step 5: Building Capacity & Awareness 1) Equal opportunity initiatives: - Candidate training, recruitment initiatives, and knowledge networks 2) Combating stereotypes; Raising awareness: - Media campaigns, voter and citizen education 3) Political party initiatives: - Women’s sections, fundraising, and women’s parties Czech politics: Do you really have a choice?

Step 6: Gender-sensitive Parliamentary Practices

Conclusions 1) Constitutional Frameworks: –Determine whether are women eligible to run 2) Electoral Systems: –Influence whether women are encouraged to run 3) Legal Quotas: –Indicate the number of women given the opportunity to run 4) Party Rules and Procedures: –Determine which women are selected to run 5) Capacity Development: –Helps identify and build the confidence of women who aspire to run 6) Parliamentary Rules and Procedures: –Influence whether women want to run again

“Women in Political Parties” Project Objective: –Build capacity of political parties to implement voluntary measures to promote women as party candidates, leaders and decision-makers 5 Pilot Countries: –Albania, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova Key Activities: –Phase 1: Develop Handbook on Measures to Promote Women’s Participation in Political Parties –Phase 2: Institute Training Programme for political parties Local Partnerships –E.g. Women’s Information Centre, Georgia