Gender analysis in democracy often highlights how limitations and multi-sectorial inequalities disadvantage women from benefiting in a democratic society. Women’s representation and role in democracy goes beyond the electoral processes, including constitution building, political participation and representation.[i] A broader look at the structural barriers is necessary to understand women’s access to education, including higher education, specialised training and networking, to claim the democratic space and have meaningful participation and yield substantive benefits.[ii] The specific barriers for women’s empowerment also require a multi-layer analysis with the wider concept of democracy.
Moreover, open civic space and enabling environment, economic empowerment, having equal opportunity and access to finance and leadership roles, and making it safe for women to engage in democracy are all interconnected factors to understand the challenges directly impacting women’s representation in democratic processes.[iii] On the other hand, the overall political consciousness of women, the digital divide including access to modern information and communications technology, the use gap and its likely impact on women’s role in democratic processes and institutions calls for an in-depth analysis.[iv] Despite the deeply rooted attitudes and patriarchy undermining women in democracy, the understated role of women influencing decision-making within their community and in state machinery needs new light. Additionally, the current status of women in the democratic and political landscape of the Horn is underexplored. Therefore, a deeper analysis of the challenges and exploration of strategic initiatives that address gender inequalities in democratic processes and institutions across the region is imperative.
The significance of such gender analysis is that it provides the necessary data and information to integrate a gender perspective into developing policies, programmes and projects. Therefore, as a think-and-do tank that anchors research, advocacy, movement building, and convening actors on democracy and governance in the HoA, HCD is conducting a gender analysis of the region to inform its institutional approach and program strategy, ensuring that they are gender sensitive.
[i]African Union.(2007).African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.Art.2.Retrieved from https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36384-treaty-african-charter-on-democracy-and-governance.pdf
[ii]International IDEA(2021).Women’s Political Participation- Africa Barometer 2021.Retrieved from https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/womens-political-participation-africa-barometer-2021.pdf
[iii]Masad R.(2020, March 13).The struggle for women in politics continues. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/blog/struggle-women-politics-continues
[iv]United Nations Ethiopia.(2023, March 28).Women call for an inclusive digital world to harness their potential, end online violence. Retrieved from https://ethiopia.un.org/en/226089-women-call-inclusive-digital-world-harness-their-potential-end-online-violence%C2%A0#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20gender%20digital%20divides%20may,on%20exercising%20women’s%20basic%20rights.%E2%80%9D
