Democracy in Action has asked the leaders of the political parties for equal gender representation in the electoral lists.
In a public letter sent to the heads of the political subjects, Democracy in Action requested that the "zebra model" be applied during the drafting of the lists.
"Although our current legislation has a guaranteed threshold of 30% for the least represented gender in electoral lists, this should not limit the ambition of political subjects to include as many women as possible, and to try to create of lists This model, with equal ranking between women and men – where every second candidate is of the opposite sex – would guarantee a fairer gender representation and ensure that women have a greater chance of being elected to Assembly of Kosovo", the letter says.
The letter states that they believe that the adoption of zebra lists will improve not only the representation of women, but also the confidence of citizens in democratic institutions.
According to them, the "zebra" model, which is said to have started to be implemented in the states of the region and beyond, should be seen as an affirmative and practical measure to ensure the inclusion of women, without compromising the value of equal voting.
"This step forward will contribute to the promotion of a more inclusive and representative democracy, positively influencing the political culture of our country and the internal democratization of the parties themselves. We especially encourage women's forums within political parties, party leaders and other members who support the cause of gender equality to engage even more strongly in promoting this process. The internalization of the values of gender equality in political subjects and then also in governance begins precisely with bold decisions like this," the reaction says.
The letter states that most of the political subjects, "at least declaratively, have expressed 'in favor' of equal gender representation in decision-making and party representation, as a prerequisite for strengthening their legitimacy".
"Such an orientation in favor of gender equality, led to the fact that in the last parliamentary elections of 2021, for the first time, there was a reversal of the ratio between women MPs elected due to the quota and those elected by merit vote. Out of 43 women MPs elected, 34 of them entered the parliament thanks to the merit vote - as a result of the increase in the number of women on candidate lists but also the way they were ranked within these lists. Gender equality is not just a legal obligation, but a political and moral responsibility that we all must promote to build a fairer and more inclusive society. Your role is crucial in this period, and your commitment will be essential in achieving this goal," the letter states.
On September 1, the application period for the certification of political subjects and the submission of lists of candidates for deputies for the February 2025 parliamentary elections began.
Political entities have 102 days to submit these lists and make all efforts to select the best candidates, in order to offer the most competitive electoral lists.
