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