IFES Practitioner Brief on Alternative Dispute Resolution in Elections contrasted favorably with the complete absence of women as members of the UEC or the election tribunals. Further research is needed to determine the impact of women’s membership of the EMCs, but one positive impact is that women’s role in ADR bodies during elections can build women’s skills at grassroots level and set a precedent for an increased role for women in mediating other types of disputes outside election periods. The presence of women in ADR bodies during elections could also empower and motivate other women to seek justice as complainants, because they would see that this is a space where women’s voices can be heard. It is important that all aspects of the electoral process are inclusive, as that gives more legitimacy to the process. Additionally, consulting local women’s organizations on this issue and on the design of the ADR mechanisms is critical. While not directly dealing with election disputes, a UN report from 2018 on mediation in Libya flagged that “the absence of youth and women from mediation efforts raises questions about the legitimacy of the agreements reached.” 86 This is a common challenge raised by several actors and reports on mediation efforts globally. More inclusive membership of ADR bodies is crucial but not sufficient: The full body needs gender equality training and voter awareness in order to operate in a gender-sensitive and inclusive way. In Indonesia, the Bawaslu has conducted extensive training on mediation. There are gender-related trainings for mediators, but these trainings remain limited. So far only 17 percent of the Bawaslu members/mediators are women. The 30 percent quota has not been met to date. During an interview, former Bawaslu commissioner and IFES She Leads alumna Dr. Ratna Dewi Pettalolo noted that, in addition to capacity building, there is a need to invest on advocacy to encourage women to become members, and thus act as mediators. Election management or supervisory bodies should also conduct advocacy with the political parties to increase the nomination of women as candidate and the participation in the leadership of the party. Indeed, Dr. Dewi stressed that the responsibility cannot rest solely with the mediators to protect the rights of women; other stakeholders should have a role in ensuring access for women to the EDR and ADR processes by raising awareness. In Oaxaca, Mexico, mediation has been introduced by the state electoral institute (IEEPCO) to support the use of traditional practices by indigenous communities in the election of their local authorities. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the right of indigenous communities to self-government according to their traditional customs. IEEPCO has developed detailed guidelines for the mediation of such disputes, which include guiding principles to respect the indigenous traditions provided they are compatible with international human rights, respect legal pluralism, and find an inclusive and consensual lasting resolution. IEEPCO plays a facilitator’s role and leads mediation, together with representatives of the parties. In some cases, the whole community is represented and consulted throughout the mediation. The process must be translated into the relevant indigenous language, as needed. In such contexts, it can be difficult to strike a balance between protecting indigenous culture and customs and protecting individual rights—in particular, women’s rights. A recent case at Mexico’s Upper Federal Electoral Tribunal concerning a dispute from an indigenous community in Oaxaca reiterated the importance of supporting indigenous Vericat, J.S. & Hobrara, M. (2018). From the ground up: UN support to local mediation in Libya. International Peace Institute. https://www.ipinst.org/2018/06/un-support-to-local-mediation-libya 86 38