Washington, DC -The National Democratic Institute (NDI) supports and endorses the United Nations' report on stopping violence against women in politics, which will be presented to the General Assembly today by UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Dr. Dubravaka Šimonović. Dr. Simonovic’s report has been strongly influenced by NDI’s Gender, Women and Democracy team’s submission which highlights the forms and impact of the violence experienced by women in politics all over the world.

During the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women in 2016, NDI Chairman and former Secretary of State, Madeleine K. Albright, asked the United Nations to include an examination of violence against women in politics in its annual thematic reports. Since then, NDI has worked alongside the ​UN Special Rapporteur, as well as UNWomen, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Organisation of American States and Liberal International, to make this report a reality.

“I am so pleased that the UN Special Rapporteur has delivered this critical report on violence against women in politics,” said NDI Chairman Albright. “Two years ago, NDI launched the call for action to begin tracking such violence. For women, violence cannot be the cost of participation in politics. In fact, participation in politics is the way we will end such violence.”

NDI continues to invest in the development of innovative solutions to raise awareness about the violence that women in politics face. The #NotTheCost campaign launched by NDI in 2016 is a global call to action to stop violence against women in politics. This fall, NDI will launch Think10, a new safety planning tool which measures the risk index of women who participate in politics.

“NDI empowers women to participate, compete, and lead as equal and active partners in democratic change around the world,” said NDI President Derek Mitchell. “The Institute’s contribution to the Special Rapporteur’s report is one aspect of its multi-tiered approach to help women overcome barriers to political participation everywhere.”

The full report can be downloaded ​here​. NDI’s Gender, Women and Democracy’s submission to the report is also available for download ​here​.

“Clapping with one hand doesn’t work! There is no more important time to ensure that women around the world play their full part in reforming, renewing and sustaining democracy. NDI will continue to support the many women and adolescent girls of courage who, no matter what obstacles they face, are determined to be heard and to make a difference,” said Sandra Pepera, Director of NDI’s Gender, Women, and Democracy team.

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