CALL FOR PAPERS:  From Representation to Influence: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Decision-Making in Ethiopia’s Post-Election Context

CALL FOR PAPERS 

From Representation to Influence: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Decision-Making in Ethiopia’s Post-Election Context 

UN Women Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), invites you to submit an abstract for presentation at a national conference to be held on 24 December 2026 (full day) and 25 December 2026 (half day) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “From Representation to Influence: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Decision-Making in Ethiopia’s Post-Election Context.” 

The conference aims to create a platform for researchers, policymakers, elected representatives, election management bodies, political parties, women’s associations, civil society, media, development partners and individual gender advocates. Together they will take stock of the status and influence of women in leadership and decision-making after the Seventh General Election, explore the opportunities presented by the National Policy on Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (2026), and formulate practical recommendations. 

Researchers, academics, policymakers and practitioners working on leadership and governance, gender equality and women’s empowerment are welcome to submit original research papers, discussion papers or case studies. 

Abstracts are expected to focus on one of the following tracks: 

Track 1: Women in the electoral process 

• Experiences of women as voters, candidates, party members, election administrators, journalists and observers. 
• Electoral laws, quotas and temporary special measures, and their effect on women’s participation. 
• Violence against women in elections (VAWiE) and in politics beyond elections (VAWiP), including online violence; prevention and response. 

Track 2: Legislative and executive leadership 

• From numerical representation to substantive influence in the HoPR, regional and city councils. 
• Women in federal and regional cabinets and in zonal and woreda administration: pathways and retention. 
• Mainstreaming gender in parliamentary and council procedures, committees, budgets and oversight. 
• Gender-sensitive legislation: how laws, bills, budgets and oversight in the HoPR and councils are made, scrutinized and implemented to advance gender equality, including the role of women legislators, caucuses and committees. 

Track 3: Judiciary, justice and security institutions, and women in peace and security processes 

• Women’s representation and leadership in courts, prosecution, police and defense. 
• Women’s roles in peacebuilding, mediation and post-conflict recovery. 

Track 4: Leadership across sectors 

• Gender equality norms and structures in political parties, party manifestos and candidate selection. 
• Women’s leadership in the civil service, private sector, academia, civil society and media. 
• How the media covers women candidates and leaders. 

Track 5: Cross-cutting issues 

• Intersectionality: young women, women with disabilities, rural and pastoral women. 
• Social norms and the redistribution of unpaid care work, and their effect on women’s leadership. 
• Accountability, implementation of the National Policy (2026) and policy pathways. 

Key dates (2026) 

Support and recognition 

Selected presenters receive a modest honorarium, and cover travel and accommodation for presenters from outside Addis Ababa for the conference dates. Each presented paper, through its summarised analysis, will form part of a joint UN Women–NEWA workshop report publication, and authors will be acknowledged in it. 

Terms and conditions 

Submitting an abstract implies the author’s agreement to publish the abstract in all conference publications, including the website. Acceptance of an abstract does not by itself imply any payment, other than the support described above.  

How To Apply

Submission guidelines 

1. Who can submit: researchers, academics, practitioners, civil society and media professionals based in Ethiopia. Only individual submissions are accepted; each author may submit up to two abstracts across all tracks. 
2. The abstract must not exceed 350 words and should be written in English. Use the template in Annex 2 (see the link below) with these headings: Introduction, Objective, Methodology, and Findings and Conclusion. Do not include figures, charts, literature reviews or bibliographies. 
3. Format: submissions that do not follow the requested format may be returned to authors for resubmission before the closing date. Once an abstract is submitted, no revisions, whether to language or content, are allowed. 
4. Previously presented work: abstracts submitted to or presented at other national or international conferences may be submitted, but the author must state where and when with the submission. 
5. How to submit: email the completed template to [newarecruitments@gmail.com] with the subject line “CFP – Track [number] – [surname]”. You will receive a confirmation email. 
6. Selection: a review panel scores abstracts against published criteria (Annex 3). About 10–12 abstracts are shortlisted for nine presentation slots, with reserves. Shortlisted authors submit a full paper, which is peer reviewed. The decision of the selection committee is final. 
7. Presentation: each paper is presented for 20 minutes in plenary. Questions and discussion take place in parallel breakout groups, co-moderated by the presenter and a woman leader from the relevant sector. Selected authors submit a final paper, slides and a one-page summary (three key findings, three recommendations, who should act and the supporting evidence). 

Please see and fill out annex 2 (Abstract template) using the link below. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x0R0er7OeNw1t5HhtGDasNP9Nc3V9EfNhJp-7jgBFv8/edit?usp=sharing   

For questions, please write to desset.abebe@unwomen.org; aregawi.gidey@newaethiopia.org