A PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE TO INCREASING WOMEN’S ACCESS TO ELECTORAL JUSTICE focusing primarily on their appearance, asking what their male relatives think about their participation in politics, calling their morality into question, and generally perpetuating a culture that blames women for reporting, rather than blaming the perpetrators of the violations.34 Parties also pressure women to refrain from filing complaints, which they worry might bring negative attention to the party and require it to invest time in an issue that it does not think is important. In Malawi, multiple interviewees noted that sexual harassment – including pressure to exchange sexual favors for needed resources from male party leaders – is rampant within political parties. Still, many women are reluctant to report incidents because so much social stigma is already attached to their running for office. Interviewees across multiple country contexts reported that women are reluctant to report incidents of electoral violence and harassment due to the shame attached not just to having experienced those issues, but to participating in politics in general. Further, they reported that bringing a complaint attracts additional attention and scrutiny that will redound not just to their own reputations but those of their families. Without support from families, communities, or their political parties – and with increased media attention – women are deterred from filing electoral complaints. Finally, the time, financial, and emotional costs associated with pursuing an electoral complaint are significant barriers. “Only those [Parliamentary] that can election afford results it get were justice. nullified Interviewees across country contexts noted that women because the candidates had money and could afford candidates were often running for office in addition to lawyers. What happens to an ordinary woman?” significant household responsibilities, leaving them with – Key informant interview participant limited time and resources in the face of grueling (and sometimes violent) campaigns. At the end of such a taxing experience, many interviewees noted that women are often completely drained and unable mentally, physically, or financially to afford a long court battle. For rural women in particular, as well as women with disabilities, proximity to courts presents a challenge, as physically accessing centers of justice can be a time-consuming and expensive ordeal. An interviewee in Honduras noted that the process is complicated and time-consuming and requires going to multiple places to complete filing processes. What legal or institutional reforms are needed to increase women’s equal access to not just EDR mechanisms but to true electoral justice? “It’s really important to encourage women to apply, to have a policy of appointing if not equal, almost equal numbers of women to judicial positions and to local election officer positions. Again, this is a matter of public Women face a variety of barriers in understanding and accessing EDR mechanisms, including resource, time, and information barriers. However, true electoral justice requires not only reducing those barriers but also ensuring trust. The public trusts a system that looks like the that, once someone reaches the EDR mechanism, the country.” process is fair, efficient, effective, and transparent.35 - Key informant interview participant In addition to being underrepresented among both candidates and litigants, women are underrepresented across positions of power in government and independent 34 See, e.g., THT Online. (2022, April 1). Social media are full of misogynistic content against women in politics in Nepal: Report OnlineKhabar English News The Himalayan Times; THT Online. (2023, March 10). Addressing hate speech and gender based digital violence a key contemporary challenge said experts. The Himalayan Times; Dahal, P., Joshi, S. K., & Swahnberg, K. (2022). A Qualitative Study on Gender Inequality and Gender-based Violence in Nepal. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1–15. 35 United States Agency for International Development. (2018). ELECTIONS ON TRIAL: The Effective Management of Election Disputes and Violations. 18