During the immediate pre- and post-election periods, existing political conflicts may erupt into violence, seemingly without warning. This violence can occur around local and national elections, but its impacts can extend for years in-between, whether in the form of refugee/IDP crises, economic disruptions, or ongoing political violence. NGOs in the humanitarian, peacebuilding, and economic sectors are all impacted by the results of such violence and instability. But they can also play a role in identifying  warning signs. 

While the D&G/elections and security sectors have improved their assessment and mitigation tools, the fact is that many of the 'causes' of election violence and the factors that make it more or less likely often exist largely outside the D&G sector.  This workshop will explore how the D&G field can more effectively coordinate with other development sectors in identifying and mitigating risks for election violence, in order to improve development progress overall.

Moderator:

Rakesh Sharma, Director, F. Clifton White Applied Research Center, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

Speakers:

Dr. Linda Bishai, Senior Program Officer, Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding, United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
Nate Haken, Senior Associate, The Fund for Peace
Tess McEnery, Democracy Specialist, Elections and Political Processes (EPP) Division, USAID
Vasu Mohan, Deputy Director, Europe and Asia, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)