Democracy, Good governance & Human rights
Between 2004 and 2006 WACSOF engaged in election monitoring and observation in nine of the fifteen ECOWAS member states – Ghana in 2004; Togo, Guinea Bissau, Liberia and Burkina Faso in 2005; and Cape Verde, Benin, The Gambia and Nigeria in 2006. In 2007 we are hoping to organize up to ten observation and media monitoring missions for elections in an additional eight countries, including Senegal, Benin, Mali, Togo and Nigeria.
The deployment of international and domestic election observers is a central part of WACSOF’s election monitoring and observation strategy. International personnel are drawn from WACSOF member organizations in ECOWAS member states other than the country holding the election, while domestic personnel are selected from the local Network of Civil Society Election Observers in the country holding the election. While the national observers better understand the local context and issues at stake, international observers add a measure of credibility and objectivity to the observation process. Collectively, the ideas and experiences of both the international and domestic observers help add depth to the level of analysis that is contained in the WACSOF reports.
Aside from being a cost-saving endeavour, this blend of international and domestic observers enables WACSOF to engage in a process of long-term observation by following the pre-election, election and post-election activities in the country concerned. Once WACSOF undertakes a pre-elections assessment mission and is satisfied that the pre-requisites for credible elections have been met, the mission selects competent members from within national civil society to start monitoring each stage of the electoral process. The international observers then join their domestic counterparts at least one week before the elections and leave the country shortly after election day. The domestic observers then continue to undertake post-elections observation and report back to the WACSOF Regional Secretariat in Abuja.
WACSOF’s election observation strategy includes media monitoring and the deployment of media practitioners among the election observers. This strategy is rooted in our conviction that the media occupies a critical position in the society such that the media can make or mar the successful conduct and peaceful outcome of any electoral process. WACSOF also engages the media in several fora aimed at educating and enlightening them on their role, rights and responsibilities in promoting democracy and good governance as they engage in their coverage and reportage of the electoral process.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has awarded WACSOF a grant to take the lead in a media monitoring initiative for the 2007 Nigerian general elections. This project will strive to promote positive change in the breadth and balance of coverage of national political events and improve the media’s engagement in voter education.