to the police and law courts, without fear of reprisals. We further endorse the recommendations by some civil society groups that issues of violence against women in elections (VAWIE) are discussed at the multi-party liaison committees.  To alleviate the weight of the financial burden on women seeking to contest elections and to encourage more women to run for office in Zimbabwe, we urge political parties to consider ways of supporting women candidates, including through the establishment of special funds. Moreover, noting the effect of the increase of candidate nomination fees on certain groups, we urge the Electoral Commission to review the impact of such measures on the inclusiveness of the candidate nomination process in the 2018 harmonised elections, in order to guide the formulation and implementation of future policies or measures. Youth Youth participation in the 2018 Harmonised Elections Section 20 of the 2013 Constitution mandates ‘the state and all institutions and agencies of government at every level’ to take reasonable measures, including affirmative action programmes, to ensure that young people have opportunities to be represented and to participate in the political, social and economic spheres of society. According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency’s 2013 report, young people (defined as those between 15 and 35 years of age in the 2013 Constitution) accounted for 60 per cent of the total population. In Zimbabwe, young people represent a critical demographic in the context of politics. Given that nearly 44.5 per cent of the registered voters in these elections were youth, many of whom registered to vote for the first time, these elections represented a significant opportunity to engage young people in a meaningful way in Zimbabwe. Notably, an Afrobarometer report, issued in June 2018, highlighted a significant distinction between the priorities of young and old voters, with over 65 per cent of young people reporting unemployment as their top issue in the election. Media reports throughout the pre-election period, encouraged political parties across the political spectrum to canvass the youth vote. Political disenfranchisement and youth apathy Nelson Chamisa, leader of the MDC Alliance, is one of the youngest political leaders in the country’s history, meeting the qualifying age of 40 (six months prior to Election Day), to contest presidential office. Youth organisations, media and civil society reports credited Chamisa’s leadership with a rise in the engagement of youth during the pre-election process, given his relatability to the issues and perceptions of young Zimbabweans. Some of the Commonwealth observers who attended the MDC Alliance rallies, noted significant numbers of young people in attendance. However, during their briefings to observers, civil society organisations (CSOs) 27