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Prior to the implementation of any programmatic option linked to the prevention and/or mitigation of electoral violence or the establishment of an Early Warning and Early Response system, it is crucial to understand and assess matters such as the contextual realities, the historical electoral violence data and potential risks, whether structural or triggers, that may be relevant for the correct implementation of the programmatic option in question. Some of the programmatic options are aimed at facilitating precisely this, namely the electoral violence risk assessment.
The inclusion of digital technologies needs to be carefully assessed, rather than be implemented as a given. While the promises and benefits of digital technologies can enhance the capacity to collect, verify, respond and analyse risks and incidents of electoral violence, their implementation needs to be aligned to two factors; a) The access to digital means and internet in-country to make use of these systems; b) The digital literacy of the users, whom may not be proficient in the use of digital technologies, thus being an obstacle hampering the efficiency of the exercise, rather than a benefit. The implementation of technologies, while recommended, should always be considered alongside traditional or non-digital manners of conducting these exercises.
During electoral violence incident mapping exercises, incoming reports may often overlap, be fast-changing and, quite frequently, be erroneous. To avoid the negative consequences of implementing misguided responses, it is crucial to ensure proper risk and incident verification methods are introduced into the methodology and standard operating procedures of the system, ensuring all reported risks and incidents are thoroughly verified prior to the implementation of any action.
One of the main challenges relates to how to ensure that the early identification of incidents and risk actually leads to early response, including the most effective response. This challenge may be unpacked further, as early response may be hampered by capacity gaps and coordination challenges beyond the mere lack of identification tools. In contexts where means are limited, there is a need to address capacity gaps. Incidents that are reported and verified will likely require a response. Nevertheless, capacity gaps at the local level (e.g., Personnel, vehicles, gasoline, etc.) may hamper the ability to implement these responses. To facilitate effective and timely response, consideration need to be given to the strengthening of local capacities, particularly in hot spot areas, ensuring decision-making can lead to required response.
The involvement and participation of different state and non-state actors is crucial to ensure the appropriate legitimacy, presence and modalities of intervention are available for the establishment of an Early Warning and Response system.
Human rights commissions are generally well positioned to lead electoral early warning systems due to their impartiality, established grassroot networks, and mandate to monitor and address human rights violations facilitating sustainability beyond elections. As independent bodies, they are trusted by diverse actors, including government agencies, civil society, and international partners, enabling them to serve as neutral conveners in often polarized contexts.
It is important to assess how the conduct of certain activities may be perceived by citizens, political parties and institutions, especially in the context of polarized, tense and disputed electoral processes. In this regard, establishing the right framework, security measures and contingency plans for personnel that may be accused and targeted is important to ensure the safety and security of the staff involved in any early warning and early response system. In this regard, considerations should be taken to understand whether communication actions and visibility materials for field-staff may be counter-productive and endanger personnel.
Due to the sensitive nature of exercises related to collection and response to risks and incidents of electoral violence, any digital means implemented to support these actions need to be securely protected from data leaks and cybersecurity attacks. Furthermore, given the importance of safeguarding the security and safety of personnel, special consideration should be put into ensuring measures that mitigate any exposure of names, addresses and other personnel details of staff, with special emphasis on field-monitors.
Countering duplication of efforts ensures that resources are used efficiently and that roles and responsibilities among stakeholders are clear. In contexts where multiple actors—such as government agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners—are engaged in Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) initiatives, overlapping mandates can lead to wasted resources, confusion, and gaps in service delivery. To address this, it is essential to map existing efforts and clarify mandates before implementing new programs. Establishing shared platforms or situation rooms can promote coordination, while agreeing on common tools and methodologies ensures consistency in data collection, analysis, and response. This approach fosters synergy among stakeholders, reduces redundancies, and enhances the overall effectiveness of the EWER system
Maximized resource efficiency and clearer roles for stakeholders
To enhance the impact of Early Warning and Early Response systems, it is critical to regularly assess the results for its effectiveness, timeliness, and efficiency. Implementing Monitoring & Evaluation metrics and frameworks that allow for continuous learning and improvement based on feedback and outcomes will prove useful in addressing challenges and capacity gaps.
Regular feedback ensures that the system remains adaptive and effective.
Electoral assistance: Electoral assistance can be defined as the legal, technical and logistic support provided to electoral laws, processes and institutions.
Electoral cycle: The electoral cycle covers pre-electoral period, electoral period, and post-electoral period. The approach taken by UNDP includes emphasis on long-term activities and increasing the capacities to support inclusive political participation.
Election related violence is understood as a form of political violence, “which is often designed to influence an electoral outcome and therefore the distribution of political power”.
Gender can be understood as “the roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society at a given time considers appropriate for men and women.” These realities are socially constructed and learned through socialization. They are context and time specific and are subject to change. Although traditional forms of gender identity are based on the binary categorization of men and women, gender realities are diverse and fluid, constantly evolving, and the binary logic might restrict freedom and possibilities of human beings, especially for transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people.
Gender balance refers to the participation of an approximately equal number of women and men within an activity or organization. Examples are representation in committees, decision-making structures or staffing levels between women and men.
Gender-based violence refers to violence directed against a person because of his or her role in a society or culture.
Gender equality means equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities for women and men, girls and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men are the same but that women’s and men’s opportunities, rights and responsibilities do not depend on whether they are born or they identify themselves as female or male. It implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration.
Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policy or programs, in all areas and at all levels. Gender mainstreaming in EMBs ensures that women’s and men’s concerns, needs and experiences are taken fully into account in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all activities. Through this process, the EMB seeks to reduce the gaps in development opportunities between women and men and work towards equality between them as an integral part of the organization’s strategy, policies and operations, and the focus of continued efforts to achieve excellence. The term “gender integration” is also used in some contexts.
Gender-specific or gender-targeted interventions seek to tackle specific areas where women are unrepresented or disadvantaged, including through the adoption of TSM, and are part of a comprehensive gender mainstreaming approach.
Sex-disaggregated data are collected and tabulated separately for women and men. They allow for the measurement of differences between women and men on various social and economic dimensions.
Violence against women in politics (VAWP) is a form of discrimination, a human rights violation, and a challenge to democracy. VAWP affects women engaged in formal politics and women across public life, including women activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. VAWP includes cyberviolence, gendered disinformation, hate speech, and trolling and is often used to delegitimize the assertion of women’s rights. Violence, as both threat and lived experience, deters women, especially young women, from participating in politics and is a formidable obstacle to advancing women’s political participation.1
Political participation: Political participation more specifically, includes “a broad range of activities through which people develop and express their opinions on their society and how it is governed, and try to take part in and shape the decisions that affect their lives.
This document intends to provide an introductory overview of the topic. It should not be considered a policy document. It will propose parameters for study, define key terms and outline a provisional framework. Its audience shall be participants from a variety of organizations, including from the Global Working Group and participants of the regional consultative sessions who shall come from a variety of organizations and backgrounds.
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Despite certain setbacks, there has been considerable progress globally in women’s political participation in the past two decades.
Today more women than ever before hold public office and engage in electoral processes in several capacities, including as staff, voters, candidates, or campaigners.
Yet, numerous challenges continue to negatively impact, halter or even prevent women’s meaningful partaking in public and political life, ; the most alarming factor being the perceived increase in violence against women in politics and electoral processes.
Increased gender-based violence in electoral cycles is taking various forms, ranging from harassment, intimidation, and sexual and physical violence against women in public life, including online; gender-biased scrutiny by media and the public; targeted attacks against female voters, at times resulting in women’s exclusion from electoral processes; to forced resignations and assassinations of women politicians in the most extreme cases.
Newly released global data from the 2023 UNDP Gender Social Norms Index also shows that nearly half of all people believe that men make better political leaders than women do, pointing towards tenuous progress in changing persistent biases against women’s full and active political participation
Considering the above-mentioned challenges and complex landscape, this report seeks to gain a better understanding of current trends, challenges but also opportunities to bolster gender-responsive electoral programming and guide electoral practitioners in their endeavors to strengthen women’s equal participation in elections in all their diversity. In aid of that, a thorough research process has been conducted through several channels, including desk and literature review, surveys, expert meetings and a series of regional consultations with practitioners working at country and regional level, which have all guided the report’s analysis.
There is no one-size-fits-all-approach available to tackle gender-based violence
A multipronged approach is critical when addressing matters related to violence prevention with sustained and targeted interventions in place before, during and after elections are held.
A range of activities are required to tackle the issues at hand
which all need to be tailored to the specific context it will be implemented in. In light of that, a thorough gender analysis that can identify women’s unique needs should be conducted in every electoral context before implementing any activity, programme or intervention.
To tackle the root causes of violence against women during electoral cycles
thorough assessment and analysis of pertaining social and cultural norms are critical starting points to better outline tailored programmatic approaches. A social norms assessment is a helpful starting point for electoral practitioners to conduct to identify both harmful and positive social norms in the context they are working in.
Temporary Special Measures (TSMs) have proven to be effective methods
to enhance women’s political participation and contribute to positive social norms change. Successful implementation must, however, be based on wider acceptance of such measures in a society. Fostering an enabling environment for TSMs requires long-term advocacy campaigns and awareness raising and needs to involve several actors jointly, including Electoral Management Bodies, international organizations, civil society and the media.
Supporting the design of gender-inclusive laws, policies and regulations
more generally will lay the groundwork for meaningful participation in all aspects of an electoral process. This should be a priority for electoral programmes and for practitioners and must be coupled with protocols, procedures and training to ensure implementation.The need to involve men and boys in this work is also critical
particularly to better challenge norms of violent masculinities that can lead to and legitimize violent behaviors. For such efforts, a number of interventions are available and should, preferably, be introduced at the same time, including awareness-raising campaigns, trainings and educational efforts. Other, more innovative approaches can also be explored, such as the use of virtual reality to foster inclusive behaviour and, in turn, a culture of non-violence that can challenge attitudes justifying violence.
The challenges, and opportunities presented by the era of digitalisation have transformed electoral processes in every country
including in relation to inclusion and participation aspects. Democratic participation can flourish as a result of digital technology, allowing for increased awareness raising and information sharing, community building, data driven policy and programming and so forth. Expression in the online space is, however, not guaranteed for all, if not undermined for some. Of particular worry is the rise of online violence against women, which has become an endemic concern within elections, deployed to make public life untenable for aspiring female politicians and supporters.
Gender responsive early warning and early response systems and GBV hotlines are ways in which reporting can increase and the impunity gap can be addressed. Offering psychological support to female candidates who are ate heightened risks of experiencing violence during times of elections can also be ensured through such hotlines. Engagement with political parties to set up Zero Tolerance Codes of Conduct are another avenue.
The programmatic option “Support gender-sensitive design of technology and AI” contains several activities electoral practitioners can engage in to better grasp and respond to the impact of technology and AI on the inclusion and exclusion of women in electoral processes.
Women play a pivotal role in sustaining peace during electoral process
including through dialogue and post-electoral reconciliation efforts. Today we also know that gender equality is the number one predicament of peace. In light of that, the need to support intersectional spaces where women – ranging from women community leaders to women wings of political parties– can engage amongst themselves and others to build consensus and the foundations of long-term inclusive governance and peace is key.Gender-proofing electoral processes
such as including flexible polling hours and illiterate friendly voting booths, are concrete actions that can ensure electoral processes are gender-sensitive. Working with national security forces to ensure adequate measures to ensure women’s safety are being taken into consideration is also key to ensure electoral processes responds to women’s unique needs.