The nature of
the actions undertaken to respond to signs of impending or existing violence
will depend on the specificities of the country context, the organisational
mandate and the capacity to engage. One might distinguish between actions
implemented by non-state actors, such as national and international civil
society organisations (CSOs) and NGOs, and those implemented by state organisations,
such as EMBs and SSAs, that have an official mandate to act in order to ensure
that elections are held peacefully. Different actors that undertake electoral
violence prevention and mitigation activities in the same national and
electoral context will undoubtedly benefit from collaboration.[1]
Prevention by non-state actors[2]
A number of
domestic and international CSOs are implementing programmes that aim to address
electoral conflicts during their initial stages. The main strategies are
monitoring and reporting on electoral violence, organising community-based
prevention and mitigation actions and supporting EMBs. Monitoring is a well-established conflict prevention methodology.
For example, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), through
its Electoral Violence Education and Resolution (EVER) project, builds the
capacities of CSOs to document incidents of election-related violence,
including details of victims and perpetrators. Systematic monitoring and
documentation of incidents, many of which represent criminal offences, serve to
minimise the sense of impunity among perpetrators. The Electoral Institute for
Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) promotes the strengthening of political
party liaison committees and community-based prevention and mitigation
capacities that are harmonised with traditional dispute resolution mechanisms.
Community-based
prevention is organised so that information on election-related tensions is
conveyed to trained community mediators, who are selected from among reputable
individuals in respective areas to engage in conflict prevention and
mitigation. A similar approach is promoted in Nepal by the Department of Peace
Operations of the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania
(PATRIR) through a multi-stakeholder strategic planning process that brings
together community-development and peacebuilding organisations with local,
national and international electoral organisations. These and other prominent
non-state actors often implement capacity-building programmes designed to
support the work of national EMBs and can also be involved in supporting local
and national campaigns for violence-free elections.
Prevention by state actors[3]
EMBs are using
early warning data to make better-informed and conflict-sensitive electoral
decisions. As state actors, they are also well positioned to coordinate the efforts
of other governmental agencies during elections, for instance in designing
electoral security arrangements and prosecuting perpetrators of electoral
crimes. Mexico’s IFE is well known for the quality of its electoral planning
and security arrangements. IFE cooperates closely with major national agencies
and institutions, including the army, navy, police, civil protection
organisations and energy and water utilities through the ‘Group for Strategic
Facilities Coordination’. The group coordinates operational planning and
prevention/mitigation of conflicts in different areas, including electoral
processes. The ‘Vulnerability Mapping Tool’ was designed by the Election
Commission of India to address specific security challenges during elections
through increased collaboration between EMB officials, SSAs and the judiciary.
Electoral
prevention and mitigation efforts can take different forms and include different
actors, even when implemented in a single electoral and national context. To
conceptualise a practical framework in which electoral violence early warning
can be utilised effectively, International IDEA has developed a three-layered
approach for the prevention and mitigation of election-related violence.
[1] Alihodžić S., (2012) Electoral
Violence Early Warning and Infrastructures for Peace, Journal Of Peacebuilding
& Development Vol. 7, Iss. 3,2012
