Advocacy efforts result in strong gains for women in politics
Cambodia's male population was decimated by the violence of the Khmer Rouge regime. Fifty-six percent of the population is female, and 28 percent of those women are widows. Women were forced to assume new roles in business and in the family, yet until a few years ago, they were excluded from participating in any aspect of the governing process.
USAID has been a strong supporter of Women for Prosperity's decade-long effort to promote voter education and the participation of women in government. More...
Office of Democracy and Governance
USAID
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20523
Tel: 202-712-1892
Throughout its activities, the Elections & Political Processes Division focuses on three strategic goals:
Consensus-Building Processes: Promote peaceful agreement on democratic reform, rules, and frameworks and broad-based participation in determining, defining, and negotiating changes to governing structures. Support includes processes such as national dialogues, constitutional development, or reform processes around the world. Activities result in more inclusive political processes at national, sub-national, or local levels; increased and improved advocacy for participatory consensus-building processes; and improved oversight and monitoring of these processes.
Elections and Political Processes: Support democratic political processes around the world, including elections, referenda on critical issues, and other political processes. Efforts help enhance the quality and increase the number of countries that promote legitimate contestation for ideas and political power through democratic political processes that reflect the will of the people. Outcomes include more free, fair, and credible elections; more effective and independent election management bodies; more informed electorates; more effective oversight of electoral and political processes; and more competitive, representative, and responsive political parties.
Political Parties: Political parties are a unique and critical element in a democratic society because they are the only entities that carry out the key functions of aggregating citizens’ interests, competing in elections, and governing. Given these three critical roles, assistance to support the development of more democratic political parties is a cornerstone of activities and assistance for the promotion of democracy and democratic governance. Political parties that are more democratic better represent citizens' interests; govern more responsibly and effectively; compete more fairly in elections and political processes; and better coordinate so as to be more responsive to their membership and the citizenry.
