4200 Parliament Pl., Suite 430, Lanham, MD 20706
Session One – Basic Concepts of Electoral Security, Conflict, and Justice
The session introduces the definitions and concepts of electoral security, conflict, and justice. A history and global overview of recent electoral conflict is also provided. This overview examines regional trends and focuses on several case studies which are illustrative of a range of electoral conflict issues. Such issues include the patterns of victimization and perpetration; impact of existing vulnerabilities; and capacity of state stakeholders to protect the process.
It also identifies the universe of state, non-state, and international stakeholders associated with elections and conflict and their roles. State stakeholders can be regulatory, security, or judicial in their mandate including the EMB, police, and ordinary courts. Non-state stakeholders include political parties, civil society and faith-based organizations, and media organizations. International stakeholders include peacekeeping operations and electoral assistance organizations.
Session Two – Profiling Electoral Conflict Dynamics
The session provides a methodology for electoral threat profiling. This methodology offers an approach to identifying early warning indicators that could trigger electoral conflict. These early factors may be security, political, social, or economic in nature. Security factors include the availability of weapons, politicized security forces, on-going insurgencies; and a post-conflict environment among others. Political factors include the performance and impartiality of the EMB, electoral and political party system, and election dispute adjudications mechanisms among others. Social factors include the role of the diaspora, youth bulge, and the status of women among others. Finally, economic factors include the Per Capita Income, unemployment rate, and disparity in the distribution of wealth. The methodology provides approaches to profile perpetrators, victims, motives, tactics, locations, and intensity.
Session Three – Political Rivalries and Electoral Conflict
The session explores the role of political parties, electoral systems, and political party systems in electoral conflict, as well as the mechanisms by which EMBs can manage and de-conflict these rivalries, that is, Party Consultative Mechanism (PCMs). PCMs may be statutory or voluntary in mandate. In some cases, the EMB is the convener of the PCM and the enforcer of the agreements among the participating parties. As a founding document, PCMs often promulgate a code of conduct for candidates and political parties. Models of PCMs and code of conduct are examined.
Session Four – Electoral Dispute Resolution
The session explores the formal and informal mechanisms for adjudicating electoral disputes so that such disputes do not become violent. The session examines the role of EMBs in both formal and informal adjudication processes. Models of formal mechanism are examined by type: special or parallel, unified, or judicial Cases of international commissions adjudicating electoral disputes in transitional elections are also profiled.
The session also examines the sources of such disputes through an analytical framework to examine electoral malpractice. The framework describes four categories of malpractice acts: acts of deception, acts of coercion, acts of destruction, or failures to act. The session will also examine the penalties that have been issued. Informal mechanisms include grassroots conflict management committees, religious figures, and traditional leaders and others.
Session Five – Electoral Security and Non-State Stakeholders
The session identifies best practices associated with the engagement of non-state stakeholders, principally civil society and faith-based organizations, in peacebuilding campaigns to counter spoilers in the public arena. Activities include peace advocacy campaigns, social networking sites, and media messaging among others. These organizations may also engage in electoral monitoring, and this session examines the profiles of some organizations that do conduct such monitoring, their methodologies and outputs. This session also examines practices in providing services and compensation for victims of electoral violence and their families. Examples of legal, counseling and medical services are discussed.
Session Six – Electoral Security Planning and Administration
The session provides the fundamentals and best practices of electoral security administration for EMBs. These fundamentals include developing an electoral security concept based upon the profile of the threats and the resources available. Electoral security administration may also require the EMB to initiate inter-agency task forces to coordinate among military, police, and electoral stakeholders.
Participants make presentations to the plenary on their electoral security plans.
For More Information:
Heather Heyer
Head of Programs
U.S. Int. Center for Electoral Support
heather.heyer@usices.org