Europe's leading election observation agency, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)'s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, has just published a handbook for monitoring women's participation in elections. The handbook is a part of the OSCE/ODIHR's efforts to enhance equality between women and men by mainstreaming gender issues into all areas of its work.
Improving women's participation was one of the issues discussed at an OSCE meeting on electoral standards and commitments, held in Vienna on 15 and 16 July. The handbook, launched during that meeting, is intended to ensure each election observation mission takes into account how the election process affects both women and men, as the mission draws its general conclusions.
The OSCE/ODIHR has observed around 150 elections and referenda over the last decade and this handbook is based on that experience. It is designed as a working tool to assist international and domestic election observers, both partisan and non-partisan, in identifying the various elements of an election process that may impact on women's equal participation.
The handbook also sets out practical steps to be taken to integrate a gender perspective into election observation.
Cited from:
OSCE/ODIHR publishes handbook on women's participation in elections, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe press release, 16 July 2004.