to the House of Peoples‟ Representatives for ratification. Ethiopia has also reported with proper diligence under various international Human Rights instruments including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on which the last submission was in November, 2013 11. The HPR has also ratified the instruments of the African Union such as the African Youth Charter and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE 1. Universal Suffrage Ethiopia, as an emerging democracy and a country with different nations and nationalities, has been striving to bring about a robust multi-party system. As a result, in accordance with the registration of Political Parties Proclamation No 573/2008, seventy nine National and Regional Political Parties have been registered by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. These political parties participate in elections as individual parties or as part of a Front, a Coalition or a Union. 12 These parties participated in the 2010 national elections comprising of 2,188 candidates for the House of Peoples‟ Representatives, of which 1,916 (87.6%) were male, and 272 (12.4%) female. 4,746 candidates ran for the Regional State Councils, of which 4,021 (84.7%) were male, and 725 (15.3%) female. Thirty four (34) independent candidates participated for the House of Peoples‟ Representatives, of which 33 (97.1%) were male and 1 (2.9%) female. 11 independent candidates participated for the Regional State Councils, of which 9 (81.8%) were male and 2 (18.1%) female. In general, the total number of candidate participants in the 2010 General Election was 6,979, of which 5,979 (85.7%) were male and 1000 (14.3%) female. The total number of registered voters was 31,926,520, of which 16,674,280 (52.2%) were male and 15,252,240 (47.8%) female. Among these, the total number of voters who cast their votes was 29,832,190, of which, 15,617,453 (52.4%) were male and 14,214,737 (47.6%) female. Overall, the total voter turnout was 93.4% of registered voters. 2. Promotion of Democracy and Good Governance The Government has been taking various actions to promote democracy and good governance. Many associations and community groups have been set up to protect the interests of the groups 11 12 Report on Ethiopia's reporting status of human rights, p-1.available at of UNOHCHR-EARO website The National Election Board of Ethiopia available at http://www.electionethiopia.org/en/political-parties.html 20