NDI - Philippines

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.

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

Implementing and Overseeing Electronic Voting and Counting Technologies

pbrondyke — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:40:37 +0000

Author:

Ben Goldsmith and Holly Ruthrauff

Publisher:

NDI/IFES

Published Date:

12/17/2013

Resource Type:

Manual

Language:

English

This new manual published jointly by NDI and IFES addresses a variety of challenges, opportunities and risks related to casting and counting ballots electronically.

Media Type:

PDF

This new manual published jointly by NDI and IFES addresses the challenges, opportunities and risks to adopting and monitoring electronic voting and counting technologies. The manual is designed as a resource for democracy and governance specialists, election management bodies, election observers and political parties. It offers 25 country examples, including three in-depth case studies on Brazil, the Netherlands and the Philippines, highlighting lessons learned with these technologies, as well as practical nearly 20 checklists of key considerations.

The guide can be download in full or in parts here. You can also access an electronic version of the guide for quick topic navigation and sharing.

English

Attachment	Size
Download the full manual	2.84 MB
Section 1: Overview of Electronic Voting and Counting Technologies	1.03 MB
Section 2.1: Making a Decision on E-voting or E-counting	381.88 KB
Section 2.2: Building the System for E-voting or E-counting	458.02 KB
Section 2.3: Implementing Electronic Voting or Electronic Counting in an Election	441.06 KB
Section 3: Concluding Remarks	211.86 KB
Section 4: Case Study Report on Brazil Electronic Voting, 1996 to Present	297.02 KB
Section 5: Case Study Report on Electronic Voting in the Netherlands	265.63 KB
Section 6: Case Study Report on the Philippines 2010 Elections	339.58 KB
Section 7: Resources on E-voting and E-counting	211.18 KB
Section 8: All Key Considerations	351.38 KB
Section 9: Key Considerations On Implementing E-Voting and Counting	318.16 KB
Section 10: Key Considerations On Overseeing E-Voting and Counting	404.75 KB

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

Executive Summary of the International Observation Delegation to the Philippines for Feb. 7, 1986 Presidential Elections

fstovall — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:20:26 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

02/07/1986

Resource Type:

Executive Summary

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the summary	317.93 KB

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

NDI Mourns the Death of Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino

fstovall — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:54:03 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

08/04/2009

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	85.21 KB

More Work Needed to Develop Public Trust in New Philippine Automated Voting System, NDI Delegation Says

fstovall — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:27:02 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/15/2010

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

2010

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	26.32 KB

Aquino Pulls Ahead in Philippine Presidential Race | May 4, 2010

fstovall — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:19:51 +0000

TIME | Link to story »

"Election-monitoring groups have raised concerns about practically every aspect of the process. When a delegation from the Washington-based National Democratic Institute met with some of these groups in Manila in March, it found a 'high degree of anxiety and lack of confidence' in the automated system.

"'Certainly, a project of this scale would be a complicated exercise even for a developed country like the U.S. to pull off,' says Pete Troilo, a Manila-based business-risk consultant at Pacific Strategies and Assessments."

Link to story »

New Voting Machines Stoke Filipinos' Fears | April 13, 2010

fstovall — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:57:38 +0000

The New York Times | Link to story »

"On May 10, for the first time, Filipinos will choose their local and national leaders through a totally automated election system. The intent is to usher in a new era of politics free of ballot tampering," The New York Times reports. The article cites NDI's pre-election delegation, which detailed concerns about the new automated system.

Link to story »

New Voting Machines Stoke Filipinos’ Fears | April 13, 2010

rrunyan — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:01:08 +0000

New York Times | Link to story »

“On May 10, for the first time, Filipinos will choose their local and national leaders through a totally automated election system. The intent is to usher in a new era of politics free of ballot tampering.

The National Democratic Institute, which sent a mission to Manila last month to study preparations for automation, said that the elections commission had not yet released clear guidelines for conducting a random manual audit to check the automated results, which is 'central to ensuring the integrity of the vote tabulation.'”

Link to story »

International Election Monitor Raises Concerns over Philippine Balloting | March 13, 2010

fstovall — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:33:36 +0000

Gulf News| Link to story »

"An international election monitor has raised concerns over the Philippines' first nationwide automated election and recommended early preparations in case of a system breakdown during the May 10 balloting.

"The US-based National Democratic Institute said in a statement on Saturday that the Commission on Elections should make a major effort to boost public confidence in the new system which promises to speed up the counting of votes."

Link to story »

More stories about NDI's pre-election delegation and statement to the Philippines:

Confidence-building in elections, Inquirer.net
8 Steps to Credible RP Polls, According to Foreign Observers, ABS- CBN News
Election Monitor Concerned over Philippine Polls, Philippine Star
Local, International Groups Wary over Comelec's Lack of Contingency Plan, GMA News
Foreign Observers Say RP Vote Lacks Transparency, Inquirer
Vote Lacks Transparency?, Straits Times
Automated Poll Review Worries International Delegates, Manila Bulletin
Philippine Poll Officials Urged to be Transparent, The Peninsula

More Work Needed to Develop Public Trust in New Philippine Automated Voting System, NDI Delegation Says

rrunyan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:52:54 +0000

Concerted efforts will be needed to develop public trust in the Philippines’ first automated election to be held May 10, according to the findings of an international pre-election delegation organized by NDI.

“While progress has been made in many areas, concerns remain as to the efficacy of the election preparations and the lack of dialogue between those administering the process and civil society groups committed to effectively monitoring it,” the delegation said in a statement released at a news conference in Manila on Saturday.

MANILA – Concerted efforts will be needed to develop public trust in the Philippines’ first automated election to be held May 10, according to the findings of an international pre-election delegation organized by NDI.

The delegation included Sam Gejdenson, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Nora Owen, former minister for justice, equality and law reform of Ireland; Sue Wood, former president of the New Zealand National Party; Jamie Metzl, executive vice president of the Asia Society; and Thomas V. Barry, NDI deputy regional director for Asia.

The group visited the Philippines from March 6-13. It reviewed the political environment and framework for the upcoming elections for president, vice president, House of Representatives, Senate, and a range of provincial, municipal, and local offices. During the visit it met with government and electoral officials, leaders of political parties, civic and human rights associations, representatives of the news media and international organizations.

The delegation noted that while automation of the national election process has been under consideration for many years in the Philippines, the May 10 balloting will be the first time machines will be used to count ballots and aggregate and transmit results nationwide.
“Suspicions and lack of trust among the political competitors and toward authorities, combined with insufficient inclusiveness and transparency, have inhibited public confidence in the elections and generated anxiety about the automated election system,” the delegation said.

“There is still time for all participants to take appropriate steps to achieve democratic elections in May, but concerted efforts are required to increase transparency, build in needed safeguards, heighten security and develop public trust in the process,” it continued.

The delegation offered a series of recommendations that it hoped would be helpful in promoting inclusive, transparent and credible elections. They included urging:

The Commission on Elections to undertake a major effort to bolster public confidence in the automated system and the impartiality of its decisions;

That random manual audits should be undertaken using a large enough sample of electronic voting machines to assure public confidence in the automated system at the national level;

The armed forces of the Philippines and the Philippines National Police to do all they can to support the integrity of the electoral process and the sanctity of the ballot, as well as bolster the safety of members of the news media;

Robust and widespread public participation in nonpartisan citizen monitoring of elections;

The government of the Philippines to mobilize all of its resources to educate the public about balloting procedures and the new automated system; and

The election commission to make available on the Internet and in other forms the information currently available on campaign expenditures before the election.

The work of the delegation was based on the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, launched at the United Nations in 2005 and endorsed by NDI and 35 other international and intergovernmental organizations.

A copy of the full statement can be found here.

Pictured Above: The NDI delegation explains its findings at a press conference in Manila.

Published on March 13, 2010

NDI Condemns Political Massacre in the Philippines

fstovall — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:04:36 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/25/2009

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

2009

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	18.48 KB