Agenda
Professional Certificate in Electoral Conflict Resolution
Day One
09:30 Registration and Refreshments
09:45 Chair and Delegates’ Welcome and Introductions
- ICPS and trainers
- Course objectives
- Rules and Procedures
10.00 Participants Introductions and Icebreaker
- Ice Breaker
- Objectives for taking the course
- Group Photograph
11:15 Morning coffee
11:30 Democracy and Elections: Group discussions
- What is Democracy?
- What are the principles of a good democracy?
- What is a credible election?
12:45 Lunch
14:00 The Electoral Cycle and the Occurrence of Election
Violence
- What is an electoral cycle?
- When and why does violence occur in the electoral cycle?
- Electoral violence in the pre-elections, during and after elections
- Identity Conflict – voter registration
- Campaign Conflict
- Ballot Conflict
- Results Conflict
15:15 Afternoon tea
15:30 Conflict Escalation in an Electoral Environment
- How do elections do exacerbate tensions and violence?
- Prevention vs Management
16:45 End of Day Wrap Up and announcements
17:15 Close
Day Two
09:30 Registration and Refreshments
09:45 Chair’s Recap of Day 1 and Introduction of Day 2
10:00 Presentation and Discussion: The Electoral Legal Framework
In this session we will identify some of the international and national legal instruments which provide for legal challenges to disputed elections.
- We will look briefly at the sources and identify the supranational bodies which set international and national standards for resolving electoral disputes.
- Taking the UK as a model - and this is of particular value because it provides the model for the Common Law world- we will examine the important features of the legislation (And -in the case of the UK- the gross shortcomings of the legislation.
- Finally we will look at some examples - from a variety of sources- of election petitions and discuss the legal principles which they demonstrate. We will also look at a collateral criminal challenge to an election.
- This session will be of particular utility to those seeking to challenge elections by legal means, it will expose the weaknesses of the system and will point out the legal alternatives
11:15 Morning Coffee
11:30 Conflict Management Method 1: Dialogue
- Understanding the principles of dialogue
- When and how to use dialogue to resolve conflict
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Dialogue Exercise Inter Party Dialogue
- Dialogue in Election-Related Conflicts
15:15 Afternoon tea
15:30 Electoral Actors & Roles
- The State
- Civil Society
- Political parties
- Candidates
- Media
- Religious leaders
- Regional & International Actors
16:45 End of Day Wrap Up and Announcements
17:15 Close
Day Three
09:30 Registration and refreshments
09:45 Chair’s Recap of Day 2 and Introduction of Day 3
10:00 Chartered Management Institute Criteria
- Structuring a written piece of work for assessment – Generic Overview and Principles
- Blending conflict transformation content into these structures
11:15 Morning Coffee
11:30 Conflict Management Method 2: Negotiations
- Understanding the principles of negotiations:
- Mapping Positions, Interests and Needs;
- Negotiation structures
- Understanding when to use negotiations to resolve conflict
12.45 Lunch
14:00 Exercise: Negotiation in Election-Related conflicts
- Establishing Organisational Name, Objectives and Strategy & Structure.
15:15 Afternoon Tea
15:30 Presentation and Discussion: The Role of Election Management Bodies & in
Conflict Management
Appointment, Legitimacy, Capacity and Training
- Statutory Mandate for Dispute Resolution
- Non-statutory /informal mandate for dispute resolution.
- Value of Independence, impartiality, moral and expert authority.
- Issues on which EMB can intervene to prevent/manage electoral disputes
o EMB in preventing Electoral Disputes - examples.
o EMB in Managing Electoral Disputes - examples.
16:45 End of Day Wrap Up and Announcements
17:15 Close
Day Four
09:30 Registration and Refreshments
09:45 Chair’s Recap and Introduction of Objectives for Day 4
10:00 Methods of Electoral Dispute Prevention & Resolution
- Informal EDR
- Formal EDR
- The Role of the EMB
- The Role of the Courts
- Info & Technology
- Training
11:15 Morning Coffee
11:30 Conflict Management Method 3: Mediation of a Contested Election
- Understanding the principles of mediation,
- Understanding when and how to use mediation to resolve conflict
- Understanding the role of the mediators &
- Mediation strategies: communication, facilitation & manipulation
12:45 Lunch
14:00 Mediation Exercise: Violence and contested results
15:15 Afternoon Tea
15:30 Managing Election Related Disputes and violence
- Participants Debrief: Dialogue, Negotiations and Mediations
16:45 End of Day Wrap Up and Announcements
17:15 Close
Day Five
09:30 Refreshments
09:45 Chair’s Recap of Day 4 and Introduction of Day 5
10:00 Election Observation: Domestic and International Observer Missions
- Benefit of Long- and short-term observers
- What exactly are EOMs looking for?
- Impact of a good EOM report on stability, credibility, dampening anger and
- reducing the likelihood of conflict and violence
11:15 Morning coffee
11:30 Delegate Presentation & discussion 1
Plan of Action for Managing Electoral Conflicts
Objectives:
- To use the knowledge and skills gained during the training.
- Participants have the opportunity to conduct proxy and plenary talks on current conflict issues.
12:45 Lunch
14:00 Delegate Presentation & Discussion 2
Plan of Action for Managing Electoral Conflicts
Objectives:
- To use the knowledge and skills gained during the training.
- Participants have the opportunity to conduct proxy and plenary talks on current conflict issues
15:15 Afternoon Tea
15:30 Participant Feedback, Closing Remarks and Certificates