Global perspective Human stories

UN support helps double women's voter registration for elections in Yemen

UN support helps double women's voter registration for elections in Yemen

Registration by women voters for elections over the weekend in Yemen saw a 100 per cent increase from previous polls, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

On Sunday, Yemen held its third parliamentary elections - with help from UNDP and the Netherlands, which co-chaired a project to provide technical assistance - since unification in 1990. The balloting took place despite speculation that it might be postponed due to the uncertain security climate stemming, in part, from the war in Iraq.

According to the UN Electoral Assistance Division, which is currently helping close to 50 electoral processes worldwide, the polls attracted interest from electoral authorities in the region, including the Palestinian Central Election Commission.

UNDP has a programme that helps ensure the credibility of the electoral process in many countries across the world by co-coordinating international observers and facilitating negotiations between political parties and civil society, as well as advancing electoral reforms and supporting development of database systems that manage voter registration.