NDI - Africa: Sub Saharan Africa

NDI Election Observation Request for Applications - Nigeria

erodriguez — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 15:09:56 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/10/2017

Language:

English

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) invites proposals from Nigerian non-governmental, nonpartisan organizations to prepare to observe voter registration and the 2019 general elections and select off-cycle gubernatorial elections, subject to availability of funds.

NDI Program Goal:
Develop the capacity of Nigerian civil society organizations (CSOs) to participate in the electoral process, in particular through evidence-based observation using statistical principles and information and communication technologies.

Project Description:
NDI, Search for Common Ground (SFCG), Center for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana) and World Learning (WL) are implementing the Electoral Empowerment of Civil Society Project (EECSP). Funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), EECSP aims to strengthen the capacity of CSOs to become integral part of election activities in Nigeria.

Subject to availability of funds, NDI will provide a subgrant and technical assistance to a Nigerian CSO to prepare to observe elections and voter registration using statistical principles and information and communication technologies. NDI anticipates the partner organization will have the ability to mobilize citizen observers in all states and 774 local government areas (LGAs) simultaneously.

In addition to a subgrant, NDI will provide technical assistance to its partner to: observe using the parallel vote tabulation methodology; draw representative sample of polling units for purposes of observer deployment; develop a detailed training plan; establish suitable recruitment criteria and a recruitment strategy for observers; develop a communication and reporting system; conduct trainings and produce observer forms and manuals; collect and manage observer data; and develop a strategy for external communication.

Applicant Eligibility Criteria:
All applicants should be non-governmental organizations that are registered with the National Planning Commission or the Ministry of Development at the national or state level. Applicants should be nonpartisan and free of any conflicts of interest pertaining to elections in Nigeria. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in democratic development, transparency, government accountability, human rights, rule of law, and/or the political participation of marginalized groups, such as women, youth or people with disabilities. Applicants must demonstrate established financial management, systems for project monitoring and evaluation, and other policies and procedures that show compliance with standards for managing U.S. government funds. Applicant must demonstrate ability and experience to conduct activities in every state and LGA.

Application Process:
Interested applicants should develop a proposal based on the following structure:

Executive Summary (5 points)
This should be a maximum of one (1) page, and effectively summarize the full application.

Problem Statement/Background (5 points)
This should be a maximum of one (1) page. It will be evaluated on the degree to which the applicant is able to present a clear description of how evidence-based election observation can address Nigerian electoral issues.

Project Activities/Description (25 points)
This subsection will be evaluated based on the degree to which the applicant demonstrates how it intends to: set up a management team and project structure; mobilize citizen observers in all states (including the Federal Capital Territory) and all 774 LGAs; share information within the project structure; communicate with external stakeholders; and manage finances across all states and LGAs. The applicant must demonstrate its presence or connections in all states, for instance, through a list of member organizations, examples of subnational programming, a list of interested potential state or subnational partners, and/or a detailed process to identify programmatic points of contact with full geographic coverage.

Organizational Capacity (25 points)
This subsection will be evaluated based on the degree to which the applicant can provide evidence that its staff possess the managerial, leadership and democracy programs experience necessary to successfully implement the proposed activities. The applicant will provide evidence of ability to organize large-scale programs within deadlines, ability to operate in politically sensitive contexts, and experience or interest in democracy strengthening programming. The applicant will also demonstrate its experience and competencies with external communication, from strategies for thoughtful engagement with key stakeholders to strategic engagement with publics on traditional and social media. The applicant will present its staffing structure and a proposed project staffing scenario, all of which should define the roles and responsibilities, and present a practical, functioning organizational structure that is consistent with the project approach.

Financial Capacity (40 points)
An applicant will be evaluated on the extent to which it has installed or is measurably installing financial controls and systems that accurately reflect the organization’s functioning, ensure transparency and controls in procurement process, and create an audit trail by which all receipts and expenditures can the traced, allocated and justified. This may also include evidence of organizational policies and procedures, such as a staff code of conduct or ethics, bank and cash management, segregation of staff duties, job descriptions, travel guidelines, competitive staff recruitment, procurement guidelines, and/or payroll systems. The applicant will also demonstrate that it is compliant with tax and labor laws. The applicant will provide evidence of having mobilized resources for similar projects, in scope financially, programmatically and/or geographically.

Clarification questions regarding evaluation criteria and the program’s goals should be sent to ndingr@ndi.org with the subject line [NDI Election Observation Grant Request for Information] by January 16, 2017.

All proposal and attachments must be submitted in PDF format to ndingr@ndi.org by January 22, 2017, with the subject line [NDI Election Observation Grant 2017].

All applications must be submitted with the following attachments:

Federal Republic of Nigeria Registration Certificate;
Proof of registration with Federal Inland Revenue Service;
Recent project audit report;
Recent annual activity reports;
Board composition, organogram and curriculum of key staff and;
Relevant organizational policies and procedures.

English

With All Eyes on Ghana, NDI Observers Applaud the Country’s Peaceful Elections

erodriguez — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 15:16:43 +0000

In early December, 30 delegates from 14 countries and four continents began arriving in Accra, Ghana for NDI’s international election observation mission. Experts had warned that the December 7, 2016 election, much like the 2012 election, would likely be very close. But this time there were fears of violence and low confidence in the country’s electoral institutions and staunchly partisan political actors.

According the NDI’s observation mission preliminary statement: “The December 7 polls highlighted the strong and enthusiastic commitment of Ghanaians to their democratic institutions and processes and reaffirmed Ghana’s democratic trajectory and recent history.”

“As the last African country to hold national elections of 2016, all eyes are on Ghana,” said Dr. Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa at NDI and one of the delegation leaders. “We hope that the voices of citizens will be heard, as Ghanaians deserve nothing short of meaningful and peaceful polls.”

A polling agent greets NDI observers in the morning as he prepares to open his polling station in Accra.

In addition to Dr. Fomunyoh, the delegation’s other leaders included Ambassador Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department; Hon. J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former justice, South African Constitutional Court and Mr. Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of elections, NDI.

The observers represented a very diverse group of political and civic leaders, elections experts and regional specialists. The delegation was comprised of approximately 50 percent women and gender and women’s participation was a major focus of the observation mission.

During their stay in Ghana, the observers participated in briefings on Ghanaian political and electoral processes from Ghanaian experts, political leaders, election administrators, representatives of civil society, as well as NDI staff. Delegates deployed in two-person teams to regional capitals across Ghana to meet with election administrators, parliamentary candidates, domestic observer groups and political and civic activists in these localities. On election day, observers visited polling sites in their area of deployment to watch the voting, tabulation of results and other aspects of electoral proceedings.

At the same time, NDI partnered with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) who employed a Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) to independently verify the accuracy of the presidential election results as declared by the Electoral Commission (EC). CODEO deployed about 8,000 Ghanaians as trained, accredited, non-partisan observers, of which 1,500 were dedicated PVT rapid response observers. Their PVT results closely matched the EC results.

Despite initial concerns, the Ghanaian elections proceeded peacefully and fairly. In their preliminary statement, the NDI observers commended the Electoral Commission for its notable improvements since the 2012 polls and expressed appreciation for the efforts of other election stakeholders. In particular, the delegates praised all the presidential candidates for signing the December 1 Accra Declaration, which expressed each political party’s commitment to peaceful polls. Read the mission’s full statement here.

Ghanaian voters queue to cast their vote for president and parliament as security and polling officials stand watch in order to ensure an orderly process.

“The NDI delegation applauds the people of Ghana for the largely peaceful conduct of these elections, despite earlier apprehensions of political tensions and violence,” said Ambassador Johnnie Carson, co-leader of NDI’s observation mission. “Ghana has underscored its status as a beacon for democracy in the region and, though not without challenges, remains a laudable example for the entire continent.”

NDI’s election observation for the December 7 elections included two pre-election assessment missions in August and October 2016. The delegation conducted its activities in accordance with Ghanaian law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, and collaborated with other international observer missions that endorse the Declaration.

NDI’s international election observation mission in Ghana was funded by a grant from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State. The Institute’s pre-election missions were funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Published on December 29, 2016

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE'S INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER MISSION TO GHANA’S DECEMBER 7 PRESIDENTIAL AND LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS

emalina — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 21:12:57 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/27/2016

Resource Type:

International Observation Preliminary Statement

Language:

English

This preliminary statement is offered by the international observer delegation fielded by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to Ghana’s December 7, 2016, presidential and legislative elections. The 30person delegation with members from 14 countries was coled by: Johnnie Carson, senior advisor to the president of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), member of the NDI board of directors, and former U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs; Yvonne Mokgoro, board chair of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa; Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of electoral programs at NDI; and Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate for Africa and regional director at NDI. Through this delegation, NDI seeks to: demonstrate the international community’s interest in and support for credible and peaceful elections in Ghana; provide an accurate and impartial report on the election process to date; and offer recommendations to improve future electoral processes.

English

Attachment	Size
Preliminary Statement (ENG)	138.34 KB

NDI and Three Nations in the Sahel Collaborate on Security Threats

erodriguez — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 17:19:27 +0000

Western Africa’s Sahel region “has for several years known an unprecedented security crisis,” according to NDI Central and West Africa Director Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh. This crisis “places strain on all people of the Sahel and simultaneously constitutes a real threat to international security and governance.” To foster a regional approach to this crisis, NDI held a forum from November 20 to December 1 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, which gathered members of parliament (MPs), civil society organization (CSO) representatives and executive agency staffers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

On the sidelines of the event, NDI representatives briefed the President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré (far right), on the goals of the regional Sahel security program. They underscored NDI’s regional and cross-sectoral approach to addressing security threats that fail to stay within the borders of only one country. President Kaboré voiced his support for the initiative.

Over three days, participants discussed opportunities for cross-border and multisectoral collaboration aimed at strengthening democratic governance of the security sector and promoting human security. Burkinabe, Malian and Nigerien security sector reform experts joined panelists from the African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), G5 Sahel; a regional organization established in 2014 by the governments of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger that aims to foster security and development in the region; and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to provide a practitioner’s perspective on tackling pressing security threats.

From left: Amadou Diongué (African Union Representative), Danish Ambassador Ulla Næsby Tawiah, Alfred Gouba (Burkina Faso Secretary of State for Decentralization; delivering his speech), Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh (NDI Director for Central and West Africa) and Mohamed Znagui Sid Ahmed Ely (G5 Sahel Representative)

Panelists outlined these threats, which include:

porous borders that facilitate cross-border criminality, from banditry to human and drug trafficking to terrorism;
an absence (real or perceived) of state administration, defense and security agents;
lack of social services in stretches of territory; and
a history of military rule in the region, which has weakened public confidence in the state’s ability to protect and provide for its citizens.

Working in small groups, the MPs, CSO representative and executive branch personnel brainstormed robust approaches to face these multifaceted security threats.

“More than ever, it’s time to come together as one to fight terrorism for, as we face this threat together, we are condemned to win or to perish together,” said Abass Malam, a civil society representative from Niger, appealing to the other country participants for mutually reinforcing, coordinated initiatives.

Members of Parliament from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger during a Group Work Session

Participants also acknowledged and highlighted women’s roles in mitigating security risks. They encouraged greater integration of gender into security management in a region where women constitute approximately 52% of the population.

“Who more than a woman, a spouse and a mother can better advise her husband or her children not to go to war or engage in acts of terrorism?” queried MP Marie Laurence Ilboudo, member of the Defense and Security Commission of Burkina Faso’s National Assembly.

At the end of the forum, participants issued a joint declaration detailing recommended steps to take to increase human security in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Recommendations for MPs included establishing regular consultations, updating the legal framework so that security threats can be effectively managed while respecting human rights and harmonizing legislation across all three countries to facilitate cooperation between security services.

CSOs were tasked with playing a more prominent role in security sector governance, putting in place a platform for CSOs in the three countries, holding more awareness-raising activities on human security, and building relationships between national and local organizations.

Executive agencies were called on to increase the number of frontier posts manned by security agents, reinforce coordination between border management authorities, build working relationships with the legislative branch, put in place basic infrastructure in border regions, and take women into account in security sector governance.

Participants in Plenary at the Regional Sahel Security Forum

Following the joint declaration, the three countries’ program partners engaged the press to relay the forum’s recommendations. As journalists raised concerns about implementation of these recommendations, partners reiterated their will and commitment to work in synergy on joint security governance initiatives within and beyond borders.

Burkinabe Participants from Civil Society, the Executive Branch and Parliament Formulate Proposals and Recommendations to Improve Security

Bringing together MPs, civil society representatives and executive agency staffers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger allowed participants to create and adopt mechanisms for collaboration by sector and by country, as well as across sectors and countries. They successfully developed a roadmap for continued regional cooperation: the will continue to hold similar dialogue sessions on a recurring basis, organize joint activities that bring defense and security forces together with civilians - especially in border zones - and establish a multi-actor framework to discuss security issues.

Adopting a multisectoral, cross-cutting and regional strategy, as forum participants successfully committed to do in Ouagadougou, presents the most robust method to combat the transnational threats facing those who call the Sahel region their home.

The forum was conducted as part of a program supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark under the framework of the Danish Regional Stabilisation and Peace Programme, which is also funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador of Denmark to Burkina Faso, Ulla Næsby Tawiah, and the Secretary of State for Decentralization, Alfred Gouba, representing Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Interior Security, provided opening remarks.

Published on December 27, 2016

Loi sur la parité homme/femme en République Centrafricaine : entre avancée et défis

erodriguez — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 16:02:12 +0000

L’Assemblée nationale de la République Centrafricaine a adopté, lors de sa session ordinaire du 09 novembre 2016, la loi instituant la parité entre les hommes et les femmes. La parité est définie comme « l’égalité numérique des hommes et des femmes aux mandats électoraux, aux fonctions électives et aux postes à caractère nominatif dans les secteurs publics et privés ».

Soutien politique

Elle était adoptée avec 86 voix favorables contre 21 voix non favorables et 08 abstentions. Vingt – cinq (25) députés n’ont pas assisté à la session plénière et n’ont pas donné de mandat ; un comportement passif qui pourrait être interprété comme un désintéressement par rapport à la problématique de la parité homme/femme.

En l’absence de groupes parlementaires dûment constitués conformément au règlement intérieur de l’Assemblée nationale (Conformément à l’article 12, alinéa 5 du Règlement intérieur de 2006, « un groupe ne peut être reconnu administrativement constitué que s'il réunit au moins 5 membres), il est difficile d’appréhender les courants politiques qui s’étaient exprimés. La majorité de 61% exprimée en faveur de la loi constituerait, sans nul doute, les soutiens à la fois du Président de la République Faustin A. Touadera dont le gouvernement a élaboré et soumis le projet de loi et du Président de l’Assemblée nationale Karim Meckassoua qui a appelé au vote massif en faveur de la loi.

Cette loi est inédite dans un contexte centrafricain où les disparités entre les hommes et les femmes dans les postes de décision au sein de l’administration publique sont profondes, comme l’indique le tableau ci-dessous. Pourtant, les femmes représentent 50,7% de la population générale estimée à 5 030 201 habitants (Source : Département des affaires économiques et sociales des Nations Unies, 2015).

Institutions	Ministres		Députés		Préfets		Sous-préfets		Maires
Femmes	4	17%	11	8%	2	13%	6	8%	23	13%
Hommes	19	83%	129	92%	14	87%	65	92%	153	87%

Les députés de la sixième législature constituée à 92% des hommes, après la longue crise militaro-politique et la période de transition que le pays a traversées du 24 mars 2013 au 31 mars 2016, ont ainsi pris leur responsabilité vis-à-vis de l’histoire en adoptant cette loi qui brise l’assertion selon laquelle les hommes en Centrafrique sont contre la promotion des femmes.

Pour la plupart des observateurs de la vie socio-politique en Centrafrique, l’adoption de la loi sur la parité entre l’homme et la femme n’est que justice rendue à ces nombreuses femmes qui ont longtemps souffert des crises militaro-politiques récurrentes que le pays connait. Ces femmes ont, en effet, joué un rôle déterminant dans la transition pour la sortie de crise entre 2013 et 2016. Entre autres postes notables, des femmes ont dirigé les institutions clés de la transition : Mme Cathérine Samba-Panza, Présidente de la transition et deuxième Chef d’Etat dans l’histoire de l’Afrique francophone, et Mme Marie-Madeleine N’KOUET, Présidente de l’Autorité nationale des élections (ANE).

D’autres raisons pourraient également justifier la rapide adoption de cette loi. En effet, une semaine après son adoption s’était tenue la conférence des Donateurs de Bruxelles le 17 novembre 2016 pour obtenir le financement du Plan de relèvement et de consolidation de la Paix (Plan de relèvement et de consolidation de paix a été financé à hauteur de $2,2 milliards pour trois ans). Même si l’histoire a montré que le Président Faustin Archange Touadera était sensible à la promotion du genre quand il était Premier ministre en installant officiellement en 2009 le sous-comité national du Forum des femmes de la Région des Grands Lacs à Bangui, il est indéniable que la majorité des pays et organismes donateurs sont sensibles à la politique « genre » imprimée par l’actuel Exécutif à travers le vote de loi sur la parité entre les hommes et les femmes.

Application aux secteurs publics ainsi que privés

La nouvelle loi présente beaucoup de particularités. D’abord, c’est la première fois qu’une loi sur la parité entre l’homme et la femme est applicable pour le secteur privé et la société civile, posant ainsi la problématique de l’intrusion de l’Etat dans l’organisation et le fonctionnement des institutions privées et de la société civile. Il s’agit d’un risque d’atteinte au principe de libre concurrence pour les entreprises privées et d’une restriction des libertés d’association.

Ensuite, la loi sur la parité régit à la fois les postes électifs et nominatifs. Si les postes électifs ne requièrent souvent pas des compétences spécifiques ou un niveau d’étude donné, la nomination aux postes nominatifs respectera des critères de qualification spécifiques. Nonobstant l’exigence de la compétence dans l’application du principe de quota par l’article 6 de la loi, la réalité du pays où plus de 68% des femmes sont analphabètes rend improbable l’applicabilité stricte de cette loi sans porter préjudices au principe de mérite.

Les sanctions

Enfin, la loi a fait le choix de la sanction forte au détriment de mesures incitatives. L’article 7 prévoit la nullité de tout acte de l’Etat, des partis politiques, des collectivités, des institutions para publiques et privées et de la société civile qui n’intègre pas le système de quota de femmes aux instances de décision à caractère électif et nominatif. Il s’agit d’un quota de 35% des femmes pendant dix ans dès la promulgation de la loi, suivi par la parité (50%).

L’article 8 est aussi explicite sur les sanctions en disposant que « l’inobservation de la parité homme/femme à l’expiration du délai transitoire entraine également la nullité de l’acte mis en cause, sans préjudice des dommages-intérêts accordés par les juridictions compétentes ». Autrement dit, les auteurs de l’acte discriminatoire à l’endroit de la femme dans les postes de décision à caractère électif et nominatif peuvent être condamnés par les tribunaux pour réparation des préjudices subis. Cette situation pourrait ouvrir une boîte à pandore des procès au civil pour discrimination.

Recommandations

Nonobstant les défis immédiats liés au nombre limité de ressources humaines féminines qualifiées, la loi sur la parité homme/femme en RCA, une fois promulguée, aura le mérite de booster des actions en faveur de la scolarisation de la jeune fille, du leadership féminin et de la compétitivité des femmes au sein de toutes les couches sociales du pays.

Les mesures incitatives, notamment la suppression de la caution et les dispenses de la présentation de la propriété bâtie pour les candidatures des femmes aux postes électifs, l’exonération et l’allègement de certaines charges fiscales pour les opérateurs privés et les organisations de la société ayant respecté les règles du quota et de la parité, devraient stimuler une pédagogie en faveur du civisme sensible au genre.

L’Observatoire National de la Parité homme/femme (ONP) a été institué comme un organe indépendant, doté d’un large pouvoir, pour faire le suivi et l’évaluation période de la mise en œuvre de la loi sur la parité. Son efficacité sera fonction des moyens humains, matériels, techniques et financiers dont il disposera.

L’ensemble des parties prenantes doit veiller à la prise de tous les textes d’application de la présente loi dans un plus bref délai afin d’éviter qu’elle ne soit désuète.

Attachment	Size
Amendement sur la loi de parité.pdf	1.61 MB
RCA_Loi n°16-004_parité homme-femme_promulguée_24.11.2016.pdf	1.25 MB

NDI Ghana Observer Delegation Issues Post-Election Preliminary Statement, Applauds the People of Ghana

erodriguez — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 05:31:28 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/09/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) today released its preliminary statement of findings and recommendations from its international election observation mission to Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections of December 7, 2016.

The delegation stresses that official election results are not yet complete, and its statement therefore is preliminary in nature. The delegation calls on Ghanaian political parties and candidates to cooperate in good faith with the Electoral Commission and for the results to be expeditiously released. Ultimately it is the people of Ghana who will determine the credibility of the elections, and political leaders should respect the people’s will expressed in the December 7 polls.

The preliminary statement commends the Electoral Commission for its notable improvements since the 2012 polls, and it expresses appreciation for the efforts of other election stakeholders, exemplified by the Accra Declaration for peaceful polls, signed on December 1 by all presidential candidates.

The preliminary statement highlights aspects of voter participation, election administration, and security. NDI’s delegation notes that, overall, voting was peaceful, orderly and well-organized as executed by trained polling officials. Most voters were well-informed about the process and turned out in large numbers.

The delegation’s preliminary statement provides recommendations to the government of Ghana, the Electoral Commission, political parties and candidates, civil society and the media, and security forces. The recommendations focus on promoting peace, expanding communications, and increasing women’s participation. These include:

political leaders calling publicly on their supporters to respond peacefully to the EC’s announcement of election results and to seek redress through legal avenues should there be reason for electoral complaints or disputes;
mitigating political polarization and rancorous conflict between parties by creating mechanisms for ongoing dialogue across party lines both in and outside of the normal legislative context;
organizing a thorough post-election review of the conduct of the 2016 elections and adopting appropriate recommendations to attain and consolidate best practices;
initiating electoral reform early in the next legislature;
actively facilitating women’s participation by creating an enabling environment for meaningful political leadership opportunities for women; and
disbanding vigilante groups and calling on youth to engage peacefully in political processes.

The NDI Ghana observer delegation comprised 30 political and civic leaders, elections experts, and regional specialists from 14 countries. Delegation leadership was as follows: Amb. Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department, and member of the board of directors of NDI; Hon. J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former justice, South African Constitutional Court; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa, NDI; and Dr. Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of elections, NDI.

NDI’s election observation for the December 7 elections included two pre-election assessment missions in August and October 2016, the statements of which can be found at www.ndi.org/ghana. The delegation conducted its activities in accordance with Ghanaian law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, and collaborated with other international observer missions that endorse the Declaration.

NDI’s international election observation mission in Ghana is funded by a grant from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State. The Institute’s pre-election missions were funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Read full statement below:

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NDI IOM Preliminary Statement - Ghana Dec 9 2016 final.pdf	141.89 KB

JOINT PRE-ELECTION STATEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSIONS IN GHANA

erodriguez — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 23:17:18 +0000

Author:

Ghana IEOM Heads of Mission

Published Date:

12/06/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

Five international election observation missions are in Ghana for the December 7, 2016 parliamentary and presidential elections: the African Union (AU), Commonwealth, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), European Union (EU) and National Democratic Institute (NDI).

Today the heads of these missions put out a joint statement calling for peaceful elections and reiterating their commitment to the democratic process in Ghana.

Read full statement below:

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JOINT PRE-ELECTION STATEMENT OF IEOMS - FINAL.pdf	232.24 KB

CODEO deploys 8000 observers and open its National Information Center ahead of Elections day

erodriguez — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:08:08 +0000

Author:

Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO)

Published Date:

12/06/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed optimism in the ability of Ghanaians to go to the polls peacefully and use tomorrow’s elections as another opportunity to consolidate the country’s democratic and electoral gains. Prof. Greenstreet reiterated that ‘the December 2016 Polls offer Ghanaians another opportunity to rise above these challenges and prove to ourselves and the global community that we are determined to stay on the democratic path and deepen the development of our democracy. We must use this opportunity to elect our leaders and representatives to demonstrate our willingness to participate fully in the democratic process, and, above all, our commitment to accountable governance’.

www.codeoghana.org

See full statement below:

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Final CODEO 2016 pre-election press release (Dec. 6).pdf	220.08 KB

NDI International Election Observer Mission Arrives in Ghana

erodriguez — Sat, 03 Dec 2016 12:44:04 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/03/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is fielding an international election observation mission for Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.

The delegation includes 30 political and civic leaders, elections experts, and regional specialists from 14 countries. Leadership of the delegation is comprised of Amb. Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department; Hon. J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former justice, South African Constitutional Court; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa, NDI; and Mr. Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of elections, NDI.

Media Type:

Press Release - IOM Arrival Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2016

For more information, contact:

Emily Rodriguez, erodriguez@ndi.org, +233 (0) 242 930 476

NDI International Election Observer Mission Arrives in Ghana

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is fielding an international election observation mission for Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.

“The recent peace accord signed by all seven presidential candidates and the country’s consistent record of credible elections demonstrate Ghana’s reputation as one of the more established democracies in West Africa,” said Ambassador Carson. “We expect high interest at the polls on Wednesday and hope that Ghana will continue to lead by example.”

The objectives of the NDI delegation are to provide an accurate and impartial assessment of the administration and character of the election process in Ghana, and to demonstrate the support of the international community to Ghanaian efforts to strengthen democratic processes in their country.

During their stay in Ghana, the observers will participate in briefings on Ghanaian political and electoral processes from Ghanaian experts, political leaders, election administrators, representatives of civil society, as well as NDI staff. Delegates will deploy in two-person teams to regional capitals across Ghana to meet with election administrators, parliamentary candidates, domestic observer groups, and political and civic activists in these localities. On election day, observers will visit polling sites in their area of deployment to watch the voting, tabulation of results, and other aspects of electoral proceedings.

“As the last African country to hold national elections of 2016, all eyes are on Ghana,” said Dr. Fomunyoh. “We hope that the voices of citizens will be heard, as Ghanaians deserve nothing short of meaningful and peaceful polls.”

The NDI delegation will hold a press conference on Friday, December 9 in Accra. At that time, NDI will issue a report with the delegation’s findings and recommendations on steps that could enhance confidence and participation in the election process.

The mission is supported by a grant from the United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

###

NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.

Malawi Scorecard: Responsiveness to Women in Development Planning and Financing at the District Council Level

jfrant — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 15:03:02 +0000

Published Date:

11/16/2016

In an effort to ensure gender equality in development and that women's and girls needs are mainstreamed and deliberately focused on by local governments, NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN) developed a scorecard to determine whether select district councils respond to needs of women and girls in their District Development Plans, budgets and in Area Development Committee (ADC) structures. Through the project supported by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID) through the National Democratic Institute (NDI), NGOGCN is advocating for gender needs to be addressed in development projects administered by district councils. NGOGCN network members engage with local government officials, policymakers and CSOs to promote gender responsiveness in development planning, budgeting and implementation. The project targets nine district councils: Chiradzulu, Dedza, Karonga, Luchenza, Mzimba, Mzuzu, Neno, Lilongwe and Thyolo. The scorecard is rapid assessment on the progress of these district councils and provides several recommendations for ministries and local governments in Malawi.

English

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Download the scorecard	288.73 KB

Statement of the Joint IRI/NDI Pre-Election Assessment Mission to Ghana - September 2016

erodriguez — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 13:27:59 +0000

Author:

NDI & IRI International Election Observation Mission

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Published Date:

11/01/2016

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

English

This statement is offered by a delegation organized jointly by the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The delegation visited Ghana from August 8 to 12, 2016. The purpose of the mission was to support Ghana’s efforts to conduct peaceful and credible elections in 2016. The delegation’s specific goals were to:

Assess preparation for Ghana’s December 7, 2016, presidential and legislative polls;
Identify potential risks to the good conduct of all aspects of the electoral process;
Provide recommendations to increase the integrity and transparency of the electoral process; and
Demonstrate solidarity with the people of Ghana as they seek to consolidate their democracy through successful elections.

Assess preparation for Ghana’s December 7, 2016, presidential and legislative polls;
Identify potential risks to the good conduct of all aspects of the electoral process;
Provide recommendations to increase the integrity and transparency of the electoral process; and
Demonstrate solidarity with the people of Ghana as they seek to consolidate their democracy through successful elections.

English

Attachment	Size
Joint Ghana PEAM Statement FINAL.pdf	222.34 KB

Statement of the NDI Pre-Election Assessment Mission to the 2016 Ghana Presidential and Parliamentary Elections - October 17 – 21, 2016

erodriguez — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 12:07:14 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/21/2016

Language:

English

Accra, October 21, 2016 – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) deployed an international delegation to Ghana from October 17 to 21, 2016. The purpose of the mission was to assess preparations for the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections and support Ghana’s efforts to conduct credible and peaceful polls. The delegation’s work builds on an earlier joint assessment mission conducted by NDI in partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI) in August 2016. NDI plans to deploy international observers across the country for the presidential and parliamentary election slated for December 7, 2016.

The delegation was composed of regional and election experts from North America and Africa, including: Senator Ken Nnamani, former President of the Nigerian Senate and current Chairman of the 2016 Nigerian Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee; Dr. Brigalia Bam, former Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa and previously Secretary General of the South African Council of Churches (SACC); Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa, NDI; and Richard L. Klein, Senior Advisor for Elections, NDI. The delegation conducted its activities in conformity with international standards as reflected in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, 2005.

The delegation met with: the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC); presidential candidates and political party leaders from the two dominant political parties of Ghana; representatives of civic organizations; women leaders; heads of statutory bodies; journalists; security officials; elder statesmen; and representatives of the international community. The delegation expresses its deepest appreciation to everyone with whom it met for welcoming the mission and for sharing freely their views on the electoral process.

These will be Ghana’s seventh presidential and parliamentary elections since the country’s return to civilian rule and re-introduction of multiparty politics with the emergence of the Fourth Republic. While past elections have not been without their challenges, Ghana has a history of transparent and inclusive polls and Ghanaians hold dearly to their democratic and electoral processes.

The 2016 polls will take place in a more challenging context than past elections. Public confidence in election administration was heavily tested during the protracted petition challenging the 2012 presidential results. The EC has a new Chairperson for the first time since its inception. Based on NDI’s past experience observing Ghanaian elections, intense political competition between the two dominant political parties has been further sharpened by close presidential elections in 2008 and 2012, and the alternation of presidential power in 2000 and 2008. If credible and peaceful, the 2016 elections would further consolidate democratic institutions and practices in Ghana; however, should these polls fail to meet the expectations of the people of Ghana, that would seriously undermine democratic gains made over the past two decades and could negatively impact other countries in the sub-region.

During the delegation’s visit, some Ghanaians raised concerns related to: certain aspects of the election administration; the mechanisms for resolution of electoral disputes; election security; the conduct of political parties; engagement by civil society; media coverage of the elections; and the participation of women in electoral processes.

The joint NDI/IRI delegation in August 2016 noted areas of concern as it made recommendations that various actors could take to promote credible and peaceful elections. NDI’s October delegation found that significant progress has been made to foster communications and transparency, and promote credible elections in 2016. For example, EC efforts to reach out to voters and other stakeholders, more substantive IPAC deliberations, the creation of 17 additional jurisdictions to expedite the adjudication of electoral disputes, and the launch of party manifestos that are contributing to a discussion of issues of national interest. However, other important additional steps still should be taken between now and election day to further enhance confidence and prevent fraud and violence.

Download Full Statement Here

NDI Delegation Presents its findings during a press conference in Accra on Friday, October 21, 2016.

Findings

Election Administration

In consultations with the delegation, Ghanaians highlighted election administration issues of continuing concern pertaining to outreach by the EC, the voter register, nomination of candidates, verification of voters on election day, and the transmission of results and announcement of results.

Engagement with Stakeholders: The need for more engagement between the EC and various stakeholders was previously identified by the joint NDI/IRI delegation in August. Efforts by the EC to improve its outreach directly to the public was noted. The EC continues to meet on a monthly basis with political parties through the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC). Party leaders expressed the desire for more frequent meetings with approximately 45 days left before election day. Media practitioners noted the need for more frequent EC briefings for journalists so they could more effectively inform the public about electoral preparations and procedures.

Voter Register: The voters list for the 2016 elections was compiled prior to the delegation’s assessment mission to the country. Political parties raised with the delegation a strong desire to obtain the final certified voters list from the EC in order to ensure their members were included and to assess concerns that it contains deceased, foreign and underage registrants. While the delegation was in Ghana, political parties were informed by the EC on October 18, 2016 that they would be provided a copy in electronic format of the final voters register by November 3, 2016 in accordance with the EC’s electoral calendar.

Nomination of Presidential Candidates: Seventeen aspirants filed nomination papers to contest the presidential election. Concerns were raised by some potential candidates over the increase in presidential nomination fees from 1,000 Cedis to 50,000 Cedis. However, they were unsuccessful in seeking a High Court injunction to prevent the EC from raising the nomination fees. Subsequently, four candidates had their nomination papers approved by the EC for the presidential election – notably flagbearers of the two predominant political parties, one other political party, and one independent candidate. The remaining 13 aspirants had their candidacies rejected: one candidate was unable to pay the nomination fee while 12 had errors in their nomination papers related to the individuals supporting their nomination (parties are required to have the details and signatures from two unique registered voters from each of the 216 districts of the country or a total of 432 individuals). The disqualification of a large number of presidential candidates was a new phenomenon in Ghana. At the time of the delegation’s visit, three of the rejected candidates had petitioned the Supreme Court over the rejection of their candidacies by the EC because of errors in their nomination papers.

Verification of Voters at Polling Stations: The EC has not accepted the “No Verification No Vote” policy advocated by some political parties which would limit voting to only those individuals who are successfully verified by a biometric verification device (BVD). The EC reports there are individuals whose biometric information has been captured, but is of insufficient quality to be verified by the BVDs; thus, limiting verification to only the BVD process could result in the disenfranchising of some eligible voters. The EC explained further that in cases where verification cannot be done by the BVD, the presiding officer in consultation with party agents and observers can manually verify voters based on photographs contained in the voters register. In addition, polling stations would separately track the number of individuals verified by BVD and by the manual process. The delegation notes these positive efforts to not disenfranchise eligible voters. Concerns have also been expressed about the possibility that BVDs could malfunction on election day as happened during the 2012 polls and during the voter registration exercise. In response, the EC will deploy two BVDs to each polling station and will reserve a replacement pool of BVDs in each district.

Transmission of Results: When the joint NDI/IRI delegation visited Ghana in August, the EC was exploring the introduction of an electronic results transmission system (ERTS) to enhance the transparency and accountability of transmission of presidential results from constituency collation centers to the EC in Accra. This system would complement the existing manual procedures proscribed by law. Two vendors provided bids to the EC to implement an ERTS for the 2016 presidential elections. However, neither bid was successful (one failed on technical grounds and the other failed to perform adequately during its demonstration). The EC is currently exploring other potential in-house options to enhance the transmission of results.

Announcement of Results: The EC has committed to posting official polling station level results for the presidential election on its website after the announcement of the official results, which would be a first for Ghana. Such action would allow political parties and interested voters to verify that the polling station results used by the EC to determine the national results for the presidential election are consistent with the results provided to party agents at polling stations. The Open Election Data Initiative (www.openelectiondata.net) provides best practices for the sharing of election related data. The EC also noted the importance of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observer’s (CODEO’s) parallel vote tabulation (PVT) to enhance public confidence in the accuracy of the presidential results.

Dispute Resolution

Concerns were raised to the delegation about the ability of the judiciary to resolve election-related disputes in a timely and impartial manner. Some Ghanaians expressed frustration over the time it took for the courts to resolve such disputes in the past. Further, the decision to commute the sentences of “The Montie 3” for making threats against the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was also perceived as likely to undermine the independence of the judiciary. The current petition by three presidential aspirants challenging the rejection of their nomination papers by the EC highlights the need for the timely resolution of electoral disputes. The effect of these petitions has been to delay the EC issuing a declaration of poll for the presidential election. On a positive note, the judiciary’s handling of petitions related to the voter register and requiring the EC to clean the register was cited as a positive example of timely and impartial resolution of election related disputes. Further, the establishment of 17 special courts across the country specifically to address election related disputes was seen as a positive step by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Election Security

The delegation again heard concerns about electoral related violence. Most recently there were incidents of violence in some districts in Brong-Ahafo and Northern regions during the transfer period for voters’ registration. Although these were isolated incidents, they were particularly alarming because some of the violence targeted EC officials and their offices. As a result, the process had to be briefly suspended in some areas. As in other cases, blame was placed on “macho men” or vigilantes associated with the two major political parties. The delegation was informed that, in an effort to reduce the need for “macho men,” the police are now providing security to all presidential candidates. Despite this effort, representatives of the dominant political parties still expressed concern that “macho men” for the opposing party would engage in violence and intimidation on election day against supporters from their own party.

In order to help mitigate potentials for election-related violence, the West African Network for Peacebuilding has established a National Early Warning System (NEWS). This system seeks to identify potential sources of electoral conflicts. Reports are provided by regional and community monitors to a National Election Early Warning and Response Group (NEEWARG) that is housed at the National Peace Council (NPC) and brings together various civil society and state security actors. In response to the reports received NEEWARG is able to formulate and implement strategies to prevent the outbreak of election-related violence.

As noted by the joint NDI/IRI delegation in August, Ghanaian security agencies have established a National Election Security Task Force (NESTF) to coordinate efforts to provide election security. The delegation was briefed on the NESTF’s plans to train security forces on their role at polling stations on election day, how security forces will be identified, as well as its outreach strategy for informing the political parties and the public about its plans.

As noted by the joint NDI/IRI delegation 15 political parties signed the Ada Communique in May 2016 to help promote peaceful elections by encouraging “[t]hat all political parties denounce and renounce the use of violence in resolving electoral disputes.” The National Peace Council (NPC) informed the delegation that it again working to have all presidential candidates publicly commit themselves to peaceful elections before election day (similar to the Kumasi Declaration facilitated by the NPC in 2012). The value of the 2012 political party code of conduct was highlighted to the delegation in several meetings.

Women’s Participation

Concern was expressed that women’s political representation in Parliament which was already low was likely to be further reduced in the 2016 elections. Women currently hold only ten percent of parliamentary seats. However, several incumbent women lost their party primaries and, overall, few women were successfully nominated to stand as candidates in the 2016 polls. Beyond serving as elected officials, concern was expressed that women were insufficiently represented in other aspects of political life, such as polling officials (including presiding officers) and party agents on election day. Serving in such roles can provide women with valuable experience and help build the confidence necessary to later play a large role in political life. It was noted that there may be personal safety challenges related to women serving as polling officials and party agents; at the same time, the presence of women as polling officials or party agents can also help reduce tensions and promote peace at polling stations.

Party Agents

Political parties reported that they are currently in the process of identifying party agents for election day. Party agents play a critical role by serving as the official representatives of parties and candidates at polling stations thereby enhancing the transparency and accountability of the process. However concerns were raised to the delegation that at times unprofessional party agents themselves may disrupt the process, especially when not sufficiently trained and therefore unable to fully understand their role.

Citizen Observers

A number of Ghanaian organizations and networks will observe the 2016 presidential elections. West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) will host a Situation Room (SR) where voters can report violent incidents on election day. These will be reviewed and shared with the appropriate entities, for example the EC or the police, so that immediate action can be taken to resolve the issue. Similarly, a Women’s Situation Room (WSR) will be established to focus specifically on challenges that women may experience on election day. CODEO will deploy 7,000 observers across all ten regions and all 275 constituencies who will send in observer reports throughout the day via coded text messages using mobile phones. As in 2008 and 2012, CODEO as part of its overall observation effort will conduct a PVT in which observers are deployed to a statistically valid sample of polling stations in order to be able to provide independent verification of the presidential election results.

Recommendations

In the spirit of international solidary with the people of Ghana, the delegation offers the following recommendations to various stakeholders on steps that can still be taken to enhance confidence in the electoral process and foster peaceful elections in December 2016.

Electoral Commission

The EC should continue to enhance transparency and confidence in the electoral process by expanding and intensifying its engagement with all stakeholders, and undertaking more vigorous and direct public outreach with voters in urban and rural areas.
The EC should make a quick determination on its methodology and mechanism for the transmission of results on election day and communicate same to political parties, IPAC, the media, civil society and the public at large.
The EC should make available to all stakeholders its communication plan for regular, structured engagement with various stakeholders, and should increase the frequency of these encounters as election day approaches.
The EC should actively facilitate women’s participation as voters, and promote gender balance in the recruitment and deployment of polling officers.
The EC should make election-related data, such as polling station level results, available in accordance with best practices as document by the Open Election Data Initiative (www.openelectiondata.net)

Political Parties

Political parties should reaffirm their commitment to peaceful polls as reflected in the Ada Communiqué of May 2016.
Political parties should reactivate the code of conduct signed in 2012, and reaffirm their commitment to credible and violence-free polls. Party leaders and members at the national, regional, district and local levels should lead campaigns to this effect.
Political parties should undertake effective party agent deployment plans that include training on the voting process, dispute resolution and guidelines for party poll watchers. They should prioritize the engagement of women, youth and other marginalized groups in these activities.
Political parties should provide consistent support to women candidates and address prominently women’s issues. They should also take concrete steps to counter all forms of violence against women in politics and public office.

Government Agencies

In ensuring effective election security, the Government of Ghana should protect citizens’ freedom of expression through all available platforms, including social media. Government officials involved with elections should be encouraged to engage freely with citizens through these platforms.
The Government of Ghana should ensure that the professional integrity of security services and their plans are not compromised by political actors.
The NESTF should continue to raise citizen awareness of issues related to election security and publicize relevant security plans in order to reassure citizens of their overall security.
The National Commission for Civic Education should intensify activities to educate voters about the election process.

Civil Society and Eminent Persons

Civil society organizations should enhance their civic and voter education initiatives and non-violence messaging, especially in rural areas and in local languages consistent with EC guidelines.
Civil society organizations should aggressively publicize their efforts to mobilize thousands of domestic observers to be deployed in all constituencies of the country. Initiatives to complement citizen observation with innovative approaches such as the PVT should be supported and encouraged.
Eminent persons, including religious, traditional, opinion and political leaders, should work jointly and severally to amplify and disseminate anti-violence messages.

Media, working in collaboration with civil society, should amplify efforts to create platforms for candidate and inter-party debates and discussions of issues of national interest.
Media should promote responsible, objective and issue-oriented election reporting, and desist from disseminating misinformation, inflammatory language and hate speech. Users of social media platforms should demonstrate a greater sense of civic responsibility in their interactions.
The National Media Commission and Ghana Journalists Association should promote responsible election reporting and create effective mechanisms to monitor unprofessional conduct.

International Community

Ghana’s development partners should continue and expand their support for civic and voter education and election monitoring efforts. The training of party agents to watch all phases of the process in all parts of the country, especially on election day, is particularly critical.

###

NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening democratic institution around the world. Over the past two decades, NDI has worked closely with Ghanaians civic and political organizations to support the development of the country’s democratic institutions and promote transparency and integrity of its elections. For 2016, NDI is deploying international observers and supporting a coalition of Ghanaian civil society organizations to monitor of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

This mission was funded by a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

English

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Second NDI Delegation to Asses Pre-Election Environment in Ghana

erodriguez — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 14:21:06 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/17/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is fielding a delegation to assess preparations for Ghana’s December 7, 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections. The mission will build upon the findings of a joint pre-election assessment mission that NDI conducted with the International Republican Institute (IRI) in August.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2016

Local Contact: Courtney Hess, chess@ndi.org, +233 020-864-6309

Washington Contact: Emily Rodriguez, erodriguez@ndi.org, +1 202-728-5527

Second NDI Delegation to Assess Pre-Election Environment in Ghana

The delegation includes regional and election experts from North America and Africa: Senator Ken Nnamani, Chairman of the Nigerian Electoral Reforms Committee and former President of the Nigerian Senate; Dr. Brigalia Bam, former Chair of the South African Independent Electoral Commission; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director, NDI; and Richard L. Klein, senior advisor for elections, NDI.

This second mission will assess recent developments in the political environment in Ghana and follow up on the recommendations made by the joint NDI-IRI delegation in August. The delegation will meet with the Electoral Commission of Ghana, presidential candidates, political party leaders, civil society representatives and other key actors in the electoral process, and will present its findings at a press conference in Accra on Friday, October 21.

About NDI

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. Over the past 25 years, NDI has conducted more than 150 election observation missions in 62 countries. NDI has worked closely with Ghanaian civic and political organizations since 1992 to support the development of the country's democratic institutions and promote transparency and integrity of the electoral process through advanced techniques in election monitoring. For more information, visit www.ndi.org.

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Votes Without Violence: A Citizen Observer's Guide to Addressing Violence Against Women in Elections

jfrant — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 17:51:16 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

09/21/2016

Resource Type:

Toolkit

Language:

English

Electoral violence subverts basic standards for democratic elections, which are a cornerstone of democratic governance. Violence against women in elections is a particular form of electoral violence, motivated by a desire to prevent women as women from participating in the electoral process, and which sees women attacked for daring to enter or participate in elections.

For nearly three decades, NDI has worked with local nonpartisan citizen election observers around the world to mitigate violence and encourage peace. Observers play a crucial role in forecasting, monitoring, mitigating and mediating political conflict—including violence against women. The Votes Without Violence toolkit has been developed from NDI's collaboration with citizen observer groups around the world. It includes guidance and a set of practical tools and resources that can be used directly by observers and practitioners to monitor and mitigate electoral violence against women effectively.

Read the Votes Without Violence Toolkit »

How to Use This Toolkit:

The toolkit has two parts. The manual linked above presents the overall guidance that is essential for understanding and undertaking a gender-sensitive observation to monitor and mitigate violence against women in elections.

Each section of the manual contains a toolbox, with links to a set of detailed tools and resources that provide more detail on specific aspects of violence and the observation proccess. Readers can click through the links in the toolboxes to access each of the resources for a chapter.

For quick reference, a complete index of the tools for each chapter can be found here:

Access the Votes Without Violence Tool Index »

The toolkit was created and refined through extensive pilot programming, implemented and integrated into observations in Côte d'Ivoire, Myanmar, Guatemala, Tanzania and Nigeria. Check out the video below to see a representative from Acción Ciudadana, NDI's partner organization for the project in Guatemala, discuss their experience with the Votes Without Violence toolkit and methodology:

English

Support to DRC Elections Assessment Report

jfrant — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 21:36:52 +0000

Author:

CEPPS

Publisher:

NDI

Published Date:

09/02/2016

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English, French

From May 25 to June 17, 2016, the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) deployed an assessment team to Kinshasa to examine voter registration and election preparations. This report includes the findings of the assessment team and provides a technical analysis of the voter registration and election preparations corresponding to the time period when the team was on the ground. The ultimate goal of this assessment is to promote informed and inclusive discussion regarding election planning and timelines among electoral stakeholders.

Media Type:

Report

English

French

Attachment	Size
Download in English	923.06 KB
Download in French	1.79 MB