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Ethiopian Human Rights Commission – EHRCEthiopian Human Rights Commission – EHRC

Gender based hate speech, violence against women participating in electoral process must be prevented

March 8, 2021May 22, 2021 Press Release

EHRC study finds women taking part in elections face various forms of psychological, physical, economic and sexual violence

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Marking International Women’s Day, themed this year “Choose to Challenge”, the  Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called on all stakeholders to do  their part to prevent gender-based/gender motivated hate speech and other forms of  gender-based violence against women participating in the 2021 national elections as  political party candidates, as voters, as electoral officers/staff and women playing  other roles in the electoral process. A Rapid Assessment on Violence Against Women  during Elections in Ethiopia, which the Commission undertook in collaboration with  United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women  (UNWOMEN) shows that women taking part in election processes and in particular  women political party candidates are vulnerable to various forms of gender motivated  verbal and physical violence online and offline.  

The study, which covered Addis Ababa as well as Amhara, Oromia and Somali  regions, found that women taking part in elections as candidates, voters, election  officers and other electoral activities have faced various forms of psychological,  physical, economic and sexual violence. The assessment, which included testimonies  from women active in politics and electoral activities as well as experiences of law  enforcement and government officials and other stakeholders, also shows that women  political party candidates are particularly vulnerable to such forms of violence.  

Women interviewed for the study recount losing their personal and commercial  residences, being subjected to imprisonment, physical and gender-based violence and  facing other problems including being banned from places of worship and being  isolated by families. Similarly, women who express their political views online and  those directly taking part in election processes, are exposed to gender motivated hate  speech such as on comments on their physical appearance, their attire, their social life  or verbal attacks directed at the families and other forms of hate speech that cause  significant psychological harm. Such forms of gender motivated hate speech also  constitute gender-based violence.  

All the study informants also confirm that during previous elections law enforcement  and other relevant authorities did not take measures to help women who have faced  such forms of violence and, in some cases, were themselves part of the problem. As a result, women political party members and candidates had only family or the political  party they represent to turn to for comfort and encouragement. On the other hand, the study also showed that, often, the political parties the women represent did not,  themselves, grasp the concerning nature of the problem.  

Nonetheless, all the women who were interviewed for the study and who were  and/or are still active in politics still encourage all women not to hold themselves back  from expressing their political opinion or participating as candidates.  

Studies show that violence against women in elections (VAWE) is a threat to the  integrity of the electoral process as it coercively excludes women from having a voice  in the political life and governance of their country. This is why EHRC has included a call to all political parties “to pledge to design strategies to increase the participation  of women within their own political party” and to all stakeholders “to make a  particular effort to ensure the electoral process is gender responsive throughout”” in  its “6 Point Human Rights Agenda for Elections 2021”. In addition, the agenda asks  “all political parties, candidates, media and civil society organisations as well as  community influencers to commit to fully refrain from inciteful and hateful speech  and other behaviour and acts that provoke human rights violations, and to refrain  from any acts of violence”.  

As the International Women’s Day 2021 is marked this year with theme “Choose to  Challenge”, the Commission reiterates its call to all political parties taking part in the  upcoming national elections to pledge publicly to the “6 Point Human Rights  Agenda”. It also calls on civic society organizations and government authorities who  play various roles in the election process to ensure that the process is free from all  forms of gender motivated violence throughout.

Location Addis Ababa

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  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Regions
    • Addis Ababa
    • Afar
    • Amhara
    • Benishangul Gumuz
    • Gambella
    • Oromia
    • Somali
    • SNNP
    • Tigray
  • Areas of Work
    • Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
    • Civil & Political Rights
    • IDPs, Refugees & Migrants Rights
    • Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Rights of Older Persons
    • Women’s and Children’s Rights
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    • Human Rights Education
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