The Question

This question is posed on behalf of an ACE user.

We are trying to develop a democracy module at Indian International Institute of democracy and election management (IIIDEM), New Delhi.

I will be obliged for your suggestions for making this module a good example. Please also include success/ failure stories that can be included as case studies.

Summary of Responses

A few Practitioners’ Network members provided suggestions and advice on developing a module or curriculum.

One member asked for clarification on what is meant by “module”. The following clarifying points were offered:

1. IIIDEM is an institute engaged primarily in training of domestic and international election managers.
2. Promoting democracy is also an objective of the institute, but little has been done to address this objective.
3. The question is precisely for crowdsourcing ideas so that international best practices can be incorporated in the activities of the institute.

Another PN member mentioned she was involved in DG (Democracy and Governance) BRIDGE program (2008-2012) and a democracy-learning program in Egypt for IFES. She offered to discuss aspects of these programs such as curriculum and modalities, if the inquiring member was interested. Another member suggested that developing a training module is a sensitive topic, mostly because democracy is as well. As an example, he mentioned that efforts to establish democracy in Rwanda started in 1959 but were hindered by the reality of genocide in 1994.

Lastly, the inquiring member updated other members on topics chosen for a two-day course offered to newly elected lawmakers. These courses are:

1. Role of political parties and democracy
2. Democratization process - social moments, rights revolution etc.
3. Deepening of democracy
4. Democracy - human development and socio-economic dimensions.
5. Democracy assessment
6. Electoral reforms - women reservation, criminalization, public funding, paid news etc.
7. Electoral systems reform
8. Sub national governance - 73 & 74 amendments of the Indian constitution

Contributing members

• Dr. Noor Mohammad
• Liberata Irambona
• Manuel J. Kripp
• Yvonne Goudie
  

Please apologize my questions but what do you mean by module?

Do you mean a technical or software module, a learning module, a branch or anything else?

Sorry for the ambiguity. I should have been more explicit. In fact, IIIDEM is an institute engaged primarily in training of domestic and international election managers. But promotion of democracy is also an objective of the institute on which little has been done. 

I propose to conduct conclaves, seminars and even week long courses for different stakeholders in democracy. The question is precisely for crowdsourcing ideas so that international best practices can be incorporated in the activities of the institute. The word module seems to have created confusion that is reflected in the lack of response.

My apologies

Hi Noor, as you may remember from our previous correspondence, I was involved in the DG (Democracy and Governance) BRIDGE program (2008-2012) and also more recently in a democracy learning program in Egypt for IFES. Let me know if you are interested in knowing more about these programs (the curriculum, modalities, etc), cheers, yvonne

Hi Dr Noor, this really a wonderful topic. This is the point to be discussed. But to develop that module for training is sensitive. You should ask me why, simply because Democracy for me is also sensitive. Take Rwandan example, we have been talking about democracy before 1959 but in 1994 we face genocide. Now after genocide we try to rebuild that democracy basing on participation of our people in governance. So dear Dr Noor congratulation for the program may be with those trainings you help some countries to improve their governance and lead FOR PEOPLE INTEREST ONLY. 

Thanks for the inputs. I know it is a difficult subject but with better education of the stakeholders we stand better chance. Hi Yvonne. Thanks for the offer to help. I will get back to you after we have finalized the course for the newly elected MPs, mentioned below. I know your experience will add quality to the training module.

At present we zeroed in to run one 2-day course on the following topics for the newly elected law makers:

Buenos días

En Panamá tenemos 6 mòdulos sobre la democracia, el sufragio, elecciones y otros. Las cuales compartimos en seminarios de una semana con los educadores del todo el país. Y es muy interesante porque aqui se enseña muchas cosas que se desconocen.

Es interesante los mòdulos y participar en el seria fabuloso.... ya que por lo menos el que teenmos nos habla en uno de ellos sobre las diferentes elecciones que han surgido atraves de los años y cómo esto a ido mejorando , cambiando, evolucionando , hasta nuestros dìas.