UN Women supported study reveals Violence Against Women in Elections in Ethiopia occurs across the entire electoral cycle

UN Women and Network of Ethiopian Women Association (NEWA) conducted a discussion in the Gender in Focus Webinar, hosted by NEWA on 29 March 2024, to disseminate findings from the Violence Against Women in Elections in Ethiopia (VAWiE) study, a collaborative effort involving the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The study revealed that VAWiE occurs across the entire electoral cycle, encompassing various forms of violence including psychological, physical, sexual, and economic violence. Specific incidents identified include preventing women from voting, harassment, assault, and discrimination against women candidates. Contributing factors to VAWiE include gender-insensitive infrastructure, societal attitudes, poverty, lack of education, undemocratic political environment, and weak implementation of existing laws. The consequences of VAWiE were noted to be severe, leading to underreporting due to fear and stigma, and causing immediate and long-term physical, psychological, economic, and political harm to women. Existing mechanisms for reporting and responding to VAWiE face challenges such as lack of standardized procedures, insufficient awareness, and gender bias within law enforcement agencies.

The study provided recommendations to various stakeholders including law and policymakers to undertake reform of electoral legislations to clearly define VAWiE, enhance remedies for survivors, and strengthen mechanisms for redress, while also allocating resources for prevention initiatives. It also recommended NEBE to revise directives to address VAWiE, promote anti-VAWiE policies among political parties, provide training for electoral officials and collect data on VAWiE incidents. Political parties were encouraged to develop internal policies condemning VAWiE, prioritize inclusion of women candidates, organize awareness and capacity building sessions, establish reporting mechanisms, and support survivors while the justice sector is expected to investigate and prosecute VAWiE cases, ensure fair trial, provide access to justice for survivors, and train law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges.

The webinar that convened experts and stakeholders discussed this pressing issue and its far-reaching implications for democratic integrity and societal stability. The key points of the discussion include the scope and understanding of VAWiE where participants underscored the diverse nature of VAWiE, including physical assaults, economic violence, and online harassment. They emphasized the necessity of adopting a comprehensive approach to effectively tackle these multifaceted challenges. Participants also discussed that while Ethiopia's legal framework acknowledges women's political rights and equality principles, there is a notable absence of explicit mechanisms to address VAWiE. Participants called for specific provisions within electoral laws and regulations, along with gender-sensitive responses and accountability mechanisms. VAWiE was also identified as having significant repercussions beyond the electoral sphere, affecting broader societal dynamics such as peacebuilding process where women are currently missing. Participants stressed the urgency of addressing VAWiE to minimize its damage as it also implicates on the aspirations of emerging women politicians.

With regards to the role of stakeholders, Political parties were highlighted for their critical role in addressing VAWiE, including in the development of Codes of Conduct and the establishment of accountability mechanisms. Strategies for engaging political actors and advancing gender equality within party structures were also discussed. Engaging the Ethiopian Joint Council of Political Parties emerged as a strategic approach to tackle VAWiE. Participants emphasized the need to share research findings with the joint council and collaborate with its constituent bodies, such as the women's wing, to advocate for policy reforms within political parties. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) were also commended for their efforts in providing training and support to political parties in addressing VAWiE. Ongoing initiatives to enhance awareness and capacity were showcased, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches.

UN Women emphasized the critical importance of presenting the study findings to the Joint Council of Political Parties. Collaborative efforts with the Joint Council and its women's wing are envisioned to translate study recommendations into concrete actions and policies aimed at preventing VAWiE. The webinar stressed the imperative for concerted efforts by governments, civil society, and the international community to address this pressing challenge. Upholding the principles of gender equality and democratic governance remains paramount in combating VAWiE and ensuring inclusive electoral processes. The VAWiE study was part of a project with NEBE, aimed at supporting an inclusive and gender-responsive electoral process. The study, concluded in March 2023, was generously funded by UNDP as part of its ‘Supporting Elections for Ethiopia’s Democracy Strengthening (SEEDs) 2020-2022’ program. Since 2019 UN Women has been closely supporting NEBE to mainstream gender in the electoral process by employing multi-pronged strategy that ranged from evidence generation to capacity building for female candidates. UN Women also worked with other stakeholders including the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to build the capacity of observers, media personnel and political party members on gender and elections. Apart from UNDP, UN Women’s gender responsive electoral support work was generously funded by the government of Denmark, Austria and Sweden.