Second South Asian Regional Conference on EDG: Promoting Gender Responsive Democratic Governance in South Asia

SAP International is organizing the Second South Asian Regional Conference on Engendering Democratic Governance (EDG); Promoting Gender Responsive Democratic Governance in South Asia in collaboration with SAP Nepal and other various partners from 28-30 June, 2011 in order to address the growing challenges of creating conducive environment for women’s active participation in politics.

It is an occasion for bringing together a diverse international, national and local community working in the fields of women in politics, gender and women’s rights to build upon collective experience through workshops, knowledge-sharing exercises and panel discussions. The Conference will advance an in-depth discussion and exercise among concerned stakeholders to develop common agendas and point out concrete strategies to initiate comprehensive advocacy campaigning to promote women’s participation in politics at regional level by addressing the concerns and issues of existing discriminatory laws and practices against women in politics.

This conference will strive to address issues by analyzing the gaps, loopholes in the existing laws and policies (Constitution, Electoral Laws and National/Local Governance Act), Institutions and Mechanisms (Political Parties, Parliament, Election Commission and Local Governance Institutions), Media and Women in Grassroots Politics and provide alternatives strategies and actions to move the agendas forward to create safe and secure environment for women to participate actively in the democratic governance. The international, regional and national community must focus on creating gender sensitive environment for engendering democratic practices through a wider lens which accounts for the multiple challenges women face. Women from every level will be at the centre of this event, sharing their strength and experience in order to collectively develop strategies for developing future course of advocacy campaigning with state agencies, parliamentarians, political parties and election commissions for the formation of gender friendly policies, mechanisms and practices.

The Second Regional Conference on Promoting Gender Responsive Democratic Governance in South Asia provides the opportunity to ground and expand upon regional, national and grassroot approaches that will help to enhance women’s participation in politics. This event will enable the participants to collectively explore how the methodologies have been adapted, how they have succeeded, and how they can be improved and used elsewhere to confront new and emerging issues. In addition, the conference will be a space for learning so that the new and upcoming actors can take the responsibility for creating a safe and secure environment for active participation.

 Specifically, the objectives of the Second Regional Conference are:

• To shed light on the existing constitutional provisions, legislative reforms and affirmative actions to ensure women’s participation in political governance
• To generate discourse on the state of gender friendliness in structures, practices, plans, policies and programs of political parties and political governance institutions including the local governance institutions.
• To recognize roles that media can play in developing gender sensitive and value based democratic governance system   

Themes and session

 1. Inaugural session (Overview of the country/regional situation on Engendering Democratic Governance)

2. Thematic sessions

• Laws and Policies (Constitution, Electoral Laws and National/Local Governance Act)
• Institutions and Mechanisms (Political Parties, Parliament, Election Commission and Local Governance Institutions)
• Media

3. Plenary Session

• Presentation of Thematic Session Reports
• Presentation of Draft Charter and Plan of Action

 4. Closing Session

• Sharing of the finalized Regional Charter and the Plan of Action

For more information, please contact: info@sapi.org.np

Related Files: 

Regional Conference Concept Note

Thematic Synopsis

Registration Form

Conference Flyer