Training targeting:

(i) The exercise of citizenship so that participation in political life is not reduced merely to depositing a vote in a ballot box at more or less regular intervals and is perceived as a lasting commitment and contribution to the building of a more just society;
(ii) The ability to stand for election and to conduct an electoral campaign, which implies gaining the necessary self-confidence, putting together the requisite moral, material and logistical support in the political party and informal support networks and, lastly, winning the voters' trust; and
(iii) The use of parliamentary procedures so as to be able to fulfil electoral commitments. Trainers drawn from either sex. Training focusing on the working of government, the building of democracy and problems tied to social relations between men and women, and pertaining to such topics as communications, campaign organization, work with volunteers, media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the role of political parties. Training which involves learning how to examine the national budget so as to understand its different components and determine the extent to which it takes into account the needs of women. Establishing a directory of institutions world-wide that are able to provide political training for women.

The Financing of Women's Electoral Campaigns

Reduce the costs of campaigns by placing a ceiling on spending, by shortening the time for campaigning and by introducing reduced rates for the use of media time in campaigns. Have appropriate legislation to regulate funding from all sources, whether public, business, foundations or private. Compensate the scarcity of funding for women's campaigns in the following manners:

(i) Political parties putting forward, as a matter of principle, at least one-third women candidates and allocating to them one-third of their campaign resources;

(ii) Political parties, foundations and international financial institutions such as the World Bank establishing special funds offering cash contributions or interest-free loans to women candidates or to reimburse their campaign expenses;

(iii) The generation of at least partial public funding of campaigns. Wherever public funding of political parties is possible, link the amount of funding or refunding of election campaign expenses to the percentage of women candidates put forward by each party and/or elected to parliament. In those countries where funding is provided to parliamentary political groups, foresee an additional premium linked to the proportion of women MPs.

Media

Media personnel at all levels, from editor to reporter, from publisher to columnist, should be made aware of the fact that "stories" that sell or pretend to do so often perpetuate gender patterns which are adverse to the strengthening of democracy. Make women candidates aware of the fact that commitment, active ongoing presence, and conviction can make up for insufficient resources, including financial means, and that good media coverage does as much to win an election as large sums of money. Assist women politicians to learn how to get their message across through training on how to conduct media interviews and press conferences, make presentations, prepare press kits and communiqués, etc. Assist women to become more assertive in presenting their ideas and achievements as in fact, irrespective of sex, the media tend to come to people who stand tall and believe in their cause. Encourage the media to treat women politicians as political protagonists and to cover and interview them as much as men politicians. Encourage governments to restructure their communications policy so as to make them more gender sensitive and also to promote a fairer image of women politicians.