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Press Release
European Parliament Recognizes IFES Leadership on Electoral Access for Disabled
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On January 15, 2003, the European Parliament unanimously passed a resolution on the status of basic human rights in the European Union, in which it recognized the role of IFES in promoting the electoral rights of citizens with disabilities and called on member states to ensure universal application of these rights. The non-binding resolution is produced annually to report on compliance with the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Publication
Report/Paper
2002 Elections in the Commonwealth Caribbean: The Electoral Experience of Jamaica and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Elections as a political process serve as the single most important mechanism for citizens to participate in the selection of a government. When conducted to international standards, elections tend to confer legitimacy on a government. In the Commonwealth Caribbean, the electoral experience varies and tends to reflect not only the socio-political culture of the member state but also its particular electoral system...
January 13, 2003
Publication
Report/Paper
Analysis of the Voter Registration Pilot Project in Georgia
This report considers Voter Lists pertaining to elections in Georgia. The report discusses IFES efforts working with the Central Election Commission to develop a new system for registering voters.
January 13, 2003
Publication
Report/Paper
Europe and Eurasia: January 2003
January 2003 update on IFES activities in Europe and Eurasia. Highlighted countries/organizations include: Europe Feature Article: IFES Brokers Newfound Cooperation Between Tajik Political Parties Albania: Voter Registration Project in its Second Stage Bosnia and Herzegovina: AEOBiH Winter Camp Macedonia: IFES and State Election Commission Co-Sponsor Election Seminar Caucasus Armenia: Preparations for Presidential Election Azerbaijan: Draft Unified Election Code Debate at an Impasse Georgia: Civic Education in Schools Program Central Asia Republics Kazakhstan: Conference of the Association of Initiative Schools Kyrgyzstan: Referendum on the New Constitution Tajikistan: Election Assistance Issues
December 31, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Evaluation of Communications Technology Use for Elections 2002, Kenya
This report on communications technology used in the 2002 elections in Kenya identifies problems that occurred in the election and highlights how to implement new procedures and systems which address those problems.
December 31, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Lithuania: Money and Politics Case Study
Lithuania has rapidly developed both politically and economically since emerging from the Soviet Union in 1991. While the country has built a functioning parliamentary system of government, has become a member of NATO, and is on the verge of joining the European Union, it still faces many problems associated with the many consolidating democracies around the world. As in all democracies, populations need to trust that those they elect will represent their interests. Problems such as corruption, weaknesses in laws concerning the political financing, and unaccounted for political income and expenditures threaten the credibility of the process and hinder the speed at which democracy is consolidated. Additionally, Lithuania lacks the high level of vibrant debate about the issue of political financing among scholars, journalists and civil society bodies required to promote meaningful reform. Recognizing this, Lithuania has developed an independent Central Electoral Committee (CEC) and adopted laws requiring detailed and public disclosure of political finance accounts. Prior to conducting Money and Politics programming in Lithuania, the CEC had made a demonstrable interest in making information public. While scanning summary report of accounts and placing them on the internet, the user could not search, not easily compare and analyze the information. Interested parties were required to make an appointment to view more detailed, paper-based information. Further, while the Tax Authorities are required to audit final political party reports, enforcement is widely considered to be weak. Few, if any, cases of political finance violations have been forwarded and investigated, not to mention prosecuted. By addressing the difficult issues surrounding political finance with the support of IFES in 2002 and 2003, Lithuania is emerging as a model for other consolidating democracy to follow. Significant areas remain to be addressed. While Lithuania has taken concrete steps to reform political finance legislation, open political finance information to public scrutiny and oversight, and encourage debate, further efforts are required to actively enforce laws and regulations and raise the level of debate among the various governmental, legislative, and civil society groups. By addressing these areas, Lithuania has the potential for being an example of best practices while making local expertise and resources to other countries undergoing similar reforms.
December 31, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
Strengthening the Local Electoral Process December 2002 Local Elections. IFES Final Report
This report summarizes IFES involvement in Benin’s 2002 local elections. The 2002 elections served as a precursor to the 2003 legislative and 2006 presidential elections. The report discusses IFES’ implementation of a two-phase voter education campaign attempting to bolster transparency and voter confidence throughout Benin. The report details IFES coordination with local NGOs, Media outlets and the decentralization process in Benin. The report concludes with recommendations for future election.
December 31, 2002
Publication
Report/Paper
The Second Justice Conference: "Toward Supporting and Promoting the Independence of the Judiciary" Cairo, Egypt
The Second Justice Conference was held in Cairo 21-24 February 2003 under the auspices of an Egyptian NGO, the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession. Other sponsoring organizations included the Program on Arab Governance (POGAR) of the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Ford Foundation also contributed funding and IFES provided expertise. The stated objective of the conference was “to explore the status of the independence of the judiciary in the Arab region.” More specifically, the conference was to “further examine the requirements of an independent judiciary at international law in order to draft a ‘covenant of independence’ through which progress regarding independence of the judiciary in the Arab region can be measured and followed up.”
December 31, 2002
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
Annex to IFES, Republic of Kazakhstan, Final Project Report July 1, 1997 - December 31, 2001, Civic Education Textbook, Civic Education: Basic Course 1st Edition (1999)
November 30, 2002