Gender aspects in elections

Abstract

Elections represent a crucial moment in the democratic life of a country, and the Republic of Moldova (RM) is no exception. In this process, gender issues become important, highlighting both the participation and representation of women and the impact of policies and decisions on them. Discriminatory and sexist discourse, with stigmatization of vulnerable and invisible groups, intensifies in the public space with the approach of the election date and gradually transforms, for the first time, into an organized campaign against civil society, including the media, in this case against the promoted causes and outstanding achievements over the years. In the electoral programs of female and/or male candidates, it is often noted that the approach to the gender dimension is absent. Subjects regarding the social field specific to women and men are sometimes addressed superficially within the electoral programs, in places present in debates or meetings with voters. In every election campaign in recent years, one of the aspects investigated by civil society observers is whether gender equality is respected in the electoral process, i.e. whether it encourages women's participation in politics, whether women are not discriminated against in relation to men.