Abstract
Using data gathered by Organization of American States/Electoral Observation Missions (OAS/EOMs) between 2011 and 2013 from elections in Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic, the chapter assesses the principal impediments to the participation of Latin American women in elections. It argues that the electoral system in force significantly affects the ability of women to stand as candidates and win elections, and that the specific design of affirmative action measures such as quotas is crucial to their effectiveness in promoting female political participation. Finally, the chapter argues for directed public financing as an effective measure to promote greater female presence in electoral competition. Highlighting the role of an international organization in promoting women’s political rights, the chapter shows the impact OAS/EOMs can have in setting a road map for moving a gender agenda forward, one that can be useful to other local actors.
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Muñoz-Pogossian, B., Finn, T. (2017). Women in Elections: Identifying Strategies to Promote Greater Electoral Competitiveness. In: Došek, T., Freidenberg, F., Caminotti, M., Muñoz-Pogossian, B. (eds) Women, Politics, and Democracy in Latin America. Crossing Boundaries of Gender and Politics in the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95009-6_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95009-6_10
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