Participants at the workshop on internal democracy for political parties in Sudan, Khartoum, 24-26 June 2007. Photo: Rita Taphorn

International IDEA workshop on internal democracy for political parties and electoral quotas for women resulted in a series of requests for further training.

The workshop was held in Khartoum, Sudan on 24-26 June 2007 and attended by 30 representatives of the six main political parties in Sudan: the National Congress Party, Umma Party, Communist Party, Popular Congress, Unionist Party and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

Elections are to be held by 2009 as part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and the Government of Sudan. The need to strengthen political parties and their internal democracy is seen as vital to the establishment of democracy in Sudan.

Specific elements of internal party democracy – such as leadership selection, membership issues, policy development and principles of party finance – were presented by International IDEA’s programme officers James Gomez and Emad Yousef. In addition, Rita Taphorn dealt with the inclusion of women, youth and minorities through the use of quotas, as well as covering the effectiveness of quotas when they are applied in different electoral systems. See the workshop presentation here.

The workshop on internal democracy is one in a series and part of International IDEA’s Political Party Strengthening Programme in Sudan in partnership with EISA (Electoral Institute of Southern Africa), the Canadian Parliamentary Centre and Partners in Development Services (PDS) in Sudan, funded by a grant from DFID through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The workshop also provided International IDEA the opportunity to conduct training for the Sudanese NGO, Gender Center for Research and Training (Women Solidarity for Peace and Development), on electoral systems and quotas for women. Various types of electoral systems and their fit with different types of quotas were presented on 28 June to a group of approximately 30 participants, including women from South Sudan and selected members of parliament (both women and men).

From the left: International IDEA programme officer Rita Taphorn trains women from south Sudan and selected members of parliaments in electoral systems and quotas for women, 28 June 2007, Khartoum.

During the political parties workshop, International IDEA launched its regional report Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty Democracy, which generated a spirited discussion on the upcoming elections in Sudan among the participants. In this context, International IDEA emphasized that democracy is more than elections and that the effective functioning of political parties is an important component for a sustainable democracy.

In response to the overwhelming requests for further training, International IDEA will continue to find ways to assist in the strengthening of political parties in Sudan.