2nd Dialogue Seminar on Elections and Democracy in Africa - Opening Session

April 22, 2025

The African Union’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (AU PAPS) and the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) are jointly organizing the 2nd Dialogue-Seminar on Elections and Democracy in Africa.

Titled “Inclusive Governance: Amplifying Women’s Leadership in African Electoral and Democratic Processes”, this second edition will explore how to further integrate and strengthen women’s leadership within Africa’s democratic institutions and electoral processes. While important strides have been made through legal reforms, gender quotas, and advocacy, women continue to face a range of structural, cultural, and socio-economic challenges that limit their full engagement in political life.

Organized at the margins of the 4th Training of the AU Elections Observers, the Dialogue-Seminar provides a platform for African Union officials, civil society representatives, media professionals, and experts to share experiences and innovative approaches for promoting inclusive governance.

These discussions will delve into the critical interplay of robust legal frameworks, sustained political commitment, effective regional institutional support, and empowered grassroots movements to cultivate enabling environments that ensure women's substantive participation in democratic processes. 

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