Summary
Interference with registration, intimidation or coercion of potential voters is prohibited.
Obligations
Election Parts
Criteria
Quotes
- The Committee recommends that States parties: (f) Adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of violence that undermine women’s participation, including targeted violence by State and non- State groups against women campaigning for public office or women exercising their right to vote.
- Any abusive interference with registration or voting as well as intimidation or coercion of voters should be prohibited by penal laws and those laws should be strictly enforced.
- [States should foster citizen participation in the electoral process by] requiring that political parties permanently refrain from exercising pressure, violence and intimidation on the population, and protecting voters and candidates against such threats. This requires strict compliance with the principle of secrecy of the ballot and application of dissuasive but proportionate sanctions against perpetrators of any of these violations.
- Any measures such as political violence, kidnapping, murder, threats and sanctions such as denial of development opportunities in opposition controlled areas that prevent eligible individuals to register to vote and to vote in secrecy should be perpetually outlawed by SADC member states.