NDI - Sudan

Civic Updates

vrao — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 17:55:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Resource Type:

Civic Update

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Issue 50: A Matter of Political Space (April 2016)	1.06 MB
Issue 49: Social Movements (January '16)	1.22 MB
Issue 48: Peace, Security and Democratic Resilience (August '15)	818.41 KB
Issue 47: Integration (April '15)	1011.57 KB
Issue 46: The Infomediary Role of NDI Partners (Jan. '15)	339.19 KB
Issue 45: The Role of Dialogue in Deepening Democracy (Sept. '14)	1.84 MB
Issue 44: Taking Advantage of Political Entry Points to Improve Meaningful Engagement (May '14)	1.12 MB
Issue 43: Political Inclusion of LGBT Population (Jan. '14)	1.43 MB
Issue 42: Radio as an Effective Communication Tool (Aug. '13)	1.48 MB
Issue 41: The Use of ICT to Enhance Citizen Participation (May '13)	1.57 MB
Issue 40: Supporting Inclusion of Marginalized Ethnic and Religious Groups (Dec. '12)	1.87 MB
Issue 39: Public Opinion Research (Sept. '12)	1.69 MB
Issue 38: Youth Programming (May '12)	1.83 MB
Issue 37: Mainstreaming Persons with Disabilities (Jan. '12)	1.72 MB
Issue 36: Organizational Development (May '11)	1.1 MB
Issue 35: GOTV, Voter Information & Voter Education (Jan. '11)	1.04 MB
Issue 34: Structuring and Maintaining Partnerships (Sept. '10)	306.87 KB
Issue 33: Political Process Monitoring (May '10)	419.89 KB
Issue 32: Defending Space for Citizen Participation (Aug. '09)	204.87 KB
Issue 31: Best Practices for Meaningful Citizen Engagement (April '09)	540.61 KB
Issue 30: Context Matters (Jan. '09)	311.87 KB
Issue 29: Voice, Space and Accountability (Aug. '08)	869.11 KB
Issue 28: Communications Tools (May '08)	207.88 KB
Issue 27: Using Information and Communications Techonologies (Jan. '08)	486.89 KB
Issue 26: Working with Marginalized Populations (Sept. '07)	283.24 KB
Issue 25: Ten Years of Civic Updates (July '07)	258.56 KB
Issue 24: Making Democracy Deliver (Feb. '07)	413.86 KB
Issue 23: Positive Partnerships with Local Groups (May '06)	268.06 KB
Issue 22: Political Activism for People with Disablities (Dec. '05)	458.7 KB
Issue 21: Local Fundraising and Volunteer Recruitment (July '05)	221.65 KB
Issue 20: Tips from NDI Practioners (April '05)	561.26 KB
Issue 19: Get Out The Vote (Dec. '04)	496.75 KB
Issue 18: Involving Youth in the Political Process (July '04)	277.27 KB
Issue 17: Monitoring as a Driver of Change (Feb. '04)	488.58 KB
Issue 16: Citizen Surveys and Other Organizing Tools (Nov. '03)	546.03 KB
Issue 15: Making University Connections (Aug. '03)	579.18 KB
Issue 14: Focus Groups (May '03)	334.74 KB
Issue 13: Civic Forum (Nov. '02)	279.56 KB
Issue 12: Coalition Building (Jan. '02)	195.45 KB
Issue 11: Assessment Methods (Aug. '01)	84.74 KB
Issue 10: Partnership Approaches (April '01)	109.87 KB
Issue 9: What's Voting All About? (Oct. '99)	82.5 KB
Issue 8: Global Seminar on Advocacy and Democracy Development (June '99)	481.85 KB
Issue 7: How Civic Programs Increase Women's Participation in Processes (Dec. '98)	962.34 KB
Issue 6: Post-Conflict and Ethnic Divided Societies (July '98)	120.75 KB
Issue 5: Assessing Programs (March '98)	81.99 KB
Issue 4: Training (Nov. '97)	98.85 KB
Issue 3: Resources and Communication (July '97)	74.43 KB
Issue 2: Advocacy (April '97)	94.31 KB
Issue 1: Program Highlights from Around the World (Feb. '97)	121.71 KB

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.

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

Women from Sudan and South Sudan Act Together on Gender Issues

jravinsky — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:56:39 +0000

Women leaders from Sudan and South Sudan are working together for women’s rights, despite their countries’ partition in 2011. While relations between their countries are difficult, the women discovered that they face common challenges in achieving greater rights for women. Together, they defined their objectives as advocates and worked on developing the expertise to achieve them.

As part of a two year program sponsored by NDI, the women came together in four meetings to develop advocacy skills and foster cross-border connections. The final gathering was held in September at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Previous meetings took place in South Africa, South Sudan and Kenya.

“As women, we are one people,” said one of the South Sudanese participants. “We have common things that affect us together.”

Participants were selected for their background as dedicated advocates for women’s rights through political lobbying, community level messaging, academic research and legislative work. The group hailed from diverse regions, including all 10 states of South Sudan and several areas in Sudan, including Darfur and Blue Nile.

Participants identified women’s low representation in politics, peace negotiations and education as mutual problems. For example, girls’ primary school attendance in South Sudan is 39 percent, but drops to 30 percent by secondary school. In politics, both Sudan and South Sudan maintain quotas for women’s representation, yet participants said they did not feel that women were involved at the highest level of decision making. Through the course of the program, participants discussed these problems and decided upon clear goals for improving girls’ education, increasing women’s representation in peace processes and combating socio-cultural barriers that prevent women’s advancement.

Between meetings, the women applied the lessons they learned to their communities, quickly making an impact on women and gender rights. In both Sudan and South Sudan, women organized a march for peace, lobbied local businesses to support women in UN Protection Sites, and broadcast their campaign for women's rights in government, on the radio, at school and through the church.

By interviewing women and leaders in her community, one participant discovered that girls at a local school had been sexually assaulted by teachers. She worked with the girls’ parents to lobby successfully for the teachers to be arrested and dismissed from the school.

Another participant worked with a local council to increase student retention. Together, they developed and instituted a fine for parents if any child dropped out of school. Not long afterward, enrollment rose from 0 to 27 girls.

The program also facilitated the creation of a peer-to-peer network between women in Sudan and South Sudan as a forum for the women to communicate their ideas, concerns and support their “sisters” across the divide. Through an online group and emailing system, they exchange messages to share their successes and failures and provide encouragement for programming.

“After the split we were two countries and we didn’t have any relations,” said one participant. ”But if we are not together, then we will not do anything.”

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

Building a Nation: South Sudanese Share Their Thoughts on the Creation of a Successful State

ntekeei — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 19:33:19 +0000

Author:

Traci D. Cook

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/23/2011

Resource Type:

Focus Group

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	3.72 MB

Southern Sudan at the Crossroads

rrunyan — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 20:00:19 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

09/30/2010

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

The latest focus group research in southern Sudan showed significant support for independence and high expectations for their new government.

Media Type:

PDF

As Southern Sudan prepares for a referendum that will determine whether it will become a separate country, public opinion research by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) shows significant support for independence and a strong desire for the referendum to be held on time.

In a report released today, NDI cited findings from 63 focus groups involving nearly 800 participants, the vast majority of whom said they favored secession from the North. Among the most frequently cited reasons were feelings of oppression and marginalization under the North and the ability of the South to control its own natural resources.

Holding the referendum on Jan. 9, 2011 – as is currently scheduled – was also of paramount importance to the participants. “Southern Sudanese are insistent that the vote take place as scheduled – any delay emanating from the Government of National Unity (GoNU) will cause massive disappointment and disruption,” the report said. Citizens would be more open to a delay imposed by the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), but it would have to come with a strong rationale. Even then, about half of the focus groups indicated a GoSS-supported delay would not be accepted.

“Despite the enthusiasm for secession, participants express strong concerns about challenges an independent GoSS would face: corruption, ethnicity-based hiring and nepotism/tribalism,” NDI said. “Apprehensions about the economy, as well as concerns about insecurity along the North-South border, are also widespread.”

The focus group study – the 11th that NDI has conducted in Sudan since 2004 – was based on 63 group discussions conducted in February and March of this year with 779 participants in Southern Sudan. It was the Institute’s first study that went in-depth on the referendum, though discussions also covered voter registration for last April’s elections, development, security and governance. Among the other key findings were:

Southern Sudanese participants support the right of Southerners in the North to vote in the referendum but want them to return “home” to cast their ballots;
Participants want the international community to play an active role in the referendum, particularly by monitoring the vote;
Participants take an extremely hard line against the sharing of oil revenue with the North if the referendum vote is for independence; and
Most participants feel the relationship between tribes in the South will improve once separation occurs.

Based on these findings, and others, the Institute recommended steps for the GoSS and the GoNU to take in the months leading up to and following the referendum. The recommendations detail means of carrying out voter education efforts, managing expectations about the referendum and post-referendum process, creating a secure environment for the referendum, and creating a more representative and responsive GoSS, regardless of the results.

Specific recommendations include:

Place an emphasis on educating the public about rules and regulations – especially voter eligibility – to clarify who will be voting and where to prevent potential misunderstandings;
If a delay is necessary, undertake a Southern Sudan-wide discussion, with GoSS officials prominently featured, about the reasons for the delay, the proposed new timeline and the retained guarantee of self-determination;
Educate Southern Sudanese about the necessity of post-referendum compromises to maintain peace and to ensure a politically and economically viable South;
The GoSS must convince Southern Sudanese citizens that from both an economic and security perspective, moving oil through the North is necessary at least in the short-term; and
Discuss the problem of tribalism in government openly with the public and communicate plans for addressing it.

English

Attachment	Size
Southern Sudan at the Crossroads	1.43 MB

Library of Sudan and South Sudan Focus Group Reports

fstovall — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 19:45:39 +0000

From a Transitional to a Permanent Constitution: Views of Men and Women in South Sudan on Constitution-Making, June 2013 | Also available on iTunes

Governing South Sudan: Opinions of South Sudanese on a Government That Can Meet Citizen Expectations, March 22, 2012 | Also available on iTunes

Building a Nation: South Sudanese Share Their Thoughts on the Creation of a Successful State, Nov. 23, 2011

Southern Sudan at the Crossroads: Citizen Expectations, Aspirations and Concerns about the Referendum and Beyond — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women in Southern Sudan, Sept. 30, 2010

Imagining the Election: A Look at What Citizens Know and Expect of Sudan’s 2010 Vote — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women in Southern Sudan and the Three Areas, Sept. 30, 2009

Losing Hope: Citizen Perceptions of Peace and Reconciliation in the Three Areas — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women in Abyei,Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile, March 31, 2009

Intergovernmental Relations in Southern Sudan — Findings from Interviews with Government Officials and Legislators at the GoSS and State Levels, Sept. 30, 2008

A Place to Call Their Own: Southern Sudanese Comment on the Hard Work and Struggles of Self-Governance — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women in Southern Sudan, Sept. 18, 2007

Lost in the Middle of Peace: An Exploration of Citizen Opinion on the Implementation of the CPA in the Three Areas of Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women In the Three Areas, Feb. 27, 2007

Searching for a Path to Peace: Reaction to the Death of John Garang and One Year of the CPA — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women Across Southern Sudan and the Three Areas, April 12, 2006

Embracing the Promise of Peace: Citizen Views on Sudan's Future after the CPA — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women in Northern Sudan, Oct. 12, 2005

A Foundation for Peace: Citizen Thoughts on the Southern Sudan Constitution — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women Across Southern Sudan, June 9, 2005

On the Threshold of Peace: Perspectives from the People of New Sudan — Findings from Focus Groups with Men and Women across Southern Sudan, Dec. 20, 2004

Grave Mistake to Downplay Landmark African Agreement

dleonard — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:17:26 +0000

Source:

Business Day

Article Link:

Published Date:

10/02/2012

Former President Thabo Mbeki expresses excitement about the signing of the Sudan-South Sudan Co-operation Agreement, which he describes as “epoch-making in terms of the remaking of the African continent.”

The agreements define a slew of matters including economic, security, nationality and border issues all in the interest of creating and maintaining peace. “They determine that the conflict in this part of Africa has ceased to be a UN Charter Chapter VII threat to international peace and security.” These agreements “constitute the most comprehensive set of agreements determining relations between two African neighboring states...” Lastly, they are the “only” agreements in “which two independent African states enter into a binding agreement to work together for mutual benefit, to ensure each develops as a viable state.”

The “bulk” of African media “essentially ignored the signing of the Sudan-South Sudan Co-operation Agreement, treating this immensely important African development virtually as a non-event.” President Mbeki believes that is a “failure by the media to inform its readers, listeners and viewers about a matter vital to Africa’s future,” and will “inevitably feed the perception that Africa’s future” is defined by outside forces.

As Mbeki asserts, these historic agreement “sets a unique benchmark between two African sovereign states about how neighbors should construct relations, to give concrete reality to the objectives shared by the peoples of our continent of African integration, unity, solidarity and mutually beneficial co-operation.”

The implementation of this agreement could make the Sudanese people “pathfinders” or “pioneers” in achieving “the historic objective of African unity.”

Taking the Long View for the Peoples of Sudan and South Sudan

dleonard — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:10:22 +0000

Source:

The Huffington Post

Article Link:

Published Date:

10/16/2012

Princeton Lyman, special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, argues that the leaders of Sudan and South Sudan have “laid out a visionary path for the future of their countries” after approving “a series of groundbreaking agreements on security, financial, nationality and other issues.”

To implement these agreements, “the two states need to put in place the agreed-upon demilitarized border zone that will reduce the danger of armed clashes.” Secondly, they need to restart oil production, “which will allow South Sudan to enjoy the profits of its own sovereign resources and Sudan to benefit economically through fees.” These negotiations “ease Sudan’s loss of 70 percent of its oil reserves when South Sudan became independent” and also ensure that the South will have the economic resources to continue nation building.

“Perhaps even more exciting is the prospect for lucrative trade at the borders,” explains Lyman who believes that cross-border trade “could provide economic gains that rival or even exceed oil exports.” The agreement of a “soft border will preserve traditional and nomadic ways of live” and “will make it possible for border communities to become places of shared investment and not flashpoints for conflict.”

These agreements have left two issues unresolved: “a process for determining the final status of disputed border and claimed areas, and for the disputed region of Abyei.” Lyman also notes that Sudan has continued to violate international norms , bombing civilian areas in Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur and that South Sudan “continues to struggle with its own internal challenges” such as human rights issues and “managing internal conflict in places like Jonglei province.”

“But in taking the long view, Sudan and South Sudan have taken a chance on each other in hopes of ushering in a new era of collaboration and mutual benefit.” While both countries still face considerable challenges, “these agreements are the best chance for the Sudanese and South Sudanese to know the peace for which they have long yearned.”

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

Sudanese Citizen Coalition Calls for Wide-Ranging Electoral Reforms

ntekeei — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:35:00 +0000

Better civic education, independent oversight of how electoral districts are drawn and better representation of women in election preparations are among the recommendations of the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE).

An in-depth look at the activities of the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections from 2009 to 2011.

SuGDE has evolved into a strong coalition of six citizen groups standing for free, fair and non-violent elections during the last two eventful two years in Sudan, including the first multi-party national elections in over two decades, gubernatorial elections in Southern Kordofan, and a referendum on South Sudan’s. The group’s recommendations have been published in a comprehensive report on electoral reforms based on its two years of election observing. The report includes 51 recommendations concerning all aspects of the electoral process addressing the election commission, voters and the media. Specific recommendations include:

Implementing election rules three months before polling begins to permit time for civic education;
Creating an independent body to oversee the drawing of districts and allowing the media to observe this process;
Considering religious and cultural traditions and practices while making election calendars;
Reserving at least 30 percent of the registration and polling committees for women; and
Limiting voting days to two days maxi¬mum, increasing the number of polling stations to account for heavier voting and setting aside one voting day as a national holiday.

Before releasing the report, SuGDE organized a forum with international experts, including a constitutional specialist from Kenya and an electoral reform expert from Lebanon, to discuss the best practices in drafting and advocating for legal reform. SuGDE said it will push to see its election recommendations carried out through passage of new legislation, amendments to old laws or strict enforcement of laws already on the books.

Supported technically and financially by NDI since its inception, SuGDE plans to grow its role in Sudan and the region.

The release of the report was followed closely by the launch of the coalition’s new website at www.sugde.org. The group also commissioned a documentary film that covers its two-year existence. The 13-minute documentary features interviews with SuGDE members and footage of election activities. The website details all of SuGDE’s activities and houses each of its many reports, including the most recent on electoral reform.

SuGDE members are the AZZA Women Association, the Babikr Badri Scientific Association for Women Studies, the Group for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Studies (GESCRS), HELA HELP organization, Human Security Initiative (MAMAN), and the Institute for Development of Civil Society (IDCS).

Read more:

Published March 12, 2012