ADDIS ABABA - The COVID-19 pandemic has regressed key aspects of democracy in Africa and the Middle East, including the disruption of electoral processes, restrictions on civil liberties like freedom of expression, and increasing persecution of opposition leaders and parties. The pandemic has hit the region at a time in which the significant advances of democracy in the last decades were coming to a halt.
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Observation teams contribute to improved data quality on voter turnout by gender
In partnership with the National Association of Municipalities in Mozambique (ANAMM), International IDEA trained 20 municipal finance staff from eight municipalities on the strengthening of local tax collection.
Gender inequality in the political process remains an important problem in all countries.
Women often have less access than men to the resources needed to successfully seek a party nomination or stand in an election, and political parties tend to nominate men to winnable positions.
Electoral reform is an integral part of democratic development.
Constitution-building has become an increasingly common activity as countries seek to improve their state apparatus or make political transitions to realize national goals and address current challenges.
While many countries have addressed political party finance constitutionally, such provisions are usually phrased in general terms, leaving the details to law and to the regulations promulgated by enforcement agencies.
Legal reforms to political party finance systems are not a panacea: but when written and implemented well, the legal framework can help address significant challenges that face political party systems.
An effective electoral justice system is a key element in the unfolding of a free, fair and genuine democratic process.
Without a system to mitigate and manage inequality or perceptions of inequality, even the best management of an electoral process may lead to mistrust in the legitimacy of the elected government.
Internal pressures and advocacy for change have raised awareness and precipitated debates about the nature and need for reform processes in many Arab countries.
Such debates have drawn in a diverse range of groups articulating interests and defining their own political programmes. In this context, electoral processes, women's participation and political parties have emerged as central issues in political reform agendas in the Arab world.
This 2005 edition of Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers covers women’s access to the legislature in three steps.