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VAWIE Framework Address Unique Nature of Gender-Based Election Violence
In a key note speech in Mexico City, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ambar Zobairi highlighted IFES' Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWIE) Framework and five key insights that VAWIE research has yielded. The VAWIE Framewwork specifically identifies and addresses the unique issues related to gender-based election violence throughout the entire election cycle.
News & Updates
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New Version of Moroccan Sign Language Mobile App Released
On September 22, IFES Morocco released an updated version of its electoral lexicon mobile phone app. The app, named صوتي حقي , or “My Vote, My Right,” is an accessible civic education tool created for Moroccan citizens, particularly for those in the Deaf community. The app features live-person videos of all terms of the Moroccan sign language electoral lexicon in French, Arabic, and Moroccan sign language, as well as definitions of the terms in all three languages.
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Multi-Stakeholder Working Group Conducts Polling Station Accessibility Audit in Macedonia
In August 2017, the State Election Commission of Macedonia (SEC), in collaboration with eight civil society organizations, including disabled people’s organizations, the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy, the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), carried out the first nationwide polling station accessibility audit. The working group, which used a modified version of IFES’ polling station accessibility checklist, visited 2,733 polling stations, out of a total of 3,480.
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Leveraging Technology to Promote Active Citizenship
“A hackathon creates a space for exchanging ideas and expanding your network,” declared Ahmed, a Tunisian from the Nabeul governorate who participated in IFES' first Hack4Democracy (H4D) camp. “At first, [a H4D camp] doesn’t seem very different from a standard hackathon. But here, technology is mixed with democracy while combining useful information with fun content!” The H4D initiative was implemented by IFES in partnership with the Tunisian Youth Forum with the aim of increasing young Tunisians’ participation in public life through technological innovation.
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Egyptian Students Visit IFES as Part of ACYPL Exchange Program
On September 7, IFES hosted a delegation of eight Egyptian college students to discuss projects in Egypt and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Visiting the United States as part of the American Council of Young Political Leaders’ “Model American Congress” exchange program, the delegation took part in a question and answer session with President and CEO Bill Sweeney, MENA Regional Director Zeinab Abdelkarim, and IFES Egypt program staff.
News & Updates
Feature
New Guide for Including Women with Disabilities in Liberia’s Elections
In July, IFES and the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) Gender Section produced a new guide to support the integration of women with disabilities at the NEC and in its programming. “How to Include Women with Disabilities: A Guide for the Electoral Process in Liberia” includes good practice examples from the NEC Gender Section’s work to empower women and persons with disabilities to participate fully.
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New Tools for Disability-Inclusive Elections in Liberia
In July 2017, IFES, working closely with the National Elections Commission of Liberia Gender Section, developed new tools to enhance the engagement of persons with disabilities in political life. The practical steps taken by the NEC Gender Section, with IFES’ assistance, to support the meaningful participation of Liberian women and men with disabilities have built on previous IFES interventions in December 2016 and February 2017.
News & Updates
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Mandela Day Book Drive Benefiting Turner Elementary
On Wednesday, August 23, members of the IFES Africa team delivered books collected for its Mandela Day Book Drive to Turner Elementary School in neighboring Congress Heights. The book drive’s target was to collect 441 books for the school (one for each student in grades K-5), but ultimately far exceeded its goal by collecting over 600 books. In honor of anti-apartheid advocate and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela's 67 years of public service, the United Nations-designated holiday encourages people to give with the goal of bringing enduring, positive change in our local communities through collective action.
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Remembering Senarath Attanayake, Sri Lankan Politician and Advocate for Disability Rights
IFES is deeply saddened by the passing of Uva Provincial Councillor Senarath Attanayake. He was the first person with a disability to enter politics in Sri Lanka and hold ministerial portfolios. Attanayake was serving his fourth term as a member of the Uva Provincial Council (UPC), becoming one of the longest serving elected politicians with a disability in the world.
News & Updates
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Survey Reveals Illiterate Tunisians Plan to Participate in Upcoming Elections
An IFES quantitative survey, conducted from December 2016 to January 2017, aimed to gain a better understanding of illiterate Tunisians’ levels of political participation and civic engagement and identify obstacles preventing or discouraging them from voting. This information will inform the design of outreach campaigns aimed at increasing illiterate Tunisians’ understanding of political and electoral processes, as well as more targeted voter information campaigns to encourage illiterate Tunisians to register and participate in elections.