Women’s Participation in Elections: The Impact of Electoral Systems

1. Women’s Participation in Elections:The Impact of Electoral Systems Kristin van der LeestOSCE-ODIHR30 June 2011

2. Aims of Presentation • 1) Formal Institutions and Processes Matter! • In struggle to enhance women’s political participation • 2) Electoral Systems Matter! • a) Electoral Design • b) Legal Framework for Elections • c) Electoral Processes and Initiatives • d) Electoral Actors and Institutions • e) Enforcement Mechanisms • 3) ODIHR EOM Report Recommendations

3. International/Regional Standards

4. A) Electoral Design • Type of Electoral System • 1) Proportional Representation • Single Transferable Vote, Party Lists • 2) Majoritarian • First-Past-the-Post, Second Ballot, Single Non-Transferable Vote • 3) Mixed (or Combined) Electoral systems and women’s representation: OSCE

5. A) Why does Electoral Design Matter? • Proportional Representation • Parties present list of candidates for multi-member constituencies; • Electoral incentive to create “balanced” candidate list • Candidates with different interests, from different social identity groups • Quotas:Easier to implement by applying to candidate lists • Majoritarian • Parties present one candidate for single-member constituencies; • Limited electoral incentive to include candidates who appeal to different interest groups • Local party branches choose candidates who will win in constituency • Quotas: Can apply only across districts or constituencies • Mixed • Dependent on electoral formula

6. B) Legal Framework • Aspects of Electoral Design: Electoral Code/Law • District Magnitude • Size of constituency • Larger constituencies favour women candidates • Candidate Registration • Deposits • Educational Qualifications • Signatures • Term Limits • Benefits of incumbency • Greater name recognition of incumbents

7. B) Legal Framework • Structure of Ballot: • Closed versus Open PR Lists • Majoritarian: Position of women in “winnable” districts • PR: Position of women on electoral/candidate lists OPENCLOSED

8. C) Processes and Initiatives:Do Legal Quotas Work?

9. C) Yes, but… • Legal Gender Quotas require provisions for: • High percentage of female candidates to be nominated by political parties • Placement mandates to regulate order on list • Should also apply to resulting parliament make-up • Sanctions for non-compliance • Compliance is monitored by independent bodies • Legal Gender Quotas are… • Temporary Special Measures!

10. D) Electoral Actors and Institutions • Role of Electoral Administration Bodies • Voter and Civic Education • Candidate Registration • Electoral Dispute Adjudication • Electoral Observation • Role of Political Parties • Role of Civil Society • Awareness Raising • Capacity Building • Role of Media • Level playing field for male and female candidates • Awareness raising: Voter and civic education Women's Resource Centers conducted a voter education campaign in 2010 that reached 18,212 people in face-to-face meetings. NGO Oksana

11. E) Enforcement Matters! • To monitor progress toward gender equality: • Naming and shaming • Monitoring mechanisms: Gender Machinery • To monitor implementation of legal quotas: • Restricting ballot access • Suspending voting rights in international bodies • Suspending public funds • Limiting access to free media airtime • Monitoring bodies: Central Election Commissions

12. ODIHR EOM Recommendations