Here below and in the other items of this menu you will find an indicative and non-exhaustive list of International, Continental and Regional Actors that were directly or peripherally involved with EC-UNDP electoral assistance field in the last five years. The content related to each actor has been drawn by: their official web sites and/or from the UNDP Guide on Civil Society Organizations dealing with Electoral Systems and Processes and the Handbook on Election Management Design of IDEA.

International, Continental, Regional and Intergovernmental Organisations

OSCE/ODIHR, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the specialist institution of the OSCE dealing with elections, human rights, and democratisation. Based in Warsaw, Poland, the ODIHR promotes democratic election processes through the in-depth observation of elections and conducts election assistance projects that enhance meaningful participatory democracy. It also assists participating States in the implementation of their human dimension commitments by providing expertise and practical support in strengthening democratic institutions through longer-term Programmes to strengthen the rule of law, civil society, and democratic governance.

International IDEA, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) was set up in 1995 with a mandate to support sustainable democracy worldwide. The Institute works with both new and long-established democracies, helping to develop and strengthen the institutions and culture of democracy. It operates at international, regional and national levels, working in partnership with a range of institutions. IDEA uses comparative experience, analysis and extensive dialogue with practitioners to identify examples of good practice, and to produce tools and guidelines on democracy support. It has regular publications, an expanding website and a range of databases. It builds networks of experts, develops training materials and provides strategic advice on issues related to its work programme. The IDEA works with the international democracy assistance community as well as in-country with local stakeholders in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Arab states and the South Caucasus.

IOM: International Organisation for Migration, established in 1951 as an intergovernmental organisation to resettle European displaced persons, refugees and migrants, IOM has now grown to encompass a variety of migration management activities throughout the world. Over the years, the International Organization for Migration has been actively involved in supporting elections in countries in post- conflict situations or political transition. IOM believes that the promotion of fair elections and democratic institutions can play an important  role in  encouraging popular participation and engagement in a country's political future and social and economic development, enhancing migration management, stabilizing communities and reducing the potential for future large-scale population displacement and consequent instability. Within this framework, IOM focuses its activities on providing access to voting to the Diaspora, supporting EU Election Observation Missions in third countries and assisting governments in the enfranchisement of disadvantaged internally displaced groups.  The Election Support Unit (ESU) within the Operation Support Department (OSD) in Geneva is responsible for the planning, coordination and oversight of all election processes dealt by IOM. The unit provides support to Governments as part of their efforts to expand the access of migrant communities to democratic electoral process in their countries or territories of origin. 

OAS, Organisation of American States, through its Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD), has observed elections in a majority of its member states and provided electoral assistance to some other member countries of the Americas, helping to ensure transparency and integrity in the voting process. Guided by the principles of the Democratic Charter, the OAS also supports efforts to decentralise governments, modernise political parties, strengthen national legislatures, and consolidate democratic values and culture. It also works to promote a greater role for civil society in decision-making.

AU, the African Union, the youngest among the continental organisations, recently undertook within its Department of Political Affairs the strengthening of the Human Rights and Democratisation Division in order to face request of electoral support, both in observation and technical assistance. It provided electoral assistance for the first time in Liberia for the Presidential Elections of 2005, but it is itself in the need of technical assistance before it can turn into a proper electoral assistance provider.

Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) is a regional inter-parliamentary body which brings together twelve parliaments. The objectives of the Forum include the promotion of multiparty democracy, good governance, gender equality and political stability in the region as well as respect of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. In line with the above objectives the Forum has taken a keen interest in election observation in its member states. Based on these observations the Forum has developed and adopted Electoral Norms and Standards for the SADC region which serve as bench marks against which to assess the management and the conduct of elections in the region. Concurrent with the adoption of Norms and Standards for elections in the SADC region, the Forum also decided to abandon its earlier focus on the observation of polling and counting activities and extend its missions to the other phases of an electoral process namely the pre election and post election phases.