RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AS CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS FROM 2005 – 2015 JUNE 2017 CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS ALCP All Liberian Coalition Party Pages APD Alliance for Peace and Democracy 1. Introduction 3 ANC Alternative National Congress BCPA Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 2. Background 4 CDC Congress for Democratic Change CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women 2.0 Research Methodology 5 CSOs Civil Society Organizations 2.1 Research Approach 5 CUP Citizens Unification Party COTOL Coalition for Transformation of Liberia 2.2 Research Design 5 FAPL Free Alliance Party of Liberia FDP Free Democratic Party 2.3 Study Area 5 GDPL Grassroots Democratic Party of Liberia 2.4 Data Collection Methods 6 LPL Labor Party of Liberia LDP Liberia Destiny Party 2.5 Secondary Data 6 LEP Liberia Empowerment Party LNU Liberia National Union 2.6 Data Analysis Techniques 6 LRP Liberia Reformation Party 2.7 Data Analysis 6 LTP Liberia Transformation Party LP Liberty Party 2.8 Results 7 MOGCSP Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection MOVEE Movement for Economic Empowerment 2.9 Findings 14 MPC Movement for Progressive Change 2.10 Discussions 17 NDP National Democratic Coalition NEC National Elections Commission 2.11 Conclusion 17 NGO Non-Governmental Organization NPP National Patriotic Party 2.12 Recommendations 18 NRP National Reformation Party 2.13. Political party structures-women and men in political party hierarchy 21 NUDP National Union for Democratic Progress NDPL National Democratic Party of Liberia References 24 OCPL Original congress Party of Liberia PUP People’s Unification Party PDP Progressive Democratic Party PPP Progressive People’s Party RULP Reformed United Liberia Party SPSS Statistical Package for Social Science version 18.0 ULD Union of Liberian Democrats UDA United Democratic Alliance UNDP United Nations Development Programme VC Victory for Change RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AS CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS i RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AS CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT 1. Introduction The research study on women’s participation as candidates in elections from 2005-2015 was The primary purpose of this study is to examine the factors that hinder or facilitate the commissioned by the National Elections Commission in 2016 to establish a base line data on the participation of women in electoral politics. Over the years, the issues regarding women political status of women and men as candidates in the elections conducted between 2005 and 2015 and in right and equal participation in electoral politics is becoming increasingly prominent in world elected offices . The outcome of the study was meant to inform key stakeholders like political politics and received varied treatment by the United Nations and its specialized agencies. The parties, government, CSOs, development partners on the reality on the ground as they promote principle of equality of men and women was recognized in the United Nations Charter (1945), gender equality and increased women participation in the 2017 elections. The outcome of the and later in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Liberia is a signatory of these study was also meant to be provide lessons learnt and best practices which can be replicated by declarations. Notwithstanding, the international declarations affirming the rights and equality female aspirants, female candidates and political parties fielding female candidates for the 2017 between men and women, the issues of women participation continues to bedevil political elections; building on the strengths to enable more women to be nominated as aspirants, systems and countries throughout the world. Available literature shows that women still candidates and eventually be elected into the legislature; and possibly to the presidency as they constitute a disproportionately small proportion of those participating in political decision- would be addressing the challenges and constraints experienced by the women candidates in the making and leadership roles in various political and social institutions. previous elections between 2005 and 2015. There is sufficient evidence to support the assertion that women have potentials, which can be The research report has been ready at the right time as processes for candidate nominations are tapped to meaningfully enhance social, economic and political development of nations. This about to start. It is a useful and relevant document to all stakeholders involved in the election awareness has led to efforts by governments complemented by civil society organizations processes. Female aspirants and candidates, political parties, CSOs, government entities, UN (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multilateral institutions and individuals at Agencies and development partners and other stakeholders are encouraged to read and use the the micro, meso and macro levels to actualize these potentials. information provided to improve on the strategies that gear towards increasing women’s participation as aspirants, candidates, and voters and as election workers in the 2017 elections. Efforts by recognized groups and entities have, in some instances, yielded positive results, there is still much to be done to ensure that women in fact, contribute their skills and talents to the NEC would like to thank Cllr Mamaka Bility, the Lead Gender Consultant and the research team political, social and economic enhancement of their nations and communities. This is because who conducted the research; all political parties and other organizations for the time and figures available with regard to the number of women in politics and public offices are still below valuable information provided to the research team; NEC staff for the valuable support provided expectation. The expectation can be achieved through a variety of identified means. However, if to the research team; organizations and individuals involved in the different stages and processes efforts to address the problem of women’s participation in politics and elections are to be of the research. In particular, special thanks should go to UNDP Election Project for the technical successful, then there is the need for factual information and empirical evidence about current and financial support, The Swedish Embassy and The European Union, for the financial support. trends of participation in terms of numbers and impact. This will help focus and develop a Last but not least, The National Elections Commission would like to extend appreciation to all systematic approach towards addressing the problem of underrepresentation of women with a whose names were not mentioned, but directly or indirectly contributed to the success of view of taken affirmative measure to leverage women’s potential and contribution to leadership production of the research report. roles in society. It is against this backdrop that this study examines the participation and eminent presence of women not only in politics specifically but also in elected offices in general due to their semeiotic relationship to the body politic. This will enable key stakeholders like political parties, government and state institutions and agencies and other civil society groups to know the “reality on the ground” and act appropriately to address the identified problems. 2. Background Owing to the dearth of crucial documents to detail the trend of women’s participation in elections in Liberia as well as to determine the level of women’s participation in political parties, this study was initiated to provide high quality and reliable source of information to the National Elections Commission in order to effectively respond to critical issues of women’s participation in elections as candidates. It is envisioned that the document will be used by the various sections in RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AS CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS iii RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AS CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS 1 the NEC, MOGCSP, political parties and other working groups as a baseline for their work to 2.4 Data Collection Methods promote women’s participation. It is a guide in working to increase women’s participation, a credible, reliable evident base for information, as well as targeted policymaking and The main data collection methods will be secondary data including questionnaires. The programming for equitable gender outcomes in elections and politics. application of this method is discussed independently for the sake of clarity. Research Objective 2.5 Secondary Data The overall objective of this research is to determine how female candidates participated in the Secondary data already exist and were collected for some other purposes, but will be used in general and presidential elections from 2005 to 2015. More specifically to: current research project retrospectively (Kothari, 2004). One of the basic advantages of using • Identify the counties in which women candidate contested; secondary data is that it helps the researcher to save time and money. If the information that • Determine whether they participated as individual or through a political party; answers the research questions already exists, it is a waste of time and resources to recollect • Determine whether or not the candidate won during the elections; and existing data for the sake of citing primary data sources. Secondary data used in this work will • Identify the position the candidates contested. include both published and non-published materials in the NEC archives. The former are different