International IDEA is taking the lead to develop a broad international understanding about what constitutes effective electoral assistance, based on the experience of different countries. In October 2007, some 80 people participated in the third joint European Commission (EC)-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-International IDEA Training on Electoral Assistance in Brussels.
The five-day course covered the history of electoral assistance and the major lessons learned. It covered the new approach to electoral assistance – developed by the EC and International IDEA two years ago and endorsed in the Report of the UN Secretary-General to the General Assembly 2007 – which involves shifting the focus to provide support to the entire electoral cycle rather than just specific elections.
Participants came from EC delegations, UN agencies, bilateral development agencies, NGOs and EMBs from Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), India, Mexico, South Africa and Zambia. A variety of election experts and practitioners from around the world, including many working currently in Sudan, also participated.
The main case studies examined were from Nigeria, DRC, South Africa, Zambia and Mexico, with a specific focus on the various entry points in the electoral cycle for electoral assistance providers, from the legal framework and electoral systems to post-election strategies.
The event included demonstrations on e-voting and voter registration systems involving different levels of technology; EC and UNDP best practice in the identification, formulation and implementation of electoral assistance programmes; the cost of elections including budgeting and procurement. Some of International IDEA’s best known capacity-building knowledge resources were also presented at the training session such as the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network and BRIDGE – A Course on Electoral Processes, which were also highlighted in the UN Secretary-General’s Report.
Overall the training was judged to be a significant success. The evaluations from the participants were extremely positive and noted the rich content and experiences shared during the week. The training was also filmed as part of the development of an e-learning version of the course. All the presentations and resources can be found on the website of the EC-UNDP Task Force on Electoral Assistance, with which International IDEA closely collaborates on a number of initiatives.
The knowledge resources used in the training were the EC Methodological Guide to Electoral Assistance, UNDP Implementation Guide on Electoral Assistance, International IDEA Handbooks on Electoral System Design, Electoral Management Design, Designing for Equality, and IFES/UNDP CORE (Cost of Elections and Referenda).
International IDEA Director of Operations Andrew Ellis (introductory remarks) and Senior Officers Paul Guerin and Domenico Tuccinardi delivered several lectures and presentations and moderated the event. The new ACE “Focus on Effective Electoral Assistance” was also launched in conjunction with the event, building on the findings of the Ottawa Conference on Effective Electoral Assistance of May 2006.
This was the third joint EC-UNDP-IDEA Training on Electoral Assistance. The previous two were held in Brussels (September 2006) and in Dar es Salaam (November 2006). The next training will be held in Johannesburg in 2008.
For more information please contact International IDEA Senior Officers in Electoral Processes, Paul Guerin or Domenico Tuccinardi.
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