<< BACK Women's Participation: Training Women Candidates Countries Overview Georgia: Future Women Leaders (2003 – present) Since 2003, NDI has organized a future women leaders program aimed at increasing the participation of Georgian women in the decision-making process by building their professional efficacy and political influence. The program also represents an opportunity for emerging women leaders to network for the purpose of exploring common challenges and opportunities. Every year since 2003, 30 women have been chosen from all sectors of society to meet monthly for training and networking. Training modules cover topics such as human rights and relevant international conventions, time and human resource management, political organizing, campaign management, strategic planning and international standards for gender equality. Georgia: Women’s Candidate Training (2006) Ahead of municipal elections in fall 2006, NDI initiated a women candidates training program. NDI received approximately 400 applications for the program, both from women political party and independent candidates. Between June and September 2006, NDI trained 141 prospective women candidates in Tbilisi and nearby regions. Participants represented a wide spectrum within Georgian politics, including the ruling National Movement, Republic Party, Conservative Party and New Rights Movement. Participants were trained in campaign management, voter identification and outreach, message development, campaign financing and fundraising. In the October 5 municipal elections, 27 of the women trained by NDI sought local office and 4 of these women won. Algeria: “Jump Start Your Campaign for the 2007 Elections” (2006) This event brought together 45 activists from six of Algeria’s main political parties. Co-organized by NDI and the Center for Information and Documentation on the Rights of Women and Children (CIDDEF), this activity drew participants from 17 of the country’s 48 provinces. Through a series of four core skills workshops, panel discussions, and consultations with party leaders and current Members of Parliament, participants worked to build support within their parties for women’s candidacies, sharpened their grassroots organizing and communications techniques and were exposed to new approaches to campaign planning. In addition, participants had an opportunity to exchange experiences and network with activists from other Algerian parties. Bolivia: Winning with Women Candidate Training School (2004) In Bolivia, NDI implemented the Winning with Women candidate training school for women running in the December 2004 municipal elections. Winning with Women Political parties and citizen groups that participated in Winning with Women training school saw 39 candidates successfully apply campaign strategy skills during the elections. The leadership school prepared women for candidacy and successful governance across the nation. Among the participants, 93 women obtained their parties’ official nomination as primary municipal council candidates. A total of 39 participants won their elections, an exciting advancement for women in Bolivia. Jordan: Candidate Training for Parliamentary Elections (2003) When King Abdullah announced the creation of six new parliamentary seats for women last February, NDI partnered with the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) to organize training workshops for women candidates. The workshops provided electoral advice and materials and facilitated exchanges between Jordanian women candidates and current or former women candidates from other countries in the region. The program assisted in moving women candidates from generic campaign skills to individual campaign plans which helped to build further credibility for women candidates and open up lines of communication amongst the women - some of whom now serve together in Parliament. NDI trained 44 of the 54 women candidates who ran for office and in doing so helped to develop a cadre of politically skilled and active women in Jordan. Nepal: Campaign Skills for Women at the Local Level (2002-2003) In 2001, building upon its previous women's empowerment programs which trained over 4,000 candidates and activists and 1,750 local women representatives in leadership and public administration skills, the Institute initiated a multifaceted, non-partisan 24-month training program to increase the political participation and effectiveness of local women leaders. The current women's program has two components: women's candidate training and women's representative training. Through this program, NDI has built the capacity of the political parties to train women candidates. To date, these women activists have trained approximately 5,900 candidates on local government structures, organizing campaigns, advancing within the political parties and public speaking. Serbia: Meeting the Needs of Candidates and Aspirants (2002-2003) Since October 2000, NDI has rapidly expanded its training programs for women candidates to help them take on greater roles in political life, including the challenge of seeking and holding public office. Many of the women participants in NDI's program went on to overthrow Milosevic's regime when they became elected officials in the new democratic governments, and they continue to contribute to the development of democracy in Serbia today. Most prominently, Natasa Micic, acting president of Serbia and speaker of the Serbian parliament and Andjelka Mihajlov, Serbian minister of environment, are both graduates of the Institute's programs, along with Mayor of Belgrade, Radmila Hrustanovic, and numerous local councilors, local government officials, and presidents of local branches. NDI continues to implement a regular series of basic political skills seminars targeting women who are active within their parties but who are relatively new to politics; the Institute also implements advanced training seminars for political party activists. Morocco: Campaign Training School (2002) In preparation for the September 2002 parliamentary elections, NDI conducted a series of three successful campaign schools for more than 100 Moroccan women candidates. One third of the women who eventually won their races had participated in these schools, organized in partnership with the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women (AFDM) and the Seattle-based Center for Women and Democracy. The campaign training schools began in 2000 in response to a call by women to be more heavily integrated into decisionmaking processes. As a result of the September 2002 Parliamentary elections, there was a sharp increase in women's participation where women gained a total of 35 seats, up from only 2. Morocco now ranks the highest among numbers of women in parliament in the Arab world. In the recent September 2003 municipal elections, NDI again partnered with the Center for Women and Democracy to conduct more campaign training schools directed at communal-level women candidates. Senegal: Training Women Candidates on the Local Level (2002) In addition to working with political parties to encourage the increased participation of women, NDI trained 75 women from 14 different political parties throughout Senegal to reach out to women in their respective political parties. As a result, one hundred and fifty training sessions were conducted in the country's 33 regional departments. The curriculum concentrated on topics such as public speaking, increasing personal visibility within a political party and other campaign techniques for female candidates. During the May 2002 elections, 82 percent of the 2,097 women aspirants trained by NDI for local government elections were nominated by their parties, and a total of 1,531 women were elected to office. Sierra Leone: Training for Candidates and Campaign Managers (2002) In the lead-up to the parliamentary elections in May 2002, NDI held a series of workshops across the country that aimed to provide women candidates, and their campaign managers, with the skills to run effective issue-based campaigns. To address needs identified by the women, the workshops imparted campaign strategy, message development, media relations, public speaking, voter contact and fundraising skills. Through NDI's campaign workshops, 90 women candidates and 20 campaign managers received leadership and campaign training. The training prepared participants to run issues-based campaigns using detailed work schedules, budgets, fundraising plans and financial goals. Sixteen women were elected to parliament, eight of whom had participated in NDI trainings. Romania: Women's Participation Program (2000) As a lead-up to local and national elections in Romania, NDI sponsored a 6-month Women's Participation Program beginning in June 2000, in an effort to sharpen women's political skills and increase their inclusion in high-level political positions and the political party establishment. Women in Romania have been plagued by misperceptions about their willingness and competence to effectively participate in the government and have been historically underrepresented in Parliament. NDI's program engaged women and countered gender stereo-types by including a "Road-show" of female parliamentarians, party activists and NGO representatives who traveled throughout Romania speaking to women, as well as two training sessions for both men and women in the months before the local and parliamentarian elections. Seminar topics focused on effective campaigning skills. Exercises in public speaking, voter canvassing and fundraising gave participants the opportunity to interact directly with each other. Bringing male political leaders into the trainings allowed women candidates and party activists to demonstrate their abilities and gain crucial recognition as effective moderators and leaders. Of the 155 participants that attended the conferences in four key cities, 79 expressed their intent to run in an election. Serbia: Training Politically Active Women (2000) In an effort to inspire women to engage in the political process and help them gain the skills to become active participants in the political decision-making process, NDI brought together women political party members from across the political spectrum at a three-day seminar, "Women, Politics, Action!" in February 2000. The ninety participants gathered in Budapest to participate in trainings focusing on public speaking, voter contact, media relations and the development of campaign strategies. In both formal and informal settings, women with limited political background had a chance to hear the experiences of their more seasoned colleagues, and the wide spectrum of participants enhanced the cross-party, cross-regional character of the workshop. Although NDI has always strongly encouraged women to participate in its programs in Serbia, the "Women, Politics, Action!" seminar was initiated as a response to an expressed need for a separate women's program to bring more women into politics and prepare politically motivated women for the challenge of running for and holding public office. Malawi: Workshop for Women Candidates (1999) As an adjunct to its multi-year program with women in the legislature, the Institute saw a need to address the role of women in elections. To launch the program, NDI sponsored a country-wide tour by the Malawian Women's Caucus that included workshops on women's participation. As a follow-up on this trip, NDI held a national training workshop for women candidates and potential candidates. The 55 participants received training in campaign planning and techniques. There were four topics: targeting voters, voter contact, message development and public speaking. Trainers led the participants in guided exercises, which gave the women an opportunity to practice skills associated with each topic. By the final day of the workshop, the woman had prepared work plans for their campaigns and were anxious to try out their newly-acquired skills. A total of 57 women ran for office in Malawi's 1999 elections and 17 were successful. This was a substantial increase from the ten who succeeded in the 1994 elections. Paraguay: Training Politically Active Women (1999) In collaboration with NDI's Leadership Program, a leader of the Argentine women's group Mujeres en Igualdad traveled to Asuncion in December of 1999 to conduct a training workshop on negotiation for 40 young women. The participants also were introduced to the principles of negotiation and leadership, and to the idea of developing a database for professional women, which would to identify and promote women candidates. Georgia: Supporting Women's Caucuses (1998-1999) NDI has been working in Georgia to encourage women to become involved in the political life of the country and highlight women's issues among government leaders. To encourage greater women's participation in the political process, NDI conducted a series of consultations with the Georgian Women's Caucus in parliament and organized a meeting for the Women's Caucus and more than 30 women leaders from the NGO community in 1998. Participants adopted a series of initiatives for the Women's Caucus and NGOs aimed at heightening awareness in the parliament and the public of the concerns of Georgian women. NDI has also assisted other women's groups with organizational development and advocacy training. In September 1998, NDI organized a training session in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme. Sixty national coordinators of the NGO "Women in Development" worked with NDI trainers on strategies for increasing women's participation in the November 1998 elections, putting women's issues on the political agenda, and recruiting women as candidates. East Africa: Training Women Political Leaders (1998) In November 1998, NDI convened the East African Regional Women's Seminar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for representatives of women's NGOs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The conference sought to promote East African women's political participation, and provided training on organizing advocacy campaigns, building coalitions and running political education programs. The East African women took advantage of the opportunity to learn from the experiences of their counterparts in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Through multinational working groups and panel discussions geared towards sharing experiences, the conference also created a forum for strengthening linkages between East African women's NGOs. The seminar provided an opportunity for women to examine the impact of the East Africa Cooperation treaty on their efforts to advance women's political participation in the democratic practices in the region. Argentina: Supporting Networking Among Potential Women Candidates (1997) NDI provided technical and financial assistance to the civic group, Foundation for Women for Equality (Mujeres En Igualdad - MEI), to support its efforts to create a computerized directory of qualified women candidates for political positions, both as appointees in government and as candidates in elections. This "databank" seeks to respond to political party concerns about a lack of information on able women candidates and lays the groundwork for increased participation of women in the executive branch and elections in 1999. The MEI developed and presented the databank project to women political leaders, public officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations and the media. The databank was received with enthusiasm at several forums by more than 200 participants from across Argentina. The forums launched the databank on a national and regional level and enabled the MEI to receive feedback on the project. The databank also was endorsed by women leaders from all political parties. Representatives from civic groups from almost all of Argentina's provinces used the forums to begin to coordinate their efforts to organize databanks at the municipal, provincial and regional level. The media also covered the MEI presentations, increasing public awareness of the need to bolster women's participation in political life. Jordan: Training Potential Women Candidates (1997) Jordan is a place where women have played a minimal role in politics. Activism around Beijing and the 1993 election of that nation's first woman MP produced excitement about increasing women's role in the public sphere. Sensing an opening in the political system to promote the inclusion of women, NDI worked with women's organizations to identify and assist potential women candidates. Following a workshop in October 1996, NDI worked with various women's organizations in Jordan to provide expert advice and written materials to women candidates. NDI's representative spoke at 8 seminars sponsored by different women's organizations throughout the pre-election period. Ultimately, NDI reached 200 women. Although no women were successful in the November elections, the number of women seeking office increased enormously from 4 to 17. Kenya: Women Leaders- From Grassroots Involvement to Political Power (1997) In 1997 NDI conducted 15 training seminars and trained over 3000 men and women. In addition, NDI targeted 97 women running for political office, and put together a briefing book for women legislators that assisted them in their campaigns and a chronology of all the election related activity for the 1997 election year. By the end of 1997, NDI saw four women elected to the Parliament and 98 women elected on the local level. An unprecedented 500 women sought to gain elected office and 47 women received the nominations of their party. Two women ran for the Presidency -- one of whom came in fifth place in a field of 14 candidates; and one woman was appointed to the cabinet as an Assistant Minister; four women nominated by their party's to serve as Members of Parliament; and one woman selected as the official representative of her party in Parliament. Poland: Training Prospective Women Candidates (1997) Following parliamentary elections in 1993, most center and center-right parties failed to clear a new 5 percent threshold for representation in the Sejm. As a result, nearly 35 percent of the electorate voted for parties that failed to enter parliament, leading to their alienation from the country's political system. As part of its ongoing work to encourage outreach with political parties, NDI launched programs to encourage greater participation among women and youth in political parties. NDI conducted activities to develop women's political skills and to increase parties' understanding of the importance of appealing to women as voters and including women as candidates. A national level seminar in March prepared the way for sessions with prospective women candidates throughout the country. Through workshops on message development, message content and media relations, the participants learned and practiced important skills. Motivated by the energy and enthusiasm of these women, NDI organized a culminating seminar in July bringing women from throughout Poland together for advanced training in campaigning. For the September elections, first-time candidates Dorota Arciczewska, Sylwia Pusz and Johanna Soznowska knocked on hundreds of doors and catapulted to top positions on their respective party lists to earn seats in parliament. Nepal: Creating a Network for Potential Women Candidates (1997) Traditionally, women in Nepal have had little say in determining how scant resources are allocated. In 1997, NDI played an important role in preparing Nepali women to contest for and assume local office where some of those resource questions are considered. NDI trained 90 women leaders, identified by political parties and NGOs, to instruct prospective women candidates. Equipping these trainers with skills and knowledge regarding campaign management, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, leadership development, local government and Nepali election laws, NDI helped this core group of women train 3,865 potential women candidates and their staff on how to run for office. NDI also created educational posters encouraging Nepali voters to support women candidates and a campaign manual for women. Buoyed by a new law that set aside seats for women, 362 women trained by NDI now hold positions in local government. NDI continues to assist Nepali elected women with seminars and workshops regarding the functions of local government to maximize their effectiveness. Croatia: Coordinating Among Women Leaders (1996) In March 1996, NDI conducted a one-day seminar for prospective women candidates in local and state elections in Croatia. International experts, specializing in electing women, met with 35 women from throughout Croatia, representing the major political parties. The participants discussed the basic structure of a political campaign, message development, materials development and fundraising. Following the seminar, the women participants formed a loose coalition, despite their differing party affiliations. This association enhances contacts across party lines while promoting the participation of women in electoral politics. Jordan: Building Women's Political Leadership Skills (1996) As attitudes toward women's involvement in political affairs gradually liberalize in Jordan, new efforts are underway to encourage female political participation. While increased media attention accompanied the election of the country's first woman parliamentarian in 1994, most women have had little exposure to the skills needed to seek elective office. In anticipation of parliamentary elections in 1997 and in response to requests from Jordanian women's groups, NDI co-sponsored a program in Amman with two national membership organizations representing different sectors, the Jordanian Women's Union and the Jordanian National Forum for Women. The seminar provided women with practical information on organizing a successful political campaign. Following the program in Amman, NDI invited six Jordanian women who are likely to run in 1997 to observe the campaigns of female candidates in the U.S. The women studied press relations, public rallies, fundraising events and get-out-the-vote efforts in Maine, Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Kenya: Addressing Women's Political Participation (1996) Building on several years of programming in Kenya, NDI's work in 1996 attempted to educate and to motivate Kenyan citizens regarding the inclusion of women in political processes. By helping women engage in the political process, NDI helps sow the seeds of fundamental political change in a country where a small oligarchy has long dominated political space. In cooperation with domestic groups loosely organized in a coalition to support women's participation and prospective women candidates, NDI conducted 12 seminars in locations throughout Kenya. The seminars relied mainly on Kenyan experts and touched on issues of interest to the communities they addressed, including women's legal rights, women's empowerment, campaign preparation and advocacy. Throughout this program, NDI has identified and provided continued advice and technical assistance to 40 prospective women candidates from all the major political parties. In addition, several program participants who do not intend to seek election have developed and begun to utilize organizing and advocacy skills to promote women's involvement in politics. Malawi: Promoting Women in Leadership Positions (1996) In a meeting with the government, women civic leaders were told that one reason for the paucity of women in decision making positions had to do with a lack of qualified women to appoint. As a result, Women's Voice, a women's organization in Malawi, decided to develop a directory of qualified professional women in Malawi willing to accept public appointments. NDI provided technical assistance and support for this directory that contains more than 400 resumes of women organized by expertise, from a wide variety of professions and from throughout Malawi. The directory and the resulting publicity around its distribution have helped more women gain appointed posts throughout the Malawian government. Kenya: Supporting Women's Political Campaigns (1995) In 1995, NDI began its activities with a foundation of two years of work with women leaders in Kenya. In preparation for Kenya's 1997 national elections, NDI worked with a variety of women's groups and nongovernmental organizations to organize training seminars for a core group of approximately 100 political activists - women who intended to be candidates and people who intended to support their campaigns. The program was designed to develop a cadre of political professionals by providing practical assistance and a forum for the exchange of information. The series of five seminars, conducted periodically over six months, addressed issues such as volunteer recruitment and organization, fundraising, voter communication and use of the media. NDI intends to continue this program by providing further advice to women candidates and expanding the number of women capable of engaging in electoral politics through a train-the-trainer methodology. Central and Eastern Europe: Building Women's Skills in Political Leadership (1994) In February 1994, NDI co-sponsored a conference in Bucharest with the Pro-Democracy Association of Romania. The goals of the conference were to provide women working in politics training and information on running for and holding elected office and forming and expanding political networks. The conference brought together 45 women involved in politics as party operatives, elected officials and NGO representatives. The countries represented included Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. NDI brought seven international advisers to the conference with expertise in political strategies, campaigns, parliamentary membership, local government membership and the media from the United States, Ireland, Norway and Austria. The agenda featured workshop sessions entitled Running for Elected Office, Holding Elected Office and Political Networks. All participants also attended a media training session. In addition, in small group consultations, advisors and participants discussed individual situations relating to workshops topics. Kenya: Women in Politics (1994) In May 1994, NDI placed a field representative in Kenya to assist in the development of programs to encourage women's involvement in politics. The NDI representative conducted extensive research on women candidates from the 1992 elections and participated in a seminar with these women to discuss obstacles to women's political involvement. In August, NDI sponsored a meeting in Nairobi that was attended by approximately 50 women political activists, including two of the highest-ranking women in the ruling party and others from the major Kenyan political parties. Throughout the seven-month life of the project, NDI's field representative laid the groundwork for continuing efforts to promote women's participation and election in the run-up to the 1997 elections. Kenya: Getting Women Elected (1993) In October 1993, NDI co-sponsored a four-day conference with the Nairobi-based non-governmental Education Center for Women in Democracy to provide practical assistance to women seeking greater political participation in Kenyan politics. Six international women political leaders and approximately 40 Kenyan women, including members of parliament and local elected officials from all major political parties, civic organizers, academics and professional women, shared experiences and technical expertise. During the program, action plans were developed for identifying technical and financial resources for women candidates, creating issue-based campaigns, conducting grassroots organizing and voter education programs and encouraging women who have not done so to consider elective office. NDI expanded this program in 1994 and 1995 to provide ongoing support for women's political inclusion in Kenya. Argentina: Supporting Exchanges Between Politically Active Women (1993) In November 1993, NDI conducted a two-day seminar on women in politics. The program was organized in cooperation with the Women's Equality Foundation and the Lola Mora Association, two nongovernmental organizations that promote women's social and political participation. The program provided an opportunity for women from across the political spectrum and throughout the country to exchange ideas and practical knowledge about running for office and participating in political activities. More than 100 women from 18 of Argentina's 24 provinces took part in the seminar. NDI brought two women from the United States and Spain with extensive experience in political organizing to share their experiences as candidates, elected officials and political activists. The information shared during the conference was widely distributed in Argentina and Latin America through a newsletter produced by the Women's Equality Foundation. Chile: Women Leaders in the 21st Century (1992) Approximately 50 political and civic leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay convened in Santiago, Chile for a conference sponsored by Participa, a Chilean civic organization. The August 1992 conference analyzed strategies for increasing the influence and number of Latin American women in politics. Panelists included political party leaders, government officials, pollsters and leaders of civic organizations. The conference completed the women's leadership program organized by Participa, an organization NDI supported since its initial leadership training conference in 1991. Central and Eastern Europe: Women in Leadership (1992) In November 1992, NDI co-sponsored a conference in Vienna with Project Liberty, an effort of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University to support the development of democracy in Eastern and Central Europe. The program focused on women's leadership in business and politics. The program brought together over 60 high-level women public figures from 17 countries in Europe and the United States to discuss concerns, exchange experiences on the situation of women in public life and develop a network for future support and consultation. The conference was organized as a series of four small workshops. Each workshop produced an action plan which was later incorporated into a larger publication on the conference and distributed throughout Europe and the United States. Since the conference, a number of Western funding organizations that were present at the meeting (including the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the PHARE Democracy Program of the Council of Europe, the League of Women Voters, NDI and Project Liberty) have provided seed grants to emerging organizations in Eastern and Central Europe and/or organized follow-on projects to advance the concepts of women's leadership in individual countries or on the regional level. Contact Information For further information on Women's Participation, please contact: Kristin Haffert, Program Manager Send Email Updated August 2007 << BACK