workshop jordan 2014 – EC-UNDP JTF

Jordan 2014

Reinforcing credibility and acceptance of electoral processes

The role of electoral stakeholders and electoral administrations

Under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, the European Commission (EC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held from 7-11 April 2014 a five workshop on the theme “Reinforcing credibility and acceptance of electoral processes: The role of electoral stakeholders and electoral administrations”.

The workshop was co-organised by the EC-UNDP Joint Task Force on Electoral Assistance (JTF) in cooperation with the Jordan’s Independent Election Commission and the SIDA-funded UNDP Regional Electoral Support Project for Middle East and North Africa.

The event brought together 250 participants including 47 delegations from Electoral Management Bodies, electoral practitioners, international electoral experts and representatives of international organisations active in the field of electoral assistance from 70 different countries.

The workshop discussed issues of main concern for electoral administrators such as the role that each stakeholder should play in the electoral process and what is their impact on the credibility and acceptance of elections.

As well as what can electoral administrations do to promote the involvement of all stakeholders in order to enhance the credibility and acceptance of the process Experiences from different countries, lessons learned and best practices were discussed.

Based on the discussions participants came up with recommendations on the matter.

The summary report of the workshop including the recommendations formulated by the participants will be published in the forthcoming months.

DOWNLOAD THE SUMMARY REPORT
AR EN FR

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA
AR EN

DAY 1
DEFINING CONCEPT

Defining the conceptual framework: What do we understand by credibility of electoral processes?
Rafael Lopez-Pintor, Independent electoral expert
The impact of EMBs and other election stakeholders on the credibility and acceptance of an electoral process
Carlos Valenzuela, Chief Electoral Advisor, UNDP Electoral support in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia
Key principles that promote the credibility of electoral processes and acceptance of results
Hiroko Miyamura, Team Leader Country Support, UN Electoral Assistance Division, Department of Political Affairs
The involvement of government and its impact on the credibility of the process
Ilona Tip, Operations Director, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA)
Electoral justice and the role of electoral dispute resolution mechanisms on the overall acceptance of the elections
Adriaan Stoop, Lawyer, Independent electoral expert
Electoral security and its impact in electoral processes
Niall McCann, UNDP Lead Electoral Advisor

DAY 2
POLITICAL PARTIES AND CANDIDATES

The role and impact of political parties and candidates in ensuring credible and accepted elections Dr. Arianit Shehu, Senior Country Director, National Democratic Institute (NDI) Jordan
What mechanisms can electoral administrations put in place to increase the collaboration with political parties and candidates? Francisco Cobos-Flores, Independent electoral expert
What is the role and responsibility of electoral authorities and electoral contenders in a potentially conflict situation? Salvador Nava-Gomar, Justice, Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary, Mexico
What mechanisms can electoral administrations and political parties put in place to combat electoral fraud and political corruption? Hermann Thiel, Chief of Party IFES Jordan
Money in politics. Should electoral administration have a role in monitoring party financing and electoral campaign financing? Carlos Navarro, Director of International Studies and Projects, Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico (IFE)
Is a code of conduct sufficient to ensure that political parties and candidates abide to an electoral contest? What should be the role of an electoral administration? Jerome Scheltens, Programme Manager Tanzania and Libya, The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)

COUNTRY EXPERIENCES

Bosnia Herzegovina: How does the Central Election Commission deal with political parties and ethnicities issues? Irena Hadziabdic, Member of the Central Election Commission, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Americas: The challenge of accepting electoral results Manuel Carrillo, Chief of Staff, International Affairs Unit, Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico (IFE)
Liberia: The role and impact of political parties and candidates in ensuring credible and accepted elections C.A. Lamin Lighe, Executive Director, National Elections Commission of Liberia
Pakistan: Lessons learned from recent experience Syed Sher Afgan, Additional Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan
Madagascar: The participation of political parties within the EMB deliberations: challenges and opportunities Beatrice Attalah, President of the Independent National Electoral Commission of the Transition (CENI-T) of Madagascar – Fatma Samoura, UNDP Resident Representative in Madagascar

DAY 3
MEDIA, CIVIL SOCIETY AND ELECTORAL OBSERVERS

The role of the media on the overall trust and acceptance of electoral processes Firas Talhouk, Samir Kassir Foundation for Freedom of the Press, Lebanon
Has social media changed the role of media in electoral processes? Dr. Annette M. Fath-Lihic, Senior Programme Manager Electoral Processes, International IDEA
Measures that EMBs can take to foster media´s impact on the credibility of the process James Deann, Director, Policy and Learning BBC Media Action
The Role of Media in the Republic of Guyana Robert Stephen Surujbally, Chairman, EMB republic of Guyana
Money in politics. Civil society and electoral administration: working together in voter education Vuk Maras Monitoring Program Director, Network for Affirmation of NGO Sector MANS – Montenegro
Domestic Electoral observation: Impact and responsibility over the electoral process Jerome Scheltens, Programme Manager Tanzania and Libya, The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
Civil Society, a watchdog or an implementing partner? Is there a conflict of interest? Roman Udot, Director of GOLOS regional association, Russia

COUNTRY EXPERIENCES

Tunisia: Democracy in transition: The role of Civil Society in the electoral process, Lessons learned from the 2011 election and the way forward Mourad Ben Mouelli, Vice President of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), Tunisia and Leila Bahria, representative of Marsad Chahed, Tunisia
Nepal: Efforts made to include civil society, media and observers in the electoral process Neel Kantha Uprety, Chief Election Commissioner Nepal
Lessons learned from international observation: impact on the credibility of electoral processes Emanuele Giaufret, Head of Division, Democracy and Election Observation  European External Action Service
Palestine: Positioning CEC towards fostering ties with civil society Hisham Kuhail, CEO Central Elections Commission, Palestine and CSO representative from Palestine
Kenya – The Kenyan election 2013: The role of the media in general and the factual discussion programme Sema Kenya (Kenya Speaks) Dr. Angela W. Muriithi, Research Manager, East Africa BBC Media Action
Jordan: Efforts made to include civil society, media and observers in the electoral process Bushra Abu Shahout, Director of Policies and Institutional Development, Independent Election Commission of Jordan
Domestic Electoral observation: Impact and responsibility over the electoral process Luis Jimbo, President of the Angolan Institute of Electoral Systems and Democracy (IASED)

DAY 4
STAKEHOLDERS AT WORK: SHARING LESSONS LEARNED

GHANA: Accepting Electoral results: Ghana Joint Party Election Results Monitoring Project (J-PERM)
MALI : Cooperation between electoral stakeholders: The experience of Mali in the post-conflict elections

INTEGRATING GENDER EQUALITY INTO ELECTORAL PROCESSES: STAKEHOLDERS AT WORK

A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF REGIONAL COOPERATION

DAY 5
IMPROVING THE WORK BETWEEN EMBS AND STAKEHOLDERS: WORKING SESSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Group 1: EMB and political parties/candidates
Group 2: EMB and CSOs
Group 3: EMB and the media
Group 4: EMB and other state organizations

Reinforcing credibility and acceptance of electoral processes

The role of electoral stakeholders and electoral administrations

DOWNLOAD THE SUMMARY REPORTAR EN FR

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDAAR EN

COUNTRY EXPERIENCES

COUNTRY EXPERIENCES

INTEGRATING GENDER EQUALITY INTO ELECTORAL PROCESSES: STAKEHOLDERS AT WORK

A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF REGIONAL COOPERATION

DOWNLOAD THE SUMMARY REPORT
AR EN FR

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA
AR EN