Women’s civil & political participation

IWDA believes that women should be represented in political and public life on equal terms with men. We continue to witness unequal representation and participation in institutional structures and decision-making processes as the global norm, from governments and political parties to NGOs, the private sector and social institutions.

This is both a democratic deficit and a constraint on development as it limits the information, ideas and priorities that inform our policy and resource allocations. We know that women’s participation is a critical step towards reshaping economic, political and social conditions to allow for equality.

IWDA is committed to boosting women’s participation by addressing the complex relationships between power, poverty and participation. Civil rights include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and the right to a fair trial. Political rights include the right to vote, to run for office, and the right to representation at all levels. Political and civil rights are mutually reinforcing. Our programs support organisations to realise women’s rights in practice. This includes promoting awareness and understanding of what people’s rights are, why they should be protected and how; and understanding and addressing the enabling factors and barriers that shape how women can exercise their civil and political rights. The ability to actualise rights is as important as the rights themselves.

IWDA is resourcing training, research, advocacy, leadership and multi-media initiatives. We support community-level capacity development initiatives because we know this serves as a first step and training ground for women and opens up opportunities to enter local politics or take on other public roles. We are firmly committed to increasing women’s active participation in national politics in our region. Our work with and through local organisations is building a critical mass of women with the ability and confidence to speak up, be heard and influence decision-making in all aspects of private and public life. Our advocacy collaborations are increasing women’s participation and representation at national and regional levels to promote and protect women’s rights, influence policy change, document violations, and promote transparency and accountability of institutions and governments.

Projects

• Generation Next – Strengthening women’s weekend community radio broadcasts
• Global Youth Impact
• Karen Young Women’s Leadership School
• Strengthening women’s participation in local government
• Women’s Empowerment Program
• Women mobilising for democracy

Past projects

• Emerging Leaders Program
• KWO Evaluation

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