THEMATIC PROJECT « SUPPORT FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN THE EAP » Reporting period : 1 May – 31 October 2013 Contribution

THEMATIC PROJECT« SUPPORT FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN THE EAP »Reportingperiod: 1 May – 31 October2013 Contribution of the Venice Commission and of the Division of Electoral Assistance and Census Directorate General of Democracy

EXPECTED RESULT 1: ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATIONS ARE BETTER PREPARED TO FULFIL THEIR TASKS

The use of administrative resources • duringelectoralcampaigns • Aim • Preparation of a generalstudy of the Venice Commission: to beadopted in December2013 • The studywillincluderecommendationsbased on the conclusions of the seminarheld in Tbilisi on 17-18 April 2013

Seminar on the use of administrative resources during electoral campaigns, Tbilisi, 17-18 April 2013 Results = final conclusions (1/2) Discussions focused on improvements related inter alia to: • Importance of guaranteeing the principle of equality of opportunity for political parties and candidates; • This entails a neutral and ethical attitude by state authorities • This implies tackling the misuse of administrative resources.

Seminar on the use of administrative resources during electoral campaigns, Tbilisi, 17-18 April 2013 Results = final conclusions (2/2) • The principle of neutrality should also apply to civil servants as individuals; • During electoral campaigns, incumbents and officials in public positions that are running for office, have to avoid representing themselves as representatives of the government or office; • An independent body should be in charge of tackling against the misuse of administrative resources during electoral campaigns.

Participation in the 10 th European Conference of the Electoral Management Bodies, Chisinau, 26-27 June 2013 The Code of Good Practice in Electoral matters Strengths and potentialdevelopments Aim Favouring exchanges of experiences between the European electoral management bodies by the participation of the targeted EMBs in the annual EMB Conferences, organised by the Venice Commission.

The Code of Good Practice in Electoral matters Strengths and potentialdevelopments Results = conclusions (1/2) - Importance of the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters as an internationally recognised document in the electoral field - Domestic courts and Electoral Management Bodies should act in conformity with the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights and should be guided by the key principles of the Code

The Code of Good Practice in Electoral matters Strengths and potential developments Results = conclusions (2/2) Public trust in any electoral process is fundamental to free and fair elections; Importance of following the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters, in particular concerning: the funding of political parties and electoral campaigns the functioning of electoral management bodies Complementarity of the activities of various Council of Europe bodies in the electoral field, including the Venice Commission, the Assembly and the Congress Growing co-operation between regional and international organisations in the electoral field

EXPECTED RESULT 1: • Achievements • Regular co-operation and exchange of viewsbetween Central Electoral Commissions • Dissemination of the « case-law » of the Venice Commission, in particular in the field of voters’ registers and electoral disputes • Report on the use of administrative resources to befinalised by the end of 2013

Nextactivity: seminar on election observation Strasbourg, 25-26 November 2013 Expectedresult: exchange of views and good practices enabling the electoral commissions to takeaccount of theirpeers’ experience Issues to be addressed: • Who has the right to observe? Invitation/Accreditation • The time(s) of election observation (before – during – after Election • The rights of election observers/their possible limitations – the role of election commissions in guaranteeing these rights • The role of election commissions in the training of election observers • Election observation reports: a basis for improving the functioning of election commissions? • Practical difficulties/questions encountered by the election commissions with observers: each CEC would then raise issues to be discussed on a peer-to-peer basis as well as with international experts

EXPECTED RESULT 2: OBSERVERS ARE BETTER PREPARED TO FULFIL THEIR ROLE AND PROVIDE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ABOUT THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

Reporting on Elections: Council of Europe Handbook for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) (Activity 2.3) Aim The handbook is a response to the request made by domestic election observers for a “tool-kit” on election reporting. Aim of the handbook is to give guidance to domestic observer groups on the drafting, structure and language of the observation report. The document also refers to different techniques for information’s gathering and for the assessment of compliance of elections with domestic legislation and international standards.

Reporting on Elections: Council of Europe Handbook for Civil Society Organisations • Results 1/2 • Drafting of the Handbookfrom May to September 2013 • Translation of the HandbookintoRussianlanguage: September – October 2013 • Publication of the Handbook : October 2013 (1000 copies in English and Russian) • Presentation of the Handbookat a seminaraddressed to national NGOsresponsible for domestic observation of elections and representatives of Electoral Training Centres in EAP countries (Vilnius, 14 November 2013)

Reporting on Elections: Council of Europe Handbook for Civil Society Organisations • Results 2/2 • The Vilnius event will be preceded by discussions aimed at : • Creating a EAP election observation network; • Setting-up of peer-reviewmechanisms on election observation atregionallevel; • Selecting a core group of trainers; • Defining a training methodology and a time table for itsimplementation in EAP countries.

EXPECTED RESULT 2: • Achievements/regionallevel • Drafting and publication of the CoEHandbook for Civil Society Organisations on Election Reporting • Setting-up of the EAP election observation network • Definition of a training methodology and a time table for itsimplementation in EAP countries in 2014. • Coordination of efforts ensuredwith EPDE, NDI, OSCE/ODIHR

EXPECTED RESULT 2: • Achievements/country level • Pilot implementation of the CoEHandbook for Civil Society Organisations on Election Reporting in Georgia (ahead of 2013 Presidentialelections)

EXPECTED RESULT 2: • The way ahead • CoE to draft terms of reference for the network of CSOs • CoE to act as the Secretariat of the network of CSOs • CoE to organise Ttraining of Trainers on the Reporting on Elections: CoE Handbook for CSOs • CoE to organise peer-to-peer trainings of CSOs

EXPECTED RESULT 3: VOTERS ARE BETTER AWARE OF THEIR ROLE IN THE FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS AND INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION

National reports on women participation in politics (Activity 3.5) Aim From February to June 2013, Schools of Political Studies from Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine were requested to organise a 3-day workshop dedicated to gender issues aimed at reviewing the current situation in their countries and prepare a country report covering gender disparities related issues such as unemployment, political engagement, education, standards of living, the role of the media, etc.

National reports on women participation • in politics • Results 1/2 • Five SPS (with the exception of Baku SPS) issued a country report on the «Participation of Women in Public and Political Life»; • Reports have been translatedinto English; • Reports werepublished in 1500 copies both in national and English languages.

National reports on women participation • in politics • Results 2/2 • The findings of the reports willbepresentedat a high-levelregionalconference to take place on 10 December 2013 in Chisinau (Activity 3.6); • The conferencewill serve as a basis for the development of a regionalplatformwhichwillfollow-up the recommendationsaimedatincreasingwomen participation in decisionmaking.

EXPECTED RESULT 3: • Achievements first-time voters/regionallevel • Drafting of the Curriculum on « Introduction intoelections for students of 12 to 14 years » • Drafting of the Curriculum on « Introduction intoelections for students of 14 to 16 years »

EXPECTED RESULT 3: • Achievements first-time voters/country level • Pilot implementation of the Curriculum on « Introduction intoelections for students of 14 to 16 years » in public school N°51, Tbilisi, Georgia (19.12.2012) • Pilot implementation of the Curriculum on « Introduction intoelections for students of 14 to 16 years » in Heratsi High School, Yerevan, Armenia (December 2012)

EXPECTED RESULT 3: • Achievementswomenrepresentation in electoralprocess/regionallevel • Establishment of a platformaimedatincreasing women engagement in elections and decision making

EXPECTED RESULT 3: • Achievementswomenrepresentation in electoralprocess/country level • Country reports with statistical data available concerning women representation in decision making and politics in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus

EXPECTED RESULT 3: • The wayaheadwith a view to • raiseawareness of first-time voters • Furtherimplementation of the Curriculum on « Introduction intoelections for students of 12 to 14 years » in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus • Furtherimplementation of the Curriculum on « Introduction intoelections for students of 14 to 16 years » in Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus • Organisation of studentdebates on the role and importance of elections in a democratic society

EXPECTED RESULT 3: • The wayaheadwith a view to increasewomenrepresentationat all stages of the electoralprocess • Establishment of a platformaimedatincreasing women engagement in elections and decision making; • Based on the answers by EAP countries to an ad-hoc questionnaire, analyse the functioning of electoral systems in EAP countries from a gender perspective; • Promote women participation in the political process as political activists, party members, candidates and voters; • Facilitate the implementation of gender equality standards.

THANK YOU!

THEMATIC PROJECT « SUPPORT FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN THE EAP » Reporting period : 1 May – 31 October 2013 Contribution