AHEAD AFRICA PROJECT

Jan 2024 – Dec 2027

Donor: European Union
Coordinator: European Partnership for Democracy

Partners

This pan-African project focuses on multiple facets of the electoral cycle in the continent. It aims to empower civil society across Africa, including citizen observers, in strengthening electoral systems and processes, to contribute to higher levels of electoral integrity in African Union member states.

The underlying methodology of the Action is the AHEAD approach – Action for a Holistic Electoral Approach for Democracy – which emphasises that follow-up to election observation recommendations can be a key driver for more inclusive electoral systems, building public trust and preventing conflicts. By focusing on ‘electoral follow-up’, civil society can effectively advocate for democratic accountability and play a significant role in fostering transparent and accountable electoral processes.

This will be done by:

strengthening the capacities of CSOs to collaborate in regional and continental networks on matters of democratic governance, particularly on election observation and follow-up;
reinforcing the capacity of domestic citizen observer groups to meaningfully observe electoral and democratic processes;
increasing the evidence base on the state of democratic governance and civic space in the African Union member states;
reinvigorating spaces for dialogue, coordination and collaboration on electoral observation and follow-up, between CSOs, citizen observers and other stakeholders;
launching, accelerating and upscaling civic initiatives on monitoring, observation, dialogue and/or advocacy, incorporating tested civic tech solutions as needed.

KEY ACTIONS

ELECTORAL INTEGRITY SUMMITS:

The Electoral Integrity Summits will convene a diverse group of members from E-HORN, WAEON, and ESN-SA, along with other peer organizations. This gathering aims to address the decline in democratic standards, highlight critical issues in electoral integrity, and emphasize the crucial role of citizen election observers in safeguarding democracy against rising authoritarianism in Africa. Participants will collaborate to develop and agree on strategies for post-election follow-up, examine regional challenges, and generate practical solutions for democratic renewal. These annual summits will significantly enhance AfEONet’s coordination role and solidify synergies between regional election observation networks.

RECOMMENDATION FOLLOW-UP (RFU) STUDY:

The RFU study will assess Election Observation Mission (EOM) recommendations at continental and regional levels, with potential for further national analysis. The RFU will support advocacy efforts by mapping interests and opportunities to form coalitions for change. It will lead to organizing roundtables and focus group discussions with institutional stakeholders to discuss the status of recommendation implementation and how to strengthen the follow-up process. The goal of the RFU is to translate EOM recommendations into actionable points for a wide range of stakeholders, facilitate the prioritization of structural recommendations, and enhance local ownership of these recommendations among key electoral stakeholders. Ultimately, the RFU will identify actionable recommendations to be prioritized within the advocacy agenda of the initiative.

CONTINENTAL ADVOCACY – AFRICA UNION ENGAGEMENT:

Continental advocacy will be conducted with the African Union (AU) organs under the African Governance Architecture (AGA) platform. This advocacy aims to influence AU decision-making by presenting concerns and recommendations from the Recommendation Follow-Up study, thereby strengthening interactions between AU organs, Consortium members, civil society, and citizen observer groups. The Advocacy themes will include:

Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs): Promoting competent and independent EMBs.
Electoral Integrity: Ensuring transparency and integrity throughout the electoral cycle, including dispute resolution.
Inclusive Participation: Advocating for holistic public participation in political processes, emphasizing the inclusion of marginalized groups.
Compliance with AU Values: Ensuring adherence to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG) and other AU shared values related to human rights, good governance, and the rule of law.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING INSTITUTES

Experiential Learning (EL) is a dynamic approach designed to foster networking, share experiences within a community of practice, and extract valuable lessons from existing experiences. This methodology is particularly aimed at addressing the persistent challenges faced by citizen election observers and monitors across African countries. Key Features of EL Seminars will include:

Hands-On Training: Participants receive practical training on crucial topics such as electoral justice, conflict prevention and resolution, and the inclusion of marginalized groups including youth, women, and people with disabilities.
Alternative Strategies: The seminars encourage the conceptualization of innovative strategies based on thorough analysis, ultimately leading to the development of new approaches to election observation.
Target Audience: The seminars are designed for citizen observer groups from Eastern and Horn of Africa, West Africa, Central and Southern Africa, focusing on various electoral issues, including the involvement of marginalized communities.
Expert Facilitators: Facilitators are experienced election experts from AfEONet, well-versed in citizen election observation, monitoring, and advocacy.