NDI - Niger

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

Sandra Pepera

skincaid — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 18:41:17 +0000

Sandra Pepera is a career diplomat and international development professional. Before joining NDI as its director for Gender, Women and Democracy in 2014, she spent thirteen years as a senior officer at the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), including leading programs in the Caribbean, Rwanda-Burundi and Sudan. Prior to joining DFID, Sandra spent time in British domestic politics; lecturing in political science and international relations at the University of Ghana; and as a political analyst in the Political Affairs Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She has a portfolio of skills and experience which include strategy development, political and risk analysis, diplomacy, general management and corporate governance.

Much of Sandra’s career has been spent working in or on transitional economies, focusing on the building of resilient and inclusive institutions. She led work on women and politics at the University of Ghana and in outreach public policy during the period of intense and unstable political transition in the early 1990s. This included participating in a program that supported the ANC Women’s League during South Africa’s transition from apartheid to majority democratic rule in 1993.

Sandra is a member of the Cambridge Sustainability Leaders Network, the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Global Board Ready Women initiative, and the International Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Journal for International Affairs (the Round Table). She holds the Financial Times Diploma for Non-Executive Directors, and serves as a trustee for the pension fund of an intergovernmental organization.

Parliamentarians in Niger gather around the theme of “Gender in Islam”

blesswing — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 16:05:30 +0000

Nearly 30 members of Niger’s national assembly discussed the relationship between gender and Islam during a one-day forum organized by NDI in Sadoré (40 km from Niamey, the capital of Niger) on March 7. Their objective was to familiarize members of parliament (MPs) with the different schools of thought that exist within Islam on themes connected to gender, human rights and education.

The adult literacy rate in Niger is 28.7 percent and the fertility rate is 7.6 children per woman. While Niger has ratified most international treaties and conventions on women rights, the integration of these into national law is incomplete. Laws that would strengthen the position of (young) women or promote gender equality are often perceived as controversial by faith-based groups within the 95 percent Muslim society.

NDI organized the forum to fill knowledge gaps and offer new insights to parliamentarians who are often confronted with these topics in their work. Ten female and 19 male MPs attended the discussion with three renowned and respected Islamic theologians and academics.

Among the controversial topics were the schooling of young girls and child marriages. Some families consider early marriages a protection for their young girls.

Participants noted that public schools often do not exist or are of low quality in rural areas. In these areas, education, they said, is provided by Koranic schools that are governed by conservative marabouts (Muslim religious leaders) who often teach one-sided religious and social concepts. Moulaye Hassane, an Islamologist, explained that education for both sexes is not in conflict with the principles of Islam, but equal education is condemned by some conservative groups for cultural and socioeconomic reasons.

Islamologist Ulema Sheik Barham Aboubakar presented different interpretations within Islam on divorce, heritage by women, dress rules and the role of mothers. He concluded that traditional social habits are often legitimized by presenting them as rooted in religion, and therefore not disputable. He said that Islam had evolved over centuries of debate and was open to interpretation and adjustment. In the same sense, Islamologist Sheik Bachir Mahaman Elh Oumarou underscored that equality between both sexes was rooted in Islam and that universal human rights were not in conflict with Islamic principles.

Following the presentations, MPs raised numerous questions. They also expressed their appreciation for a fact-based discussion on a topic that is often dominated by emotions. They said the seminar had provided them with useful new information and arguments in the debate on laws regulating schooling of young girls, questions related to equality between men and women, and the role of women in society.

Published on March 26, 2015

NDI’s Pat Merloe Testifies Before Congress on U.S. Election Support in Africa

blesswing — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:32:58 +0000

NDI Director of Electoral Programs Pat Merloe testified at a hearing, “U.S. Election Support in Africa” on March 18 before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

“Support for democratic elections in Africa should build longer-term democratic political dynamics that result in responsive, accountable governance,” Merloe said. “International election observation can play an important role in achieving peaceful, credible elections in Africa.”

Watch the hearing »

Read Pat Merloe’s full statement here »

Read more:

NDI's Christopher Fomunyoh Testifies Before Congress on "Nigeria on the Brink?"

Experts to Discuss Critical African Elections at NDI

Published on March 18, 2015

Attachment	Size
See the 2015-2016 calendar for African elections	60.27 KB
See a map of 2015-2016 African elections	129.47 KB

Experts to Discuss Critical African Elections at NDI

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 22:09:17 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

09/25/2014

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The implications for democracy of 30 African elections slated through 2016 will be discussed next week by senior Africa experts during a briefing and roundtable discussion at the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 9:30 a.m. at NDI, 455 Massachusetts Ave., NW. It is cosponsored by NDI and the Constituency for Africa (CFA).

Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary of state for African Affairs and a member of the NDI Board of Directors, will open the forum. Panelists are Christopher Fomunyoh, NDI regional director for Central and West Africa programs; Keith Jennings, NDI regional director for Southern and East Africa programs; Jeffrey England, NDI deputy director for Middle East and North Africa programs; and Richard Klein, senior advisor for NDI Elections. Kenneth Wollack, NDI president, and Melvin Foote, president of the Constituency for Africa, will provide welcoming remarks.

Thirty African countries are slated to hold elections between now and the end of 2016. They are Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

The conduct of the elections and their outcome could help consolidate nascent democratic institutions and practices across Africa. But if they are viewed as flawed, the elections could result in violence, protracted conflict and democratic backsliding.

The event is part of the Ronald H. Brown African Affairs discussion series sponsored by the CFA.

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.

Every year, CFA holds the Ronald H. Brown African Affairs series in conjunction with the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend. The program is named for the late Commerce Secretary, Ronald H. Brown, who was a leader in forging ties between the U.S. and Africa.

###

WHAT: NDI/Ron Brown Roundtable Discussion on “Critical Elections in Africa 2015/2016”

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m. — 12 p.m.

WHO: Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary of state for African Affairs;

Kenneth Wollack, NDI president; Mel Foote, president of the Constituency for Africa (CFA);

Christopher Fomunyoh, NDI regional director for Central and West Africa programs;

Keith Jennings, NDI regional director for Southern and East Africa programs;

Jeffrey England, NDI deputy director for Middle East and North Africa programs; and

Richard Klein, senior advisor for NDI Elections

Moderated by
Jennifer Cooke, director, CSIS's Africa program

WHERE: National Democratic Institute, 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001

Attachment	Size
Event invitation.	115.24 KB

Empowering Women for Stronger Political Parties: A Good Practices Guide to Promote Women's Political Participation (Now available in Burmese)

fstovall — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 14:31:07 +0000

Author:

Julie Ballington

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute United Nations Development Programme

Published Date:

10/31/2011

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

Arabic, Burmese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, Urdu

English

Arabic

French

Spanish

Russian

Urdu

Attachment	Size
Read the manual (English)	2.49 MB
Read the manual with case studies (English)	3.45 MB
Read the manual (Arabic)	1.9 MB
Download the poster (Arabic)	1.18 MB
Read the manual (Burmese)	4.59 MB
Read the manual (French)	2.57 MB
Download the poster (French)	670.54 KB
Read the manual (Russian)	2.82 MB
Download the poster (Russian)	256.16 KB
Read the manual (Spanish)	2.59 MB
Download the poster (Spanish)	680.95 KB
Read the manual (Urdu)	3.74 MB
Read the manual with case studies (Albanian)	10.91 MB

Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in Elections and Political Processes

dleonard — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:59:44 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/06/2014

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

Arabic, English, French, Indonesian, Russian, Spanish, Uzbek

English

Arabic

Spanish

Russian

Attachment	Size
Download the manual in Arabic	2.54 MB
Download the manual in English	3.24 MB
Download the manual in French	2.36 MB
Download the manual in Indonesian	16.34 MB
Download the manual in Russian	2.37 MB
Download the manual in Spanish	16.87 MB
Download the manual in Uzbek	3.85 MB

Increasing Women’s Political Participation Through Effective Training Programs: A Guide to Best Practices and Lessons Learned

fstovall — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 20:08:23 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/23/2013

Resource Type:

Training Manual

Language:

Arabic, English, French, Russian, Spanish

English

Arabic

French

Spanish

Russian

Attachment	Size
Download the manual (English)	994.16 KB
Download the manual (français)	1.02 MB
Download the manual (РУС)	1.31 MB
Download the manual (español)	1.08 MB
Download the manual (بالعربية)	787.23 KB

Presidents of Niger's Parliamentary Groups Visit the European Parliament in Brussels

dleonard — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:39:13 +0000

Regional instability, Islamist terrorist attacks and persistent lack of food challenge the democratic gains made since the 1990s in Niger. While one of the world’s largest uranium producers, the country is ranked by the United Nations as one of the poorest in the world. Past corrupt practices and lack of oversight over how previous Nigerien governments awarded mining contracts have resulted in uneven distribution of revenue from the country’s expansive extractive industries.

To help overcome those challenges, NDI is working with Nigerien members of parliament (MPs), most of whom are in their first terms, as they seek to improve oversight of the country’s natural resources and carry out general principles of parliamentary oversight. One of their goals is to work more closely with civil society organizations (CSOs) and participate in CSO-organized site visits to better represent the interests of citizens and to inform the legislative work in the National Assembly for a more equitable distribution of natural resource revenue.

The program included a visit by the presidents of Niger’s five parliamentary groups, or caucuses, to the European Parliament (EP) and the Belgian Federal Parliament in Brussels from May 6 to May 8. They also met with the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the African, Caribbean, Pacific States – European Union (ACP-EU). The study mission was hosted by the EP's Office for Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy (OPPD).

During the visit, the parliamentarians focused on such topics as the role and function of European parliamentary groups, how to build consensus among countries and political groups, and the vital role that a constructive opposition can play in the parliamentary process.

At the Belgian Federal Parliament, the delegation discussed food security with members of Belgium’s parliamentary working group on Niger. The issue is one of the priority areas for Belgian development programs in Niger. They also met with members of the parliamentary delegation of the Belgian Fund for Food Security and discussed food pricing in Niger, which is frequently subject to speculative market practices, especially during periods of drought or during Ramadan. The Nigerien delegation shared information its government has developed on strengthening Niger’s domestic food production to address food security. The Belgian MPs were in the process of preparing a proposal on the topic.

The group also focused on the role of the OPPD in strengthening parliaments in new and emerging democracies and its efforts to link EP members with their counterparts in the rest of the world. The EP's vice president, Oldrick Vlasak, hosted a working lunch for the delegation and prominent European parliamentarians with a particular interest in the Sahel region. Their discussion focused on the security crisis in Mali, the role of the EU in Niger, and the need for inter-parliamentary cooperation.

The Nigerien Parliamentary Group Presidents and the President of the European Parliament. From left to right: Honorable Mahaman Sani Amadou, Honorable Mahaman El Hadji Souley, Honorable Seidou Bakari, Honorable Martin Schulz, Honorable Abdoul Kadri Tidjani, Honorable Zakari Oumarou.

The delegation also discussed these issues with Martin Schulz, the president of the EP. At the end of the study mission, participants met with Louis Michel, the co-president of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and members of the ACP-EU subcommittee on security and defense to share their views on the economy and politics in Niger, European cooperation, the crisis in Mali and its impact on West Africa. Their conversation with Michel, conducted in French, can be found here. The delegation said the visit enhanced its appreciation of inter-parliamentary cooperation in a politically diverse environment and their understanding of the importance of consensus-building in parliament to advance important legislation.

Funding for the program was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Office for Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy (OPPD) and the Nigerien government.

Read more:

Published Aug. 7, 2013

Updated Aug. 27, 2013

Promoting the AU Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance in West Africa

dleonard — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 18:25:25 +0000

Some 39 countries have signed the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), created by the African Union (AU) in 2007 as a roadmap to encourage better governance across the continent. It sets out international standards of good governance and democracy in such areas as rule of law, free and fair elections, and condemning unconstitutional changes of government.

Some countries are using the charter as a guide during difficult transitions. Mauritania, for example, relied on its principles to negotiate a return to constitutional order after a 2008 coup. But other countries have had difficulty following it. West Africa, which represents more than half of the 20 countries whose legislatures have formally adopted — or ratified — the charter, has been the venue for 10 out of the 14 attempts to disrupt constitutional and democratic governments, such as in Mali and Guinea Bissau, since the charter was created.

Two recent studies found that the charter has gotten little attention or recognition from governments and civil society in West Africa since it came into force in February 2012. There is an absence of political will to implement and enforce it, and few citizens are aware of it, the studies concluded.

The research, which looked separately at Anglophone and Francophone West African countries, was conducted by the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON), a coalition of nonpartisan citizen observations groups from 11 countries, and NDI. The studies’ goal was to determine if there was a way to make the charter more effective in West Africa.

Members of WAEON — including groups from Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo — met in Abuja, Nigeria, May 5-8 to discuss the studies’ findings, reflect on each country’s progress, and draw up national and regional strategies to promote the charter. Though there is no formal enforcement procedure, participants in the symposium hoped that educating citizens about the charter and the rights that it protects would encourage them to pressure their governments to adhere to it, and motivate civil society organizations to monitor and publicly report on governments that are not following it.

About the Charter:

The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) was adopted by the African Union (AU) in January 2007 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Because it required a minimum of 15 countries to ratify it to become operational, it did not come into force until February 2012.

Countries that ratify the charter agree to:

Have representative systems of government with separation of powers between branches
Promote democracy, rule of law and basic human rights
Ensure democratic rule and constitutional changes of power through free, fair and transparent elections
Respect ethnic, cultural and religious diversity

The charter authorizes sanctions by ECOWAS for countries that fail to meet those requirements for democratic government. The sanctions include refusal to support candidates for positions within ECOWAS or suspension of the country from the group’s decision-making bodies.

Countries that have ratified the charter are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Togo and Zambia.

During the symposium, hosted by the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a Nigerian election monitoring organization, participants outlined goals for how WAEON can, over the next year, encourage West African countries to use the charter’s guidelines to strengthen democracy in the region. One goal was to educate WAEON members on how other countries are promoting the charter to citizens and lawmakers. In Kenya, for example, one civic group distributed simplified versions of the charter to help the public understand its basic requirements.

Participants discussed holding exchanges among WAEON countries so visitors could learn how others were using the charter. The constitutions and political institutions in Ghana and Sierra Leone, for example, reflect most of the charter’s principles, such as democratic governance, respect for human rights and free elections.

WAEON organizations also agreed to make efforts to promote the charter — one of the key pillars of which is free and fair elections — before, during and after elections.

“Even after a good election, we cannot take democracy for granted and that is the principal lesson that we draw from Mali and Guinea Bissau and some other countries that may be facing challenges,” said Christopher Fomunyoh, NDI regional director for Central and West Africa, while in Abuja for the event.

WAEON participants also agreed to create more awareness about the charter with such groups as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the UN and parliamentary committees across the region. On the last day of the symposium, a WAEON delegation visited the ECOWAS Parliament, located in Abuja, and met with the Election Division and the parliament leadership to encourage creation of a regional monitoring system for the charter. The WAEON delegation included James Lahai, WAEON’s Anglophone researcher; Oumar Diallo, WAEON’s Francophone researcher; Hajia Limota Goroso of TMG; Fomunyoh; and Franklin Oduro from the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) in Ghana, who represented the WAEON Secretariat.

At the end of the symposium, WAEON issued a press release calling “on all governments in West Africa to demonstrate greater commitment towards consolidating democracy in their countries by implementing fully the tenets of the” charter.

Read more:

Published June 28, 2013

Press Release: Meeting of the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON) on the Status of Implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance in West Africa

dleonard — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 17:58:06 +0000

Author:

West Africa Election Observers Network

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/28/2013

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English, French

English

French

Attachment	Size
Read the release in English.	85.01 KB
Read the release in French,	82.42 KB

West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON) Field Guide Series

dleonard — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:26:20 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/12/2013

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

English, French

Nonpartisan citizen observers play an important role during elections by raising public confidence in the election process, deterring electoral malfeasance, exposing irregularities, and providing citizens with important information concerning the integrity of elections. In 2011, with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) through a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), citizen observer groups from 11 West African countries formed the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON) to support nonpartisan election observation in the subregion and increase dialogue and cross-fertilization among observation organizations from different countries. As of March 2013, the following organizations are members of WAEON: Burkina Faso’s Mouvement Burkinabé des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples (MBDHP), Ghana’s Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Guinea’s Consortium pour l’Observation Domestique des Elections en Guinée (CODE), the Ivorian Convention de la Société Civile Ivoirienne (CSCI), Liberia’s Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD), Mali’s Appui au Processus Electoral au Mali (APEM), Nigeria’s Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Niger’s Association Nigérienne pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme (ANDDH), Senegal’s Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme (RADDHO), Sierra Leone’s National Election Watch (NEW), and Togo’s Concertation Nationale de la Société Civile (CNSC). WAEON aims to strengthen electoral processes and encourage citizen participation in democratic governance. The network is part of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (www. gndem.org). Since its inception, WAEON has organized a series of training academies for its members on topics such as systematic election observation, communication techniques and strategies to prevent election-related violence, and sustaining electoral and political reforms in the post-election period.

The training academies inspired the network to develop a series of practical field guides as easy to use reference tools for citizen election observation groups. To date, three field guides have been published in English and French:

Systematic Methods for Advancing Election Observation
Outreach and External Communication
Materials for Professional Election Observation: Designing Forms, Manuals and Trainings

English

French

Attachment	Size
Systematic Methods for Advancing Election Observation (ENG)	2.86 MB
Méthodes Systématisées (FR)	1.7 MB
Outreach and Communication (ENG)	1.5 MB
Le travail de proximité et la communication externe (FR)	1.5 MB
Materials for Professional Election Observation (ENG)	2.28 MB
Matériel à la disposition des observateurs (FR)	2.01 MB

Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations and Code of Conduct for Nonpartisan Citizen Election Observers and Monitors

fstovall — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:06:44 +0000

Publisher:

United Nations

Published Date:

04/03/2012

Resource Type:

Declaration

Language:

Arabic, Bangla, English, French, Mongolian, Romanian Russian, Spanish

English

Arabic

French

Spanish

Romanian

Russian

Attachment	Size
Read the declaration (Arabic)	267.58 KB
Read the declaration (English)	897.79 KB
Read the declaration (Bangla)	8.27 MB
Read the declaration (Burmese)	302.33 KB
Read the declaration (French)	327.02 KB
Read the declaration (Indonesian)	16.61 MB
Read the declaration (Mongolian)	345.97 KB
Read the declaration (Romanian)	275.41 KB
Read the declaration (Russian)	286.22 KB
Read the declaration (Spanish)	326.57 KB
Read the declaration (Urdu)	370.99 KB

An African Adventure, and a Revelation

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:49:56 +0000

Source:

The New York Times

Article Link:

Published Date:

07/01/2011

After a recent trip to Africa, Nicholas Kristof chronicles the encouraging changes taking place and the continuing challenges facing the continent. While Africa's economy is booming, widespread problems such as malnutrition and disease still persist, although humanitarian aid programs from the United States have made significant impact. Kristof also notes the increasing presence of democracy on the continent. "Morocco is a window into one of the most striking trends in Africa: democratization. The number of electoral democracies in Africa has risen to 18 from 4 in the last decade, according to Freedom House, a nonprofit human rights organization based in Washington. Even in a country like Morocco, which is still a repressive monarchy, easing has occurred. It has freed some political prisoners, moved to strengthen its Parliament a bit and even established a truth and reconciliation commission."

Niger MPs undergo training session | June 21, 2011

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:15:51 +0000

The Pan African News Agency | Link to story »

The National Democratic Institute hosted a three-day training session in Niamey, Niger last week aimed to help parliament members learn how to serve their constituents more effectively.

Link to story »