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New Delhi : The Election Commission of India (ECI) is organizing an International Webinar on November 26, 2021, on the theme ‘Enhancing electoral participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) & Senior citizen Voters: Sharing Best Practices and New Initiatives’.

Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide with 117 EMBs as Members & 16 Regional Associations/Organizations as Associate Members. Election Commission of India has been the Chair of A-WEB since September 3, 2019, for a term of three years. To mark the completion of two years of its Chairmanship of the A-WEB, the ECI is organizing this International Webinar.

Nearly hundred delegates from 24 countries across the world namely Bangladesh, Bhutan,  Cambodia,  Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia,  Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Liberia,  Malawi, Mauritius,  Mongolia,  Philippines, Romania, Russia, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Yemen, and Zambia, and 4 international organizations – International IDEA,  International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and European Centre for Elections,  are going to participate in the Webinar, according to a PIB release.

Nearly 20 diplomats including Ambassador of Uzbekistan & High Commissioners of Fiji, Maldives, and Mauritius, are also scheduled to attend the Webinar.

At the Webinar, presentations will be made by participating EMBs and organisations on best practices and initiatives taken by them to enhance electoral participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) & Senior citizen Voters. Session I will be co-chaired by Chief Election Commissioner of India Sushil Chandra, along with  Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, and K  M Nurul Huda, Chief Election Commissioner of Bangladesh.

Session II will be co-chaired by Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Dasho Ugyen Chewang, Commissioner, Election Commission of Bhutan. Session III will be co-chaired by Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey and M  M Mohamad, Member, Election Commission of Sri Lanka.

The Concluding Session will be addressed by Peter Wardle, Adviser, Cambridge Conference on Electoral Democracy;  Peter Erben, Principal Adviser IFES; Dr. Nomsa Masuku, Commissioner, Electoral Commission of South Africa, on behalf of Chairperson, EC South Africa and Vice-Chairperson of A-WEB.

Three publications will be released at the Webinar:  October 2021 issue of A-WEB India Journal of Elections; October 2021 issue of ‘VoICE International’ Magazine and Publication on ‘Participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities and senior citizen voters in Elections’. Also, an International Video presentation on facilitation and participation of Women, PwDs and senior citizens in elections will be unveiled at the Webinar.