Civil Society Members Build Capacity to Promote Electoral Reform

Free, fair, and transparent elections are the foundations of democratic societies.  Election observers ensure the integrity and openness of elections.  In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the role and capacity of election observers need to be strengthened as many of these countries are either only just introducing elections into their political systems or seeking to progress their existing electoral structures.  For several days preceding Kuwait’s May 17, 2008 Parliamentary elections, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) organized an election study mission to Kuwait, comprised of nine members of civil society and political organizations.  The project, sponsored by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants program, intended to enhance mission members’ understanding of the electoral processes, as well as expose them to new electoral techniques that they can advance in their own countries.  The project also seeks to promote impartial elections and support electoral improvement in the MENA countries.

Prior to Kuwait’s election date, representatives from the Bahrain Transparency Society (BTS), Bahrain Human Rights Society, the Jordan National Center for Human Rights, Al Jazeera newspaper, and other MENA civil society organizations, received election-related briefings, attended campaign events, and met with political analysts and the leaders of Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS), NDI’s local partner.  On the day of the elections, the participants visited a total of 39 polling stations in five electoral districts.  Following the elections and with assistance from NDI, the group then developed recommendations that were shared with their Kuwaiti counterparts through a round-table discussion that focused mainly on campaign finance laws, political party laws, and women’s quotas. Other engaging topics included media access, the voting age, and voting restrictions on security forces.

Most participants in the program remained vigorously involved in promoting further dialogue on key electoral issues.  Among other achievements, BTS signed a Protocol of Cooperation with KTS; and, BTS participants organized a workshop in Bahrain to share their experiences with other activists. “All have expressed their satisfaction with the program and indicated that they took away many lessons learned from their colleagues, and appreciated the resources provided by NDI”, commented an NDI representative.