VAW-E project

In partnering with NDI (National Democratic Institute) EWLA planned to participate on the upcoming 2021 election, particularly focused on observing Violence that will happened against women on Election

Highlight about the project

Elections are the means by which women realize their political right. However, political tensions and fierce competition during election can create vulnerabilities to women’s political participation which in many cases disadvantages them as compared to men and can result in women being excluded from the process. One of the major barriers facing women in Ethiopia is violence, which may result because of political participation, as voters, candidates and election officials. The most obvious motivation behind the violence is to discourage women from pursuing a political career or prevent their independent political participation.

Ahead of the 2020 Ethiopia legislative elections, and to contribute to inclusive electoral process, in particular women effective participation, the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) will undertake a violence against women in elections (VAW-E) monitoring activity. EWLA will employ multiple, complementary activities, including identifying existing response actors(conduct mapping exercise),consultative meetings on outcomes of the mapping exercise, develop a VAW-E response protocol based on the output of the mapping exercise, and deploy well-trained EWLA long-term observers (LTOs) and short-term observers (STO) on polling day throughout the country. EWLA plans to deploy a total of 178 LTOs to in all 89 zones throughout 

Ethiopia (one LTO in one zone) and the LTO will monitor and report on women’s inclusion and instances of violence against women during the pre-election period and on election day. In addition, EWLA will establish a hotline center in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, to receive and respond to calls of reports on VAW-E from all over Ethiopia for a period of 3 months that covers the pre-election period, Election Day, and the immediate post-election period.

Objectives the project

• To increase awareness of VAW-E in Ethiopia.
• To monitor VAW-E during the pre-election and Election Day phases of the electoral cycle
• To prevent, mitigate and respond to VAW-E during the pre-election day and Election day periods.
• To develop recommendations to inform advocacy for necessary reforms to contribute to improving women’s political participation and their safe and equal participation in election.