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Survey
Attitudes Toward Democracy and Markets in Nigeria: Report of a National Opinion Survey, January - February 2000
A national sample survey on “Attitudes toward Democracy and Markets” was conducted in Nigeria in January-February 2000 by the International Foundation for Election Systems, in collaboration with Management Systems International. Research and Marketing Services, based in Lagos, conducted the fieldwork, assisted with the sampling methods and processed questionnaire data. Drs. Peter Lewis (American University) and Michael Bratton (Michigan State University) directed survey design, oversaw implementation and analyzed survey results. Funding for the survey was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The purpose of the present study is to find out what ordinary Nigerians think about recent political and economic developments. As a guiding theme, we asked: “Do Nigerians support democracy and markets?” The study was designed as a national sample survey, meaning that we posed the same set of questions to a small sample of the population who were selected to represent the adult population of Nigeria as a whole. The target population for the survey was citizens of Nigeria, namely persons at least 18 years old and eligible to vote. To draw a representative cross-section of the voting age population, a random sample was designed. The survey covered all six informal geopolitical regions of the country, including 22 of the 36 states, with the number of interviews in each region being proportional to the region's population size. To adapt the questionnaire to local conditions, we translated the English version into six local languages: Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri, Tiv, and Ijaw. All interviews were administered in the language of the respondent's choice. The survey questionnaire reproduced several items that had been asked in previous surveys in Nigeria and in other countries, so as to provide a basis for comparing Nigeria with other African nations as well as other regions of the world.
March 31, 2004
Publication
Survey
Citizens' Awareness and Participation in Armenia (2003)
The IFES Citizens’ Awareness and Participation in Armenia (CAPA) survey was conducted between 30 August and 9 September, 2003. Section I is an introduction, while Section II summarizes the 2003 survey’s important findings. Section III examines Armenians’ familiarity with and interest in political activities and government budgeting. Section IV analyzes Armenians’ participation in and sentiments towards the 2002 and 2003 elections as well as the implications for democracy in Armenia. Section V explains civic knowledge, attitudes towards participation in civic activities, and the interaction between public officials and their constituents. Section VI focuses on the political and civic attitudes of Armenian youth. Section VII gauges perceptions of women in society and public views on women’s involvement in politics while Section VIII describes opinions on the fairness of Armenia’s judicial system. Section IX provides a conclusion of the survey fi ndings while relating them to IFES’ CAPA project developments.
December 31, 2003
Publication
Report/Paper
Political Money and Political Corruption: Considerations for Nigeria
November 28, 2003
Publication
Report/Paper
Promoting Electoral Access for Citizens with Disabilities: Considerations for Nigeria, INEC-Civil Society Forum Seminar on Agenda for Electoral Reform, 27-28 November 2003, Abuja, Nigeria
The right to participate in and stand for election is a fundamental human right. According to Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: “Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in Article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions: (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives’ (b) To vote and be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors; (c) To have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in his country.” The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights sets an international standard for the conduct of the elections and the right of participation in that process. In reviewing the Constitutional and legal framework of Nigeria’s electoral process, it is important to ensure that this framework meets international standards, while taking into account the nation’s experience and political and social environment. The right of participation of “every citizen” is one that must be guaranteed by law and by the way the electoral process is conducted. In Nigeria, citizens with disabilities face legal as well as practical barriers to equal participation in the electoral process. However, this electoral review affords the opportunity to ensure that the rights of citizens with disabilities are protected by law and by practice. There is no reliable data on how many of Nigeria’s approximately 120 million citizens live with some sort of physical or mental disability. Nigerian census officials last submitted statistics on disability to the United Nations over 12 years ago, estimating at that time that .5 percent of the population was disabled. This figure is not comparable to the international norm and is a severe under-estimate. In the United States, at least 6% of population has some form of obvious disability – is blind or visually impaired; deaf; a wheelchair user or has an intellectual disability. However, with Nigeria’s incidence of polio, nutritional problems and difficulties with access to healthcare, the percentage of Nigerians with obvious disabilities is likely to be higher – perhaps 10% or more. With an estimated population of 120 million, that would be more than 12 million citizens with disabilities – half of whom are of voting age, at least some 6 million people. This, of course, does not take into account persons with hidden or even undiagnosed disabilities, such as learning disabilities, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, etc. Section 17(2) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution states that “every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before law.” Do the Constitutional and legal provisions governing the conduct of elections guarantee this right for those Nigerian citizens with disabilities? Are Nigerians with disabilities able to equally participate in and stand for election?
November 26, 2003
Publication
Report/Paper
Reforming Critical Operational Strategies: INEC Post-Election Seminar, "2003 General Elections: The Lessons and the Way Forward" 28-30 July 2003
Constitutional provisions, electoral legislation, regulations and the policies and the administrative framework of the electoral management body all govern the means by which elections are conducted. Providing an opportunity for all eligible voters to choose their government representatives, through operations that are cost-effective, credible and secure is a major challenge for election management bodies. In reviewing the operational strategies of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria in its conduct of the 2003 federal and state elections, it is necessary to examine the major areas of its operational approach. In any electoral environment, there are similar key issues for which effective solutions have to be found if election operations are to promote public confidence in the integrity and professionalism of electoral management, and acceptance of election results. Some questions to ask in conducting this review are: 1. What are the most suitable arrangements for voter registration and for voting? 2. What are the ways to ensure that registration centres and polling stations are run by trained and professional staff? 3. What materials can be used to ensure the credibility of the process? 4. What are the logistics strategies, to ensure the necessary materials are available and that the operations run efficiently? INEC’s operational strategies, within the legislative and administrative framework, dictate how the elections are conducted, and whether their outcome will be accepted by the participants. If the operational strategies are successful, all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate fully in the process; registration centres and polling stations open on time and the periods of operations are respected; materials are adequately supplied and properly used; all necessary registration and election staff are present and conduct their duties according to the law and regulations; and the election results are compiled in a transparent manner, announced in a timely fashion and accepted, leading to the inauguration of the newly-elected officials. Shortcomings in the operational strategies lessen the credibility of the electoral process and in confidence of the electoral management body, paving the way for future difficulties with regard to respect for the conduct of elections and the democratic process as a whole.
July 27, 2003
Publication
Survey
Citizens' Awareness and Participation in Armenia : Survey 2002
Between the dates of August 20 and September 12, 2002, the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) conducted its second Citizens’ Awareness and Participation in Armenia (CAPA) survey of public opinion. The first CAPA survey was fielded between June 10 and June 22, 2001. The 2002 survey was conducted throughout Armenia with 1,600 adult respondents. Additional interviews were over-sampled in regions where IFES is currently undertaking CAPA programming. The results in this report are based on weighted data that is representative of the national population of Armenia. The margin of error for a sample of this size is plus or minus 2.5%. This report is organized into eight sections plus a conclusion and appendices. Section I provides an introduction to the report, while Section II highlights the most important findings of the 2002 survey. Following this, Section III provides information on the Armenian public’s general interest in, attitudes toward, and knowledge about politics and government in Armenia. Section IV describes the levels of information citizens have on various topics, as well as their main sources of information. Section V covers the public’s civic knowledge and attitudes toward participation in civic activities. Section VI explains the actions citizens have taken to address important issues and the interaction between public officials and their constituents. Section VII examines attitudes toward women’s participation in public life and decision-making in Armenia. Finally, Section VIII provides information on citizen’s attitudes toward the judicial system and institutions, as well as corruption in the country. Section IX, the conclusion, relates the major findings of the 2002 survey to IFES’ CAPA project development. Four appendices have also been added to this report in the last section, Section X. Appendices 1 and 2 contain the survey’s methodological summary and 2002 topline data. Appendix 3 contains selected demographic data. Appendix 4 provides general information about the current work and projects of IFES/Armenia and contact information for its nine regional offices.
December 31, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Armenia Final Report
This report describes the details from IFES efforts to strengthen Armenia’s democratic structures from 1997 to 2002. The report discusses the development of election legislation, IFES support for the Central Election Commission and support for the overall electoral process and conduct of elections. The report further details the relationships formed by IFES with local and international NGOs, the development of an election resource center and election materials produced by the IFES team.
November 30, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Kosovo: Election Assistance to Muncipal Election Officials: IFES Final Activity Report of Phase I, Oct 2001- March 2002
This report summarizes IFES’ role in the professional development of Municipal Election Commissioners in Kosovo. The report details the lessons imparted on Municipal Election Commissioners; voter education techniques; maintenance of impartiality in election administration; skills development including management, strategic planning, budgeting, personnel and human resource management, and preparing information sessions with the media, the general public and the international community; and interacting with political entities, NGOs, and municipal assemblies
May 31, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Selecting a Model for Election Administration in Kosovo: Conclusions & Recommendations from Discussion Forum and Conference held on 1-2 and 16 February 2002
This report summarizes IFES findings from two events on the future election administration system in Kosovo. The report provides recommendations for the future of the election administration system in Kosovo.
February 28, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Electoral Conflict and Violence: A Strategy for Study and Prevention
An electoral process is an alternative to violence as it is a means of achieving governance. It is when an electoral process is perceived as unfair, unresponsive, or corrupt, that its political legitimacy is compromised and stakeholders are motivated to go outside the established norms to achieve their objectives. Electoral conflict and violence become tactics in political competition. There are examples of elections that have exacerbated long-term conflict (Angola 1992) or have politically hardened conflict-related alliances (Bosnia and Herzegovina 1996). From these experiences, it is generally recognized that post-conflict elections can be held too early and produce results that may extend the conflict rather than resolve it. However, in most cases, such elections mitigate the effects of larger conflict issues and reduce them into localized, manageable incidents...
February 04, 2002