Project profile — Commonwealth Election Observation Missions - Phase II

• Guyana (7.14%)
• Uganda (7.14%)
• Nigeria (7.14%)
• Sierra Leone (7.14%)
• Gambia (14.30%)
• Papua New Guinea (7.14%)
• Cameroon (14.30%)
• Rwanda (7.14%)
• Sri Lanka (14.30%)
• Zambia (6.12%)
• Lesotho (8.14%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Elections (15151) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (principal objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project helps to promote and strengthen democracy in Commonwealth member states by supporting the Commonwealth Secretariat's election observation activities. The Secretariat has a strong track record in election observation, having observed and assessed over 70 elections since 1990. Commonwealth observer groups or expert teams are deployed at the request of member state governments. They are professionally organized and designed to ensure regional, gender and professional balance. They are composed of eminent and highly experienced Commonwealth citizens, including Canadians, drawn from countries familiar with democratic processes and institutions. Each Commonwealth mission prepares a comprehensive report that outlines the extent to which elections were carried out in accordance with national and international standards and makes tangible recommendations for the deepening of democracy in the member state. This project is the second phase of support to the Commonwealth Secretariat's election observation activities under the Multilateral Election Observation Program. The Multilateral Election Observation Program uses a whole-of-government approach for Canadian support to multilateral election observation in developing countries. Its main objective is to assist developing countries in their objective to hold democratic elections in line with national and international election standards. Support for election observation contributes to strengthening the electoral process in developing countries.

N/A

This grant supports Commonwealth member States in developing stronger, more transparent electoral practices and institutions. The presence of international election observers on the ground allows for more transparent elections, in line with national and international standards. The emphasis and approach of Commonwealth Observer Groups is to engage in high-level dialogue with relevant political and electoral authorities, and differs from the much more technical approach of other partners. The Commonwealth selects observers from all member states, and chooses influential participants that can positively affect democracy in the recipient country through their access and clout. These include ex-heads of states, electoral officials, lawyers and eminent members of civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and journalists. Under the project, these eminent observers engaged in high-level dialogue with national authorities and political parties, electoral management authorities, media representatives, domestic observer groups and civil society organizations to promote dialogue between stakeholders and a commitment by all to inclusive, transparent elections. Commonwealth Observer Groups assessed the conduct of elections in Commonwealth member-states in line with national and international standards and commitments to ensure fair and transparent elections. Each mission produced ongoing assessments of the electoral processes observed and published a Final Report stating the mission’s final assessment of the elections and establishing recommendations for improving the electoral process in the host country. These recommendations provided valuable and timely inputs for these countries’ governments, electoral management bodies and the broader international community to strengthen electoral and democratic institutions and processes. As of July 2012, CIDA funded the implementation of 18 Commonwealth Observer Groups, including the deployment of 148 eminent commonwealth members, of these 12 Canadians. These observation missions observed the vote in 18 Commonwealth member states, including Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Bangladesh.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities:
• Democratic Election Standards
• Electoral Assistance for the Americas
• International Election Observation
• Multilateral Elections Observation Program - Evaluation
• Western Hemisphere Electoral Assistance - Phase II