Enhancing the Effectiveness of Election Administration in the Western Balkans
When
Where
Organized by
ODIHR and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina are organizing a regional conference on improving existing practices of administration of elections in the Western Balkan region, in line with ODIHR recommendations and OSCE commitments. The conference, entitled “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Election Administration in the Western Balkans”, is part of the ODIHR project “Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans” funded by the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency.
Topics
The discussion will focus on the key principles that stem from international commitments and good electoral practices, and on how they guide the work of election management bodies (EMBs) and provide a consistent basis for assessment by election observers. Specific attention will be paid to the activities of the election administration and their progressive expansion, new and recurring challenges, and the innovative solutions adopted to address such challenges. Participants will also discuss possible ways for EMBs to strengthen co-operation and partnering with civil society organizations and international organizations to enhance engagement in addressing international recommendations related to election administration.
Context
The OSCE participating States have recognized integrity, legality, transparency, accountability, impartiality and inclusivity as key principles of a democratic electoral process, and have committed to guaranteeing them. EMBs have the demanding function of ensuring that the complex election-related processes follow these principles and that the rights of voters and contestants are respected. The EMBs are therefore one of the main guardians of democratic elections, and their activities are central to fostering public confidence.
Given the role the EMBs play in an electoral process, assessing their work is an integral part of ODIHR’s election observation activities and an essential component of its reporting on elections. Over time, election observation reports in the Western Balkan region have noted progress in election administration practices, as confirmed by the increase in the implementation of international recommendations related to the administration of elections. At the same time, as election-related processes gradually evolve and modernize, the duties and oversight functions of EMBs have expanded and become more complex. In parallel, the ODIHR election observation methodology has evolved to comprehensively analyse how the election administrations fulfil their various oversight duties.
Participants
- Election management bodies
- Civil society organizations, including citizen election observation groups
- Local and international experts
Participation in this event is by invitation only.
Contact
For further information, please contact the “Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans” project team at wb-project@odihr.pl.