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News & Updates
Feature
Photo Gallery: IFES 2016 Photography Contest Winner and Finalists
An image of a person with a disability in India on his way to vote with the assistance of his son was selected as the Grand Prize winner in the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) 2016 Photography Contest. A photo of eager citizens in queue to obtain their citizenship cards and enroll on the Election Commission of Nepal's voter register at a mobile camp in Kailali district, Nepal was selected as the IFES Choice winner of the Photography Contest.
Publication
Report/Paper
Women’s Reserved Seats in Bangladesh: A Systemic Analysis of Meaningful Representation
There are currently four separate and different reserved seat systems for women at three levels of government in Bangladesh, and they produce different gender equality outcomes. This paper, authored by IFES Bangladesh Chief of Party Silja Paasilinna, examines these systems in detail, provides an overview of gender-based challenges women elected representatives face in both general and reserved seats, and provides a summary of suggested improvements to the current systems as well as options for alternative systems.
July 12, 2016
News & Updates
Feature
Bangladeshi Peace Activists Meet with US Officials on IFES’ PAVE Program
On March 30, 2016, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) hosted a meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh with several U.S. Government officials including Dr. Sarah Sewall, the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State. In the meeting, Dr. Sewall discussed the present political situation in Bangladesh with eight Bangladeshi “Peace Ambassadors” (Shanti Dut Gon in Bangla) and two members of the Women’s Active Voice in Elections (WAVE) Advisory Group.
Publication
Brochure/Fact Sheet
Factsheet on Electoral Provisions in Nepal’s New Constitution
On September 20, 2015, Nepal’s Constituent Assembly approved a new constitution, transitioning Nepal to a Federal Democratic Republic divided into seven provinces. IFES has developed a factsheet to provide an overview of how the new constitution will affect Nepal’s electoral process, including explanations of the electoral systems to be used for different elected bodies and positions, provisions to ensure representation of women and other marginalized groups, and guidelines on the delimitation of electoral constituencies.
February 18, 2016
News & Updates
Feature
Bangladesh’s National Convention of the Ambassadors for Peace
On November 14, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), in collaboration with local partner The Hunger Project-Bangladesh, held the “National Convention of the Ambassadors for Peace” in Dhaka for the Ambassadors for Peace (Shanti Dut Gon) who have been trained through IFES’ People Against Violence in Elections (PAVE) program.
News & Updates
Feature
Women Against Violence in Elections in Bangladesh
The pervasive culture of political violence in Bangladesh has unique impacts on women, where intimidation, harassment, and sometimes physical violence can inhibit women’s electoral and political participation. To address this issue, women themselves have a critical role to play in promoting peaceful and gender-inclusive elections.
News & Updates
Feature
People Against Violence in Elections in Bangladesh
In this International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Q&A, IFES Bangladesh Chief of Party Alistair Legge talks about the People Against Violence in Elections (PAVE) program, including how the program started; the role of violence in Bangladesh’s political and electoral processes; the instrumental role of women in election conflict and security programming; and lessons learned to prevent or mitigate electoral violence in other contexts.
News & Updates
Feature
Promoting Gender Inclusion with Nepal’s Election Commission
In the last decade, Nepal has made significant progress in promoting gender equality and women’s political participation, including adopting women’s rights-focused international and national instruments as well as a gender quota in the 2007 interim Constitution.
News & Updates
Feature
Registering Marginalized Populations to Vote in Nepal
As Nepal undergoes critical electoral and governance changes, IFES Nepal is working with local partners to register Nepalis – including Dalits, youth, Muslim women, freed Kamaiya (those subjected to forced labor) and other historically marginalized groups – to vote. This is part of IFES Nepal’s efforts to ensure that all Nepalis are able to participate actively in Nepal’s evolving political process.
News & Updates
Feature
Improving Access to Citizenship Certificates
As a primary legal document in Nepal, the citizenship certificate is compulsory for banking; accessing formal education and employment; registering on the voter’s roll; and obtaining a variety of benefits, including social security and government allowances for people with disabilities, victims of armed conflict and internally displaced persons. Yet despite its importance, there are significant barriers – including lack of knowledge or supporting documents and issues related to gender, caste and extreme poverty – that hinder access to citizenship certificates, especially for those from Nepal’s more marginalized groups.