At the first global event of its kind, election experts from more than 25 countries on five continents came together in Mexico City in early June to discuss ways to promote electoral integrity and strengthen election observation around the world.

The attendees – citizen observers, international observers and election officials – gathered with the goal of enhancing the transparency, accountability and inclusiveness of elections worldwide by forging new channels of communication among the three communities.

The meeting – the Electoral Management Body-Citizen Observer-International Observer Dialogue – was hosted by NDI, Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE), the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Damaso Magbual, a founding member of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) in the Philippines and chairperson of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), noted that “as allies and partners, we work together on the basis of common goals and common values with mutual respect towards each other.”

The conference’s four panels, with 12 break-out sessions, focused on identifying actions that election authorities, citizen observers and international observers could undertake jointly both in specific countries and globally.

A session focusing on electoral security and violence mitigation, for example, discussed how security bodies, electoral authorities and observers can share data on early warning signs of electoral violence to help stop it.

During discussions about the importance of good relations between citizen observers and electoral authorities, Alejandra Barrios, national director of the Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) in Colombia, discussed how in 2006, by gaining accreditation to observe elections during an extremely tense and volatile period, “We took back elections from the corruption and violence. Our [observer] credentials were our weapons.”

Many participants pledged to find ways to bring electoral authorities and observers together more often in their countries. Pat Merloe, NDI’s director of electoral programs, noted, “We have three communities here spanning five continents. We have a wealth of experience to share, and we have a shared responsibility to continue the dialogue on securing electoral integrity.”

Before the dialogue event, on June 2 and 3, NDI and GNDEM held the Second Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations. The meeting convened 18 leaders of citizen observer groups from around the world, including leading representatives from nine regional observer networks, to discuss common challenges and best practices. They also updated each other on regional network activities and developed a strategic plan for GNDEM.

Panel discussions and break-out groups focused on advocating for electoral transparency and accountability; promoting the credibility of voter registration through monitoring and analysis; and building solidarity and credibility among citizen observers. The GNDEM Coordinating Committee developed action plans for each of these topics and assigned chairpersons to spearhead those activities over the next year.

GNDEM has 199 member organizations across 78 countries. The Declaration of Global Principles has accrued 230 endorsers from 86 countries and 16 international Supporters of the Declaration. More details on GNDEM and the Declaration of Global Principles can be found at gndem.org.

NDI also joined with the OAS and ANFREL on June 3 to hold a mid-year meeting of the Convening Committee of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which has been endorsed by 48 organizations from around the world and has been recognized three times with appreciation by the UN General Assembly for contributing to harmonizing approaches to election observation.

The Convening Committee built on discussions from previous years on challenges and innovations in international observation, including promoting transparency, observing electronic technologies in elections, conducting observations in conflict-prone environments and strengthening follow-up on recommendations issued by observation missions. The Convening Committee also decided that the 9th Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles next meeting will be conducted in Manila, Philippines, later this year in conjunction NAMFREL’s 30th anniversary celebration.

Published July 2, 2014