In short
Course Date/Duration	27 June – 10 July 22
Course Capacity	20 participants
Target Group	Civilian, Police, Military ( see details below)
Course Language	English with French translation
Application Deadline	30 April 2022

Introduction

As the push for democracy and good governance continue to make inroads into many countries in the developing world, so had the need for the organizing of credible and peaceful elections in most of these countries. Democratic elections are increasingly becoming the norm, a requirement and in many cases the preferred means of facilitating representation and participation in the political process and governance. Here in West Africa, the democratic prospects though uncertain at times, still looks promising. For example the fact that countries such as Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire have managed to emerge from years of violent conflict and evolved into fledgling democracies give reason for cautious optimism. Questions though remain as to the role of elections in furthering the democratic gains. Given the sometimes tenuous and contested outcomes of elections there remain the nagging and sometimes justifiable concerns about whether or not elections could ‘backfire’ and trigger violence or that they can actually help to navigate the seemingly ‘uncertain’ political terrain and help to consolidate democracy in the region. However, the trend in the region seems to support the fact that elections are becoming the yardstick for changing governments.

Underlying the rules governing the organization and conduct of democratic elections is the critical question of citizen participation and their role in ensuring that the process is both peaceful and effective in delivering the desired outcomes. Traditionally responsibility for the successful management of elections has rested with the Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) because of the centrality of their role as election administrators and the implications for professionalism in running elections. As a result, efforts at enhancing the efficiency of the organization and conduct of elections have tended to target the EMBs for capacity building. This approach largely ignores the crucial issue of citizen participation and thus overlooks their role as electoral stakeholders in managing elections. The KAIPTC Election Management training course is conceived as a contribution towards filling this training gap.

Course Goal and Objectives

The objective of the training is to enhance the capacities of electoral stakeholders in understanding and managing elections. The overall purpose will be to provide participants with the knowledge and competencies on election management.

Target Group         

As noted above, the course is designed not just for the benefit of the EMBs, but for all the diverse stakeholders with high stakes in the electoral process. These include:

1. Civil Society Actors – networks/national & international NGOs/media/youth groups/women’s groups/religious groups/traditional institutions
2.  Security Personnel
3. Government Organs – relevant government institutions/ministries/departments and agencies
4. Political Parties
5. Election Observation groups
6. Regional Economic Communities – personnel from the electoral assistance units
7. Election Management Bodies – training and operations departments.

Expected Outcome   

As part of the civilian component of peace support operations, this course could serve to further enhance the contribution of civilians to peace operations in the West African region and beyond. The uniqueness of the course derives from its ability to mainstream the issues of conflict into the modules by clearly articulating the interface between the electoral cycle/process and conflict prevention or escalation. The course will thus contribute to providing participants with the tools/skills necessary for identifying and preventing election related disputes.

Training Methodology        

Facilitation will be interactive, using the collaborative problem-based learning approach. It will employ adult learning methods such as small group work/discussions, exercises, brainstorming, mini-lectures, panel discussions, case studies, research, and simulations. 

Modules of the course

1. Standards and Principles of Election Administration
2. The Legal Framework of Elections
3. Electoral Systems
4. Electoral Processes
5. Electoral Operations
6. Gender, Women and Elections
7. Elections, Conflict and Security
8. Election Monitoring and Evaluation
9. Election Observation
10. Election Dispute Resolution
11. Electoral Integrity
12. Stakeholder Management

Facilitators and Resource Persons

The course will use experienced resources persons from within Africa

Course Content

In order to help enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in the application of best practices in election management, the training will span the broad categories of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes. Specific areas to be covered include among others:

Knowledge

1. Standards and Principles of Election Administration
2. The Legal Framework of Elections
3. Electoral Systems
4. Electoral Processes
5. Electoral Operations
6. Gender, Women and Elections
7. Elections, Conflict and Security

Skills

8. Election Monitoring and Evaluation
9. Election Observation
10. Election Dispute Resolution

Attitude

11. Electoral Integrity
12. Stakeholder Management

Selection Process

A selection team will meet to select possible participants who meet the eligibility criteria
Interested applicants are kindly requested to click on the “How to Apply” button in order to fill and submit the online application form.

 

Contact

For administrative issues	For course content issues
Mrs Marylyn Agblor Training Coordination Officer Tel.  00 233 (0) 302 718200 Ext. 1012 Fax. 00 233 (0) 302 718201 Email: marylyn.agblor@kaiptc.org	Wg Cdr Christian Eshun Course Director Tel: 00 233 (0) 302 718200 Ext 2130 Mob: 00 233 (0) 243667759 Email: christian.eshun@kaiptc.org