A PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE TO INCREASING WOMEN’S ACCESS TO ELECTORAL JUSTICE IFES’ ADR research found that an ADR system can be a way to support women’s equal access to electoral justice provided that: • • • • • • “It is designed very carefully in order to give priority to women’s voices and agency, i.e. to empower women, and to protect women’s rights;” “The use of ADR is strictly voluntary for the woman concerned and never mandatory;” “The ADR body is trained specifically to deal with such cases, including being aware of societal power imbalances;” “Trained personnel assess that the survivor will not be at further risk by pursuing ADR;” “It is not used for serious criminal offenses or to allow the perpetrators of crimes against women to avoid real penalties for such offenses (an exact definition of “serious criminal offenses” may depend on the country context);” and “The use of ADR does not prohibit women from accessing or pursuing formal justice, including the ability to appeal the decision of the ADR body.” Areas for Further Inquiry While existing research provides some information on EDR and ADR systems and on women’s access to justice more broadly, more research is needed to understand specifically how EDR and ADR systems can be more gendersensitive and more responsive to women’s specific needs and experiences when filing, pursuing, and seeking justice for electoral complaints. Through this research, IFES seeks to develop a more nuanced and complete understanding of how to make electoral justice more gender-sensitive. In particular, IFES will pursue the following lines of inquiry, which were identified as gaps after completing this desk review: • What are the practical challenges women face in accessing electoral justice at each stage of the electoral cycle and for different elections violations? • What specific legal or institutional reforms are needed to ensure women’s equal access not only EDR mechanisms but to true electoral justice? • What can electoral management bodies and EDR bodies do to promote women’s access to electoral justice and the effective adjudication of women’s disputes? • What role can civil society play in promoting women’s access to electoral justice? 44