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Building Sustainable Democratic Institutions
Africa and the Near East
The Americas
Europe and Asia
Following are summaries of IFES’ democracy-building program activities in many of the countries assisted during fiscal year 1998.
Africa and the Near East
Benin - RULE OF LAW
Campaign finance reform is not an issue only in the United States. Benin has a law that restricts how candidates and parties can raise and spend money, yet corruption and misuse of funds were major problems during the 1995 and 1996 elections.
Benin’s campaign finance authority - the Chamber of Accounts of the Supreme Court - sought IFES’ assistance in cleaning up the nation’s campaign finance system. IFES
· Organized a training seminar to educate Chamber auditors on how to monitor campaign spending, introduced disclosure and control mechanisms used in other countries, and assisted staff in identifying a system that will work in Benin.
· Developed an action plan for a new monitoring system, in conjunction with Chamber auditors.
· Prepared a report outlining the current campaign finance law’s shortcomings and made recommendations for improvement.
A new law incorporating many of IFES’ recommendations - which will professionalize Benin’s election administration and better ensure its independence - was adopted unanimously by the National Assembly in September 1998, and submitted to the government for promulgation.
Democratic Republic of Congo - CIVIL SOCIETY
With Laurent Kabila’s overthrow of Mobutu Sese Seko, opportunities arose for helping the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire, to accelerate its transition to democracy and rule of law. Unfortunately, civil and international conflict in the country has complicated progress toward political opening.
· On July 31, 1998, IFES opened its Democracy Resource and Documentation Center in Kinshasa attended by key governmental and civic leaders, and considerable media fanfare.
· IFES worked hand-in-hand with church groups and civic education and human rights organizations to promote democracy, peace, and reconciliation.
Guinea - ELECTIONS
The Republic of Guinea was to hold its second presidential election since independence in December 1998. While this represents important progress toward democracy, IFES encouraged the creation of an independent national election commission to take the transition further. IFES engaged political parties, the government, and civil society in a discussion on the structure and role of such a commission.
In August 1998, Guinea’s minister of the interior announced the creation of a High Council for Electoral Affairs. IFES continues to work with all stakeholders to ensure progress in this critical area.
Malawi - RULE OF LAW, GOOD GOVERNANCE
In 1998, the Malawi government enacted a new Electoral Commission Act and amended the 1993 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act. IFES
· Conducted a briefing for members of the Parliament and Cabinet on implementation of the new laws and their impact on the next election.
· Worked on plans to strengthen the technical capacities of Malawi’s electoral commission. On August 26, the Commission approved IFES’ proposals for building capacity at the regional and district level, voter registration, training, and voter education. IFES immediately started providing advice and counsel to the Commission on the implementation of these programs.
Mali - ELECTIONS, GOOD GOVERNANCE
Mali faced two key challenges in its June 21, 1998, local elections: enhancing voter education and turnout, and improving elections record-keeping. IFES
· Conducted two national multi-media voter education campaigns informing Malians about their rights and responsibilities, and about voting procedures. Two songs were produced, with 4,000 audio cassettes distributed to all eight regions of Mali. The songs also aired on radio stations across the country. Two thousand video cassettes of the second song, «Votemania,» which encouraged participation in the elections, were produced and broadcast on national television. And 1,000 election T-shirts were produced and distributed.
· Developed a database and two directories of election statistics, one containing candidate and election results, and the other containing election official information. The National Independent Election Commission (CENI) was determined to ensure thorough compilation and dissemination of this critical information for the June 21, 1998, local elections. The IFES/CENI directories were distributed to government ministries, political party leaders and the communes.
West Bank/Gaza - ELECTIONS
IFES’ technical assistance project in the West Bank and Gaza culminated in January 1998 with the completion of the first and only election guide in the Arab world. IFES produced this model handbook for election practitioners, the «Guide for the Planning and Organization of Palestinian Local Elections in the West Bank and Gaza,» in Arabic and English. It presents detailed recommendations for the planning of well-run, competitive local elections, drawing on IFES’ knowledge of both Palestinian context and international election administration best practices.
IFES presented the guide to the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government and the election commission. IFES also held two seminars for election officials likely to administer the elections. The local elections have been postponed indefinitely due to the impasse in the peace process. IFES hopes that when elections are scheduled, the IFES guide will inform Palestinians committed to building a democratic election system under self-rule.
The Americas
Bolivia - GOOD GOVERNANCE, CIVIL SOCIETY
In a far-reaching reform aimed at decentralizing power and resources, Bolivia’s Popular Participation Law divides the country into 310 municipalities and transfers 20 percent of national tax revenues to the new municipalities. IFES, under a subcontract with Chemonics International, is helping the government implement this law.
In 1998, IFES consultants worked with Chemonics’ Democratic Development and Citizen Participation (DDCP) field team to develop a strategy for establishing Electoral Participation and Orientation Committees (Comités de Orientación y Participación Electoral, COPEs). COPEs are designed to promote the active participation of citizens in selected pilot municipalities in local, regional, and national elections. DDCP has already helped the COPEs determine the roles they should and could play, and helped municipalities to increase citizen participation, registration, and political debate. IFES will continue to work with the DDCP team in establishing COPEs, proposing civic/electoral education activities, establishing guidelines to maximize the sustainability of the COPEs, and defining methodologies to help the COPEs coordinate with other organizations involved in electoral participation.
Ecuador - ELECTIONS
IFES observed Ecuador’s May 31 presidential, congressional, provincial, and municipal elections at the invitation of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. As expected, IFES found the elections peaceful, orderly, and without intimidation and fraud. However, this was the first contest in which voters could choose individual candidates rather than party slates. As a result, ballots in some provinces contained more than 200 names, were physically unwieldy, and led many people not to vote for Congress. IFES recommended steps to simplify the ballot and vote counting procedures.
El Salvador - GOOD GOVERNANCE, CIVIL SOCIETY
To assist democratization in El Salvador, IFES conducted two major projects during fiscal year 1998.
· Working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), IFES helped El Salvador’s new National Registry of Natural Persons (RNPN) plan the establishment of the registry and the issuance of a new Single Identity Document, which could be used for voting and all other identification purposes. IFES advised the Registry on the use of cutting-edge technologies, such as Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS).
· IFES conducted a Diagnostic Study of Citizen Participation in El Salvador through a series of 24 focus groups representing the full range of socioeconomic, geographic, and demographic groups in the country. IFES examined the participants’ level of knowledge and understanding of democratic principles, as well as perceived obstacles to greater participation in the public policy process by Salvadorans, especially women. The study’s results and recommendations were widely distributed.
Guyana - ELECTIONS
IFES deployed an eight-member international delegation to Guyana to observe the December 15, 1997, general elections. IFES Director for the Americas George Jones, a former U.S. ambassador, led the mission, funded by the National Democratic Institute, to Guyana.
On election day, the delegation visited polling places in four regions comprising 70 percent of the registered voters and found a smoothly and impartially run election. Unfortunately, problems began when the polls closed. Training in proper procedures for counting and recording ballots appeared deficient. Tabulating and announcing the results took several days. The delay caused much unease and suspicion. Protests occurred almost daily for the month after the election. Under the circumstances, IFES maintained its presence in the country. The losing party, People’s National Congress, asked the High Court to annul the election, but the court ruled it had no jurisdiction.
Haiti - ELECTIONS, RULE OF LAW
While Haiti has been plagued by its Congress’ inability to confirm a prime minister and appoint a new electoral council throughout nearly all of 1998 - problems that threaten the nation’s nascent democratic transition - IFES has proceeded vigorously with democracy-building activities that can be implemented despite these delays. IFES
· Produced a report on the responsibilities and requirements of a credible electoral council to ensure that whether the council is provisional or permanent it has the tools for a fair, efficient, and transparent job in the next elections.
· Tested IFES’ methodologies to refine the procedures for the next elections, including the selection of registration centers and polling sites.
· Developed pilot civic education activities designed to better inform women and youth and to increase their participation.
· Assessed the possibility of establishing a national radio and TV network for broadcasting election results on election night.
Mexico - ELECTIONS
Since 1994, IFES and the federal electoral authorities of Canada, the United States, and Mexico have been strengthening inter-institutional cooperation, by, among other means, holding Trilateral Conferences on Electoral Systems.
The fourth Trilateral Conference, on the subject of Voting Abroad, met in Mexico City in September 1998, to discuss the approaches of the United States and Canada in regulating and organizing overseas voting programs for their citizens, and the experiences of several other countries in organizing and regulating voting for their citizens residing in North America. The conference made a major contribution to the scant existing body of research and information on overseas voting. The audience included members of the Mexican Congress, electoral administrators, the media, civil society representatives, and the members of a Mexican commission studying this issue. The commission presented a report to the Mexican Congress in November 1998.
Panama - ELECTIONS, CIVIL SOCIETY
Would Panama President Ernesto Pérez Balladeres be able to run for reelection when his term expires in 1999? Panama’s citizens decided that question, along with several others, in an August 30, 1998, referendum. At the invitation of Panama’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal, IFES fielded a nine-member team of international experts, headed by former U.S. Ambassador to Panama and Colombia Jack Hood Vaughn, to observe the election. The observers traveled to more than 100 polling stations and witnessed a calm, civil, and well-organized balloting process.
IFES has also provided financial assistance to the Panamanian NGO, La Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Libertad Ciudadana, to promote the participation of civil society in the public policy-making process on the turnover of the Panama Canal. La Fundación has organized a series of public fora in both urban and rural areas. A technical working group of experts and community leaders was tasked with developing recommendations to be presented to the Legislative Assembly’s Technical Committee. The working group submitted 38 recommendations, the Technical Commitee agreed to 20.
Peru - ELECTIONS, CIVIL SOCIETY
On June 30, 1998, IFES concluded a successful four-year democratization project in Peru that helped the nation institutionalize positive changes in its political processes. During fiscal year 1998, IFES worked primarily on three initiatives:
· Study of the Geographic Locations of Electoral Absenteeism - IFES analyzed where unregistered and non-voting Peruvians live to better target future efforts at increasing political participation. This project also identified obstacles to these peoples’ civic involvement and voting. IFES produced more than 40 maps indicating centers of non-participating populations, which will be the focus of voter education and turnout efforts.
· Transparencia - IFES continued supporting this Peruvian non-governmental organization’s Multimedia Electoral Resource Center to help it gain self-sufficiency, increase its free civic and electoral information services, and expand its election training workshops for community organizations.
· Foro Nacional/Internacional - Working with this Peruvian NGO, IFES organized a symposium on civil society, political participation and electoral processes. IFES also established a national information network to increase the involvement of university students. This network includes a website that students and others can use to discuss academic, cultural, and other issues affecting their lives.
Venezuela - ELECTIONS
With legislative, state, and presidential elections imminent, a major concern in Venezuela in 1998 was the country’s system of campaign finance. To discuss the many issues involved and to aid the process of finding solutions, IFES organized a two-day Conference on Political Party and Campaign Financing in Caracas, June 15-16, 1998. Approximately 100 members and staff of the Venezuelan Election Council, members of Congress, other key government officials, civic leaders, political party representatives, journalists, and topical experts attended.
The Conference presented the Venezuelan Congress and electorate with options for regulating campaign financing, a possibility the National Congress continues to debate. IFES also prepared the Conference proceedings for publication to assist other Latin American countries in drafting campaign finance legislation.
In May 1998, at the request of the National Elections Council (CNE), IFES fielded a team of two experts on automated voting to evaluate the equipment offered to the CNE by four U.S. and European vendors. The CNE subsequently purchased the equipment recommended by the IFES consultants and used it throughout most of Venezuela in the December 1998 elections.
Europe and Asia
Albania - ELECTIONS, RULE OF LAW
Since Albania’s first post-Communist elections in 1992, IFES has periodically helped the country through its challenging transition to the democracy that nearly crashed after a fraudulent pyramid investment scheme in 1997. Beginning in 1998, after the 1997 nationwide internationally monitored elections were held with significant IFES support through the OSCE, IFES opened a long-term office on April 1, 1998. IFES
· Provided technical assistance to the Central Election Commission (CEC) and mediated disputes between the various party factions on the CEC, thus enabling the elections to go forward.
· Continued our relationship with the OSCE presence by sending technical specialists who refined the voter registries and the Government’s ability to collect, record, and use voter data.
After the 1998 elections, IFES worked with the chairs of the country’s two CECs to include a provision in the draft Constitution that would establish a single permanent and independent commission for all elections and referenda in Albania. Ninety-three percent of the voters approved the Constitution in a November 22, 1998, referendum.
Armenia - ELECTIONS, RULE OF LAW, CIVIL SOCIETY
Fully aware of the deep divisions within Armenia and the perception of widespread irregularities in the 1995 parliamentary elections, IFES established a mission in Yerevan in February 1996, and provided technical support to the 1996 and 1998 elections in an effort to restore confidence in the democratic process.
During the 1998 presidential elections, IFES
· Worked closely with the Central Election Commission (CEC) to assess and design a more secure technology system for processing ballots.
· Trained regional and local election officials, and international observers.
· Conducted a massive voter education campaign that produced and distributed more than 200,000 posters and fliers, generated newspaper articles, and produced a series of nationally televised «Town Hall» meetings, reaching approximately 1.8 million viewers.
The IFES post-election assessment revealed compromises and breaks in the election law, an inadequate chain of command in the CEC and incongruities in the vote counting. In addition, access to television, the most important source of information for most Armenians, was severely limited for members of opposition parties. Nevertheless, some positive developments occurred, including improved ballot design, swifter posting of precinct election results, transparency within the CEC, strengthening of the CEC’s regulatory capacity, impact of the voter education campaign, and order in voting center procedures.
Following the election, IFES monitored the adjudication of election complaints and continued providing drafting advice and analysis to the National Assembly in its development of a Universal Election Code institutionalizing positive democratic changes in the political process.
Bosnia-Herzegovina - ELECTIONS, RULE OF LAW, CIVIL SOCIETY
IFES has had a central role in the reconciliation and democratization of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Beginning in 1995, and continuing through the present, IFES has provided election administration, educational, legal, information technology, management, voter registration, and adjudication assistance independently and within the multilateral structure of the OSCE in all phases of electoral preparations in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
The September 12-13, 1998, elections continued the Foundation’s successful role in Sarajevo. In addition to delivering dozens of senior level technical advisors to serve within the OSCE Mission, IFES provided support for
· Adopting a permanent election law.
· Establishing a permanent election commission.
· Developing an ongoing, sustainable voter registration system using existing local Bosnian government structures.
The 1998 elections were peaceful, and while the ballot counting process was slow, the results were widely accepted. The new election law will likely increase the number of women elected to the Parliament in the future.
Through the use of Bosnian trainers and a broad network of municipal leaders, IFES continues a successful grassroots civic- education project in central-west Bosnia and the Republika Srpska to encourage Bosnians toward greater political participation
Kazakhstan - ELECTIONS, RULE OF LAW, CIVIL SOCIETY
With its Central Asia office in Almaty open since 1994, and a second office in the new capital of Astana established in February 1998, IFES’ work promoting democracy in Kazakhstan continues to expand. In 1998, IFES
· Worked on a curriculum development project, including production of a textbook, designed to improve information on democracy in secondary schools.
· Collaborated with the Central Election Commission and the local station Khabar to produce the first-ever televised candidate debate in Kazakhstan, held in October 1997.
· Provided a continuous supply of information on comparative electoral legislation to election commissions, parliamentarians, and watchdog groups; also worked on improved legislation, training election officials, and voter outreach.
· Collaborated with local election oriented NGOs in conducting a series of nationwide electoral awareness seminars to create a national network of election watchdog NGOs.
Kyrgyzstan - RULE OF LAW, GOOD GOVERNANCE
After four years of democratization work in Kyrgyzstan, IFES opened an office in Bishkek in 1997. In 1998, IFES activities included
· Program and information assistance to the Central Election Commission, legislators and non-governmental organizations.
· Analyses and recommendations on four separate drafts of electoral code reform in support of the State Program on the Reformation of the Kyrgyzstani Electoral System.
· Conducting election law discussions with the CEC, Parliament, the Election Law Working Group, and representatives of local NGO watchdogs to improve general understanding of the issues.
Moldova - RULE OF LAW, ELECTIONS, CIVIL SOCIETY
Since 1993, IFES has worked in Moldova to support electoral reform through projects mainly funded by USAID. As virtually the only American democracy-building organization, IFES has had a wide variety of activities in this small but strategically important country.
· Rule of law -In late 1997, two major laws drafted with IFES support were passed: the Universal Election Code and Rules Establishing a Permanent Central Election Commission and the Law on Foundations. In 1998, IFES assisted the Moldovan Parliament and Ministry of Justice with the Law on Political Parties, along with assistance in drafting legislation on administrative-territorial reform, public administration, and access to information of public interest.
· Election assistance - IFES finally had the CEC established as a permanent institution by law. IFES has been providing a great deal of technical assistance to the CEC, especially in preparation for the March 1998 parliamentary elections.
· Voter education - Prior to the March elections, IFES distributed motivational and educational posters and produced radio and television public service announcements in Romanian, Russian, and Gagauz. IFES also produced the Guide for Domestic Observers (in conjunction with the local group LADOM) and a post-election book containing detailed election results. IFES also produced and distributed a popular CD containing the laws, information, and statistics from the local, presidential, and parliamentary elections conducted from 1995 - 1998.
· Civil society - IFES routinely coordinates activities between civil society organizations and government officials through meetings and a quarterly newsletter, Vocea Civica (Civic Voice), and has helped with the passage of NGO-related legislation.
Philippines - ELECTIONS
The democratic process in the Philippines’ continues to advance and mature. IFES has worked in this nation since 1995 at the invitation of the government, with involvement in technology assessment, rule of law, and, most notably, voter education.
In the past year, IFES focused on the May 11, 1998, national, provincial, municipal, and local elections. IFES
· Conducted training for the media, election officers, and pollworkers.
· Worked closely with the Philippines Election Commission (COMELEC) to implement a comprehensive voter information and education campaign.
· Produced a series of innovative, dynamic, public service announcements with the message: «This is your election - your votes represent your children’s future.»
This voter outreach contributed significantly to an effective and successful election process.
Russia - ELECTIONS, RULE OF LAW, CIVIL SOCIETY
In 1998, IFES’ groundbreaking work in Russia focused more intently than ever on developing an informed, empowered, and active electorate as a way to promote democracy, fight corruption, and encourage stability. IFES was involved in
· Initiating development of the Institute for Election Systems Development (IESD), an independent, domestic NGO designed to take over IFES’ mandate in Russia and provide non-partisan support to the election process.
· Assisting regional election commissions and lawmakers to better administer elections and draft election legislation. Jointly with the Central Election Commission (CEC), IFES conducted a seminar for regional election officials, while developing targeted information packets, comparative materials, training guidebooks, and model laws sent to all 89 regions.
· Advancing election law reform by providing the only impartial, non-partisan analysis and comparative information available to lawmakers in both houses of Parliament - the Federation Council and State Duma - on campaign finance, media regulation, ballot access, representational systems, and the adjudication of election-related grievances. IFES also hosted events with other institutions that brought lawmakers and officials together in a neutral setting to address targeted and controversial election-related issues.
· Developing and supporting the New Perspectives Foundation, the only non-partisan, non-governmental organization in Russia conducting voter and civic education initiatives for women and young people. Its network includes more than 50 affiliated branches across Russia.
In addition, the IFES Resource Center in Moscow provides critical information for public officials, democracy advocates, civic leaders, the media, and the Russian people. Its homepage is widely used by people inside and outside the nation.
Serbia, FRY - ELECTIONS
Late in 1997, IFES assessed the pre-election environment leading to parliamentary and presidential elections in Serbia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and concluded that the international community must provide extensive monitoring and support. To enhance the transparency of elections, and discourage the fraud and disruptions that marred the November 1996 local elections, IFES initiated an on-site technical assistance program, which focused on
· Conducting a «train-the-trainers» project, educating nearly 1,300 party-nominated pollworkers from 10 political parties in 18 cities, which led to building a core group of skilled local trainers who can now provide training upon request on the election law and election procedures.
· Encouraging the active and informed participation of the electorate through a non-partisan voter information program that stressed targeting specific messages to traditionally disadvantaged groups.
Slovakia - ELECTIONS
In anticipation of September 1998 Parliamentary elections, IFES first conducted a pre-election technical assessment and then provided on-site technical assistance, which involved
· Training pollworkers and election officials.
· Reviewing electoral and administrative procedure, and election legislation and regulations.
· Educating voters about election laws, procedures, and voters’ rights.
· Providing observer coordination and assistance.
The election became Slovakia’s «Velvet Revolution,» as many incumbents lost to democratic candidates. The election was also notable for good organization, transparency, and high voter turnout, notwithstanding still serious inadequacies in the electoral law and the need for voter education among minority populations.
Tajikistan - RULE OF LAW
After five years of civil war, the government of Tajikistan and the United Tajik Opposition signed a Comprehensive Peace Accord in June 1997. The Accord calls for nationwide parliamentary elections and the creation of a Committee on National Reconciliation (CNR), one of whose prime responsibilities is to revise the Constitution and election law.
In 1998, IFES assisted the CNR and other government and political officials in this national reintegration process by
· Offering CNR its first chance to evaluate constitutional and structural issues through a seminar on constitutional development, covering the relationship between religion and state, regionalism, and the need for an independent Constitutional Court.
· Conducting the first phase of a political party assessment so the international donor community could determine possible future assistance to strengthen the country’s multi-party system.
· Providing training for election officials, voter education, and support for political party development leading up to nationwide parliamentary elections.
Uzbekistan - RULE OF LAW
IFES’ work in Uzbekistan began in 1994 and has involved voter outreach and survey research on public attitudes toward democracy, economic reforms, and civil society. The polling results were used to design targeted programs that provide technical and grassroots assistance.
In 1998, IFES formally opened an office in Tashkent. In the wake of its 1997 comprehensive technical review of the election law, the office allows IFES to serve as an even more dependable resource for the Central Election Commission (CEC), Parliament, non-governmental organizations, and others working on election reform, voter education, and further democratization.
In 1998, IFES promoted information through its Tashkent office that consisted of comparative international legislation governing the organization and structure of national election commissions. IFES encouraged the formation of a more independent Uzbek Central Election Commission with specific duties and responsibilities. The CEC legislation that was subsequently adopted incorporated IFES recommendations and established the body as more independent and autonomous from the executive and legislative branches of government.
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