7.9 Encourage the participation of women, disabled and youth in all aspects of the
electoral process in accordance with the national laws;
________________________________________________________________________
PREAMBLE
A. NOTING THAT:
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Member States undertook in SADC Treaty and in the Declaration to the Treaty, and in
the Protocol on immunities and privileges SADC not to discriminate against any
person on the grounds of gender, among others;
All SADC member states have signed and ratified or acceded to the UN Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), or are in the
final stages of doing so;
B. CONVINCED THAT:
Gender equality is a fundamental human right; Gender is an area in which
considerable agreement already exists and where there are substantial benefits to be
gained from closer regional co-operation and collective action. The integration and
mainstreaming of gender issues into the SADC Programme of Action and Community
Building Initiative is key to the sustainable development of the SADC region.
(…)
WE THEREFORE:
(…)
AND
H. COMMIT ourselves and our respective countries to, inter alia,
Placing gender firmly on the agenda of the SADC Programme of Action and Community
Building Initiative; Ensuring the equal representation of women and men in the
decision making of member states and SADC structures at all levels, and the
achievement of at least 30 percent target of women in political and decision making
structures by year 2005;
(…)
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http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2003/05/1760_en.pdf
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• Paris, 1990 (“Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law”, par. 3 and 5)
Democracy is the best safeguard of (…) tolerance of all groups of society, and equality of
opportunity for each person. (…) We affirm that, without discrimination, every individual
has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of
expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of movement; no one
will be: subject to arbitrary arrest or detention, subject to torture or other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment; everyone also has the right: to know and act
upon his rights, to participate in free and fair elections, to fair and public trial if
charged with an offence to own property alone or in association and to exercise
individual enterprise, to enjoy his economic, social and cultural rights.
________________________________________________________________________
(Preamble) Noting that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the principle
of the inadmissibility of discrimination and proclaims that all human beings are born
free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and
freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, including distinction based on
sex.
(…)
PART II
Article 7
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against
women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to
women, on equal terms with men, the right:
(a) To vote in all elections and public referenda and to be eligible for election to all
publicly elected bodies;
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Mission Statement
The success of the Platform for Action will require a strong commitment on the part of
Governments, international organizations and institutions at all levels. It will also require
adequate mobilization of resources at the national and international levels as well as new
and additional resources to the developing countries from all available funding
mechanisms, including multilateral, bilateral and private sources for the advancement of
women; financial resources to strengthen the capacity of national, subregional, regional
and international institutions; a commitment to equal rights, equal responsibilities and
equal opportunities and to the equal participation of women and men in all national,
regional and international bodies and policy- making processes; and the
establishment or strengthening of mechanisms at all levels for accountability to the
world's women.
Chapter IV
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS
183. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to
take part in the Government of his/her country…In this respect, women's equal
participation in political life plays a pivotal role in the general process of the
advancement of women. Women's equal participation in decision-making is not only
a demand for simple justice or democracy but can also be seen as a necessary
condition for women's interests to be taken into account. Without the active
participation of women and the incorporation of women's perspective at all levels of
decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved.
184. Although women make up at least half of the electorate in almost all countries and
have attained the right to vote and hold office in almost all States Members of the United
Nations, women continue to be seriously underrepresented as candidates for public
office.
(…)
Strategic objective G.1. Take measures to ensure women's equal access to and full
participation in power structures and decision-making
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Actions to be taken
192. By Governments:
(c) Protect and promote the equal rights of women and men to engage in political
activities and to freedom of association, including membership in political parties and
trade unions;
(…)
Actions to be taken
205. By Governments:
(a) Ensure that responsibility for the advancement of women is vested in the highest
possible level of government; in many cases, this could be at the level of a Cabinet
minister;
________________________________________________________________________
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or
through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall
be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal
suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
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______________________________________________________
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON DEMOCRACY
http://www.ipu.org/cnl-e/161-dem.htm
Declaration adopted without a vote* by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 161st
session (Cairo, 16 September 1997)
5. A state of democracy ensures that the processes by which power is acceded to, wielded
and alternates allow for free political competition and are the product of open, free and
non-discriminatory participation by the people, exercised in accordance with the rule
of law, in both letter and spirit.
(…)
12. The key element in the exercise of democracy is the holding of free and fair elections
at regular intervals enabling the people's will to be expressed. These elections must be
held on the basis of universal, equal and secret suffrage so that all voters can choose
their representatives in conditions of equality, openness and transparency that
stimulate political competition. To that end, civil and political rights are essential, and
more particularly among them, the rights to vote and to be elected, the rights to
freedom of expression and assembly, access to information and the right to organise
political parties and carry out political activities. Party organisation, activities,
finances, funding and ethics must be properly regulated in an impartial manner in order to
ensure the integrity of the democratic processes.
(…)
16. Individual participation in democratic processes and public life at all levels must
be regulated fairly and impartially and must avoid any discrimination, as well as the
risk of intimidation by State and non-State actors.
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(…)
18. While the existence of an active civil society is an essential element of democracy,
the capacity and willingness of individuals to participate in democratic processes and
make governance choices cannot be taken for granted. It is therefore necessary to develop
conditions conducive to the genuine exercise of participatory rights, while also
eliminating obstacles that prevent, hinder or inhibit this exercise. It is therefore
indispensable to ensure the permanent enhancement of, inter alia, equality,
transparency and education and to remove obstacles such as ignorance, intolerance,
apathy, the lack of genuine choices and alternatives and the absence of measures
designed to redress imbalances or discrimination of a social, cultural, religious and
racial nature, or for reasons of gender.
http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/planactn.htm
Adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Council, the plenary policy-making body of the Inter-
Parliamentary Union, at its 154th session (Paris, 26 March 1994)
(…)
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1. Government
However specific they may be, women's issues are questions that concern society as a
whole. All governments should thus take the necessary steps to ensure that the
interests and specific problems of women are explicitly taken into account and dealt
with, in a permanent and thorough manner and in all areas pertaining to
governmental jurisdiction. It is absolutely essential that the necessary material and
human resources are earmarked for this purpose.
Government action in this respect could include educating women to participate in and
manage public affairs (see also the section on non-governmental organizations below).
One of the priorities of the Government should be to inform the public of all the legal
provisions which establish the principle of equality between men and women and to
ensure that these are respected. It should also regularly disseminate figures and other
data on women in public life and in politics.
(…)
3. Decision-making bodies
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It is proposed that measures be taken to give equally qualified men and women equal
opportunities to belong to decision-making bodies at all levels in the party's
structure: local, provincial and national.
(…)
(…)
(…)
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________________________________________________________________________
Commonwealth Secretariat
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=36768
The Victoria Falls Declaration of Principles for the Promotion of the Human Rights of
Women, 1994
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general principles are applicable in all countries, but the means by which they become
applicable may differ.
(…)
4. The participants recognised that many of the existing international and regional human
rights standards were formulated within a primarily male perspective and with
insufficient gender sensitivity and sometimes fail to provide protection for the gender
specific interests of women. The participants emphasised the urgent need for the
formulation of further specific rights for women, particularly in the economic and social
field. The participants stressed the vital need for women to be centrally involved in
decision making at all levels.
________________________________________________________________________
Council of Europe
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/D5CC24A7-DC13-4318-B457-
5C9014916D7A/0/EnglishAnglais.pdf
Rome, 4.XI.1950
The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms
Rome, 4.XI.2000
2 No one shall be discriminated against by any public authority on any ground such
as those mentioned in paragraph 1.
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http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human_Rights/Equality/03._Women_and_decision-
making/001_Rec%282003%293.asp#TopOfPage
The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council
of Europe, Bearing in mind that women make up more than half of the population and
the electorate in its member states, but continue to be seriously underrepresented in
political and public decision making in a large part of its member states;
Bearing in mind that, in spite of the existence of de jure equality, the distribution of
power, responsibilities and access to economic, social and cultural resources
between women and men is still very unequal due to the persistence of prevailing
traditional gender roles;
Mindful that the functioning of electoral systems and political institutions, including
political parties, may hamper women’s participation in political and public life;
Considering that balanced participation of women and men in political and public
decision-making is a matter of the full enjoyment of human rights, of social justice
and a necessary condition for the better functioning of a democratic society;
Considering that balanced participation of women and men in political and public
decision making is needed for the development and construction of a Europe based
on equality, social cohesion, solidarity and respect for human rights;
Recalling the declaration adopted at the 2nd Summit of the Council of Europe
(October 1997) at which the heads of state and government of the Council of Europe
stressed .the importance of a more balanced representation of men and women in all
sectors of society, including political life, and called for continued progress with a view
to achieving effective equality of opportunities between women and men.;
Bearing in mind the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms (1950) and its Protocols;
Bearing in mind the European Social Charter (1961), the revised European
Social Charter (1996) and the Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter
providing for a System of Collective Complaints (1995);
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Bearing in mind the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
Recalling also the commitments in the Beijing Platform for Action as well as in the
Agreed Conclusions of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly in
2000 (Beijing +5);
Considering that democracy can no longer afford to ignore the competence, skills and
creativity of women but must become gender sensitive and include women with
different backgrounds and of different age groups in political and public decision
making at all levels;
Mindful of the high priority the Council of Europe gives to the promotion of democracy
and human rights,
II. Protect and promote the equal civil and political rights of women and men,
including running for office and freedom of association;
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III. Ensure that women and men can exercise their individual voting rights and, to
this end, take all the necessary measures to eliminate the practice of family voting;
IV. Review their legislation and practice, with the aim of ensuring that the strategies and
measures described in this recommendation are applied and implemented;
V. Promote and encourage special measures to stimulate and support women’s will to
participate in political and public decision-making;
VI. Consider setting targets linked to a time scale with a view to reaching balanced
participation of women and men in political and public decision-making;
VII. Ensure that this recommendation is brought to the attention of all relevant political
institutions and to public and private bodies, in particular national parliaments, local and
regional authorities, political parties, civil service, public and semi-public organisations,
enterprises, trade unions, employers, organisations and non-governmental organisations;
VIII. Monitor and evaluate progress in achieving balanced participation of women and
men in political and public life, and report regularly to the Committee of Ministers on the
measures taken and progress made in this field.
For the purpose of this recommendation, balanced participation of women and men is
taken to mean that the representation of either women or men in any decision-
making body in political or public life should not fall below 40%.
On this basis, the governments of member states are invited to consider the following
measures:
(…)
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5. Where electoral systems are shown to have a negative impact on the political
representation of women in elected bodies, adjust or reform those systems to promote
gender-balanced representation;
(…)
11. Ensure that the selection, recruitment and appointment processes for leading
positions in public decision-making are gender sensitive and transparent;
(…)
B. Supportive measures
19. Consider the setting up of a data bank of women willing to serve in political and
public decision-making positions;
20. Support and develop women’s political action by providing the opportunity for
women elected representatives to network at the local, regional, national and
international levels;
22. Encourage training for women candidates and elected representatives in the use
of information and communication technologies;
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(…)
(…)
26. Encourage greater involvement of ethnic and cultural minorities, and especially
women from these minorities, in decision-making at all levels;
27. Inform political parties of the different strategies used in the various countries to
promote the balanced participation of women and men in elected assemblies; encourage
them to implement one or more of these strategies and to promote balanced
participation of women and men in positions of decision-making within the party
structures;
(…)
30. Promote campaigns aimed at the general public in order to raise its awareness of
the importance of gender-balanced representation in political and public decision-
making as a prerequisite for genuine democracy;
(…)
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