Special Mechanisms
There are many ways to enhance the representation of women, minorities, and communal groups. These include multi-member Proportional Representation (PR) or semi-PR election systems, which use reasonably large district magnitudes of seven or more members, thus encouraging parties to nominate women and minorities to increase their electoral chances. A very low threshold, or the elimination of a threshold entirely, in PR systems can also facilitate the representation of hitherto under-represented or unrepresented groups. A few List PR countries require that women make up a proportion of the nominated candidates. As the files in Minority Provisions and Special Mechanisms for Women illustrate, in plurality or majority systems, seats can be set aside in parliament for minority and communal groups.
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