JOINT MEDIA ADVISORY

Workshop on Participation of Women in Electoral Processes in the Great Lakes Region

What: Workshop on Participation of Women in Electoral Processes in the Great Lakes Region

Theme: “Exchange of experiences of regional electoral institutions to ensure that Gender is a key component in electoral processes”
When: 12-13 November 2019, starting from 09:30 a.m.
Where: Small Conference Hall 2 of the AUC headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Who: The Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit (DEAU) of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) of the African Union Commission. The workshop will be co-chaired by the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, the AU Special Envoy, the Executive Secretaries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Purpose and Objectives:
 Bring together national experts, representatives of electoral commissions, judicial authorities in charge of electoral disputes, representatives of international organizations and civil society to discuss the root causes of electoral instability in the region; the low participation of women in the electoral processes in the region, the participation and protection of women during electoral periods and the preventive mechanisms to be put in place;
 Facilitate the exchange of good practices and the review of relevant provisions between regional electoral institutions and Great Lakes participants to ensure that gender is a key element of the electoral process and agree on a jointly approved final document under the auspices of the AU;
 Define and implement strategies to support women candidates in the Great Lakes Region; and
 Strengthen the civic and citizen capacities of girls and women through quality education to better prepare for the awakening of individual and collective consciences in order to promote excellent female leadership in public governance in States, including politics.
Expected outputs:
 Improve awareness on the need to provide safe spaces for women in electoral processes before, during and after elections, including the protection and participation of women not only as voters but also as candidates;
 Provide recommendations for measures and monitoring mechanisms to be put in place by the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and other institutions involved to facilitate free competition (equality and equity) and access to the media for all, including women candidates;
 Recommendations are made to support women candidates in the elections through technical and financial means from the next elections and in the near future;
 Coordinated actions are developed to promote the involvement of girls and women in various efforts to promote participatory and inclusive democracy, human rights and peacebuilding.
Participants:
Participants from the following regional and international organizations will be present: AU, UN, ICGLR, and SADC. Also in Attendance: the Economic Commission for West African States (ECOWAS) Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Electoral institute for sustainable development in Africa (EISA), the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral System(IDES), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the Carter Centre, the Electoral Management Bodies, women and religious leaders as well as Civil Society Organisations.

Journalists are invited to cover the Workshop on Participation of Women in Electoral Processes in the Great Lakes Region. Attached the Programme of the event.
For more information regarding the Workshop contact:
Ms. Karine Kakasi Siaba | Political Officer, Political Affairs Department | Email: Kakasik@africa-union.org
Ms. Nene Bah | Senior Gender Adviser, Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region | Email: bah7@un.org

For media inquiries, please contact:
Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communications Directorate | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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