Civic and Voter Education

Topic IndexKuwasiliana na Walio Uhamishoni, Wakimbizi, na Wakimbizi wa ndani kwa ndaniVoters outside the country and those displaced within the country, through no choice of their own, pose a particular challenge for voter education programmes. In some cases, there might be only a few people in this category. But in a number of states that have underone internal strife, for example in the former Yugoslavia and in the Caucuses and some parts of Africa, there are large numbers of people who have either chosen exile or who have become refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). While some of these may have the resources to return of their own accord to the country or to their homes prior to elections, large numbers are likely to require assistance with repatriation, and this repatriation may happen only after the election, necessitating electoral arrangements outside of the country, or shortly before election day. Indeed, information about the election, as well as the governing systems and arrangements that will follow, might be needed to reassure these groups that return is in fact an option worth pursuing. Voter education programmes, therefore, have to be developed for such groups. They are likely to be made easier in situations where groups of refugees and IDPs can be identified, and may in fact not be possible for a small number of exiles who may have to identify themselves and make their own arrangements for obtaining information. With all groups, it will be important to understand the conditions that led to their leaving the country or their internal displacement, the manner in which they are presently being cared for outside the country or away from their homes (including their legal status), and the organizations that may be working with them. Fortunately, the movement of large groups of refugees across borders or IDPs into new communities does bring relief efforts, even if those involved in this relief feel powerless and under-resourced. Political solutions that provide a realistic chance of repatriation are likely to be welcomed, and organizations are likely, therefore, to be receptive to obtaining and distributing voter education materials. **Refugee Support Services and Networks** For the same reason, and despite the fact that the individual refugee or IDP voter is unlikely to make use of these services, electronic communications through the World Wide Web or computer bulletin boards can be useful ways of enabling organizations in far flung places to get information. Other tactics may include radio broadcasting or mass pamphlet distribution. Another method will be to train those field staff responsible for general communication and welfare services so that they can answer election-related questions. This and other similar tactics will mean that educators will want to be involved in the general organizational effort to bring back exiles and repatriate refugees so that they can assist in these programmes and integrate their materials and messages with any others that have to be communicated. They will also use their skills to evaluate whether the communication methods that are being proposed by the larger programme will have the intended effect.

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Civic and Voter Education