ACPST course: Managing elections - before, during, after
In some countries elections and election periods have come to represent not a source of hope, but a grave cause of concern.
Date: 2012-10-29 to 2012-11-03
Venue: ISS Addis Ababa
Application Deadline: October 3, 2012
NOTE: This course will be presented in French
The African Centre for Peace and Security Training (ACPST) is mandated to enhance the ability of practitioners to make and implement policies that improve human security in Africa, primarily through short courses and workshops. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) created the Centre in 2011 with support from the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Established in 1991, the ISS is a leading applied policy research institute with staff from around 16 African countries working in offices in South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and Senegal.
Course description: The return of multi-party elections in many African countries in the 1990s marked a significant step in the struggle for democracy on the continent. Unfortunately, in some countries elections and election periods have come to represent not a source of hope, but a grave cause of concern. Elections are sometimes marred by violence that borders on ethnic cleansing, miring some countries in civil war. Fraud has robbed other elections of meaning and the instability surrounding elections has sometimes acted as an excuse for the overthrow of democratic systems.
‘Managing elections’ will explore the following questions: What is the history of elections in Africa? What roles are elections supposed to play in democratic politics? What are the causes of the problems that mar elections in many African countries? How is electoral violence related to other threats to human security like drug trafficking, terrorism and inter-communal inequality and marginalisation? How can elections, and pre- and post-election processes, be managed and led to ensure peace and meaningful democratic politics? This course will pay a lot of attention to the processes that happen before and after elections that determine the meaning elections assume.
Goals: ‘Managing elections’ will provide participants with a deep understanding of democracy and electoral processes in Africa. Special emphasis will be placed on developing practical skills for managing pre-election, election and post-election processes to prevent violence and make elections democratically meaningful. Networking skills that will enable participants to continue to share information and knowledge and engage in concerted action on election issues will also be developed.
Participants: State and non-state practitioners working on election-related processes in Africa will be considered. Political party officials will also be considered for participation.
Language of instruction: French only. Participants are required to be highly proficient in French.
Participants’ obligations: The receipt of a certificate is dependent on full attendance and active participation.
Costs and Funding: The ACPST can fund the participation of a few applicants, including their travel, accommodation and tuition costs. Awards will be based on need and require a clear motivation in the cover letter. The ACPST will cover lunch for all applicants throughout the course.
How to apply: Send a short cover letter and CV with your contact information and that of a referee to Ms Samrawit Tsegaye at [email protected] by October 3, 2012 with the subject line ‘Elections Management’. Applications not sent with this subject will be lost. Admission is on a rolling basis so apply early as the course could fill up before the deadline.
