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News & Updates
Feature
Learning About Violence Against Women in Politics in Leaps and Bounds: Surprising Findings from the Maldives
In 2011, IFES' Electoral Violence Education and Resolution (EVER) methodology found that women were rarely the subjects of political violence in the Maldives – less than 2 percent of violent incidents specifically targeted women, compared to 46 percent targeting men. Four years later, using a new, survey-based methodology, data collected by Professor Elin Bjarnegård from Sweden's Uppsala University in collaboration with IFES suggested a very different situation.
News & Updates
Feature
A Year of Elections in Nepal: Implementing a Federal and Inclusive Constitution
In 2017, record numbers of Nepali voters turned out to vote in local, provincial and national level elections to elect 35,000 Local Council representatives, including mayors and deputy mayors, 550 Provincial Assembly representatives, and 275 House of Representatives members. As envisioned by the 2015 Constitution, these elections completed Nepal’s transition from highly centralized monarchy to a federal republic with powers devolved from the center to newly established provincial and local governments.
News & Updates
Feature
Commemorating International Women’s Day in Indonesia
To commemorate International Women’s Day in Indonesia, IFES, the International Republican Institute and the Association for Elections and Democracy hosted “Women’s Challenges in a Political Year” – a public discussion aiming to motivate and unite leaders and communities to think, act and be gender inclusive. With the next general election scheduled for April 2019, it is a crucial time for Indonesia to seriously consider the unique challenges and barriers that women currently face in participating in elections.
News & Updates
Feature
Dialogues on Democracy: Countering Hate Speech in Elections
In this edition of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) “Dialogues on Democracy,” Editorial and Communications Manager Adam Gallagher speaks with Vasu Mohan, IFES’ regional director for the Asia-Pacific and technical lead for elections, conflict and security, about his IFES white paper, “Countering Hate Speech in Elections: Strategies for Electoral Management Bodies.” Mohan discusses what led him and Senior Elections Specialist Catherine Barnes to write this paper, how it’s been used in places like Indonesia and Fiji, what is distinct about hate speech in elections and how it is often used against women, and the role of the traditional media.
News & Updates
Feature
Reporting on Elections Accurately and Impartially: Training for Journalists in Fiji
As Fiji prepares to hold its next general elections, strengthening the accuracy of election reporting and promoting informed electoral analyses is a critical priority. From February 20-22, 2018, at the invitation of the Fijian Election Office and the Media Industry Development Authority, IFES facilitated a workshop for journalists on importance of reporting on elections accurately and impartially throughout the election cycle.
News & Updates
Feature
Countering Communal Incitement and Hate Speech in Indonesia
As Indonesia enters now a contentious election period consisting of regional elections in June 2018 and national elections in April 2019, it is important that election stakeholders are brought together to discuss and coordinate efforts to tackle these issues. On January 11, IFES held a roundtable on countering hate speech and community incitement in elections in Jakarta.
News & Updates
Feature
She Leads: Empowering Female Candidates Ahead of Local Elections in Sri Lanka
Ahead of Sri Lanka's February 2018 local government election, IFES carried out a women’s leadership program, She Leads SL, that equipped 458 Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim women with practical campaign skills including fundraising, networking and coalition building, campaign messaging, social media use, public speaking, and development of personal campaign action plans. As a result of the She Leads SL training, nearly 43 percent of alumnae participated as candidates in the 2018 local government elections, utilizing skills gained from the training to elevate their campaigns.
News & Updates
Feature
Photo Gallery: Sri Lankans Learn About their New Voting System
Sri Lanka’s February 10, 2018 local government election introduced numerous changes to the electoral system. Under its U.S. Agency for International Development-funded “Improved Election Management Program,” IFES is working with the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (EC) and local partners to support implementation of inclusive voter awareness-raising programs.
News & Updates
Feature
Nepali Youth Speak Out Against Violence Against Women
IFES works closely with the Association of Youth Organizations Nepal (AYON), a national network of youth-led organizations. AYON recently created a “I Vote Because” campaign and facilitated a mock poll event. In a video, participants speak about ending violence against women in the lead-up to the November 26 and December 7 House of Representatives and State Assembly elections.
News & Updates
Feature
The Principles of Election Reporting
Sri Lanka’s upcoming local government election will introduce numerous changes to the electoral system. The public will need to be informed of these changes in a balanced, impartial and fair manner. To meet this need, on January 8 and 9, IFES organized a two-day media training on principles of election reporting for 37 journalists from Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communities from across the country.