Newsletter March 2014
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Dear Reader, The March 2014 edition of the ACE Newsletter highlights:
Best regards, The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network
ACE Practitioners' Spotlight: Koki Muli
Remembering this day, this feature focuses on the contributions of women practitioners in election management. Kenyan Human rights lawyer Koki Muli has been a member of the PN since 2007, and has worked in international elections since 1992. ACE is pleased to feature her interview below. Could you please tell us a bit about your background? I come from Kenya. I grew up in many towns of Kenya. I was brought up in Mombasa, Kitui and Nairobi; my parents came from Kitui - I went to secondary school in Meru, and to high school in Muranga and to University in Nairobi and to Kenya School of Law in Nairobi. I also went to University in United Kingdom, attended a Human Rights Programme in Columbia University, and taught Law in Society at the South Eastern Kenya University; I am a student of University of Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania and live in New York as Kenya's Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations. I am married to a French man, and we are blessed with two lovely daughters. How did you become involved in international elections assistance work? As a human rights lawyer, I was very fortunate and privileged to learn from some of the best legal minds in Kenya. Being in the right place at the right time (providence). My mentors were involved in the democratisation process and opening up of human rights and democracy in Kenya and were kind enough to take me along - so I got involved very early as I graduated from university - this meant that I walked, worked, and got involved in the struggle for restoration of multi-party politics in Kenya. I worked as an Assistant Editor of the Nairobi Law Monthly in 1991, part of 1992, and in 1992 I joined the Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), which also deals with Democracy and Rule of Law - ICJ-Kenya Section and four other organisations established the very first Elections Monitoring/Observation Initiative in Kenya to provide voter education and observe the 1992 restored multi-party elections. So I begun in voter education and elections observation. Do you have any specific areas of expertise as an electoral practitioner? I am an Expert BRIDGE Facilitator, therefore, I am an elections expert. I trained, developed curricula, observed elections, wrote modules and conducted elections. You spent a considerable amount of time working on the South Sudan referendum with UNMIS (United Nations Mission in Sudan). Could you tell us more about the role you played in this historic referendum? I was privileged to be part of the UNS-G's High Level Panel on The Referendum in South Sudan, which was led by the retired President of Tanzania, H.E. President Benjamin Mkapa. I was a Senior Field Officer in charge of Out of Country Voting. South Sudanese that were in the Diaspora were allowed to vote in eight countries - Australia, Canada, UK and USA and in the African Continent - Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. During the voting I was able to travel to all the four countries in Africa to see how the voting was being conducted and as Egypt was the last of my visit; I was able to observe the counting there as well. I was also in charge of all cross-cutting issues and liaison with international and domestic observers in Sudan. After the referendum I was asked to go to Juba, South Sudan, where I was head of the Rule of Law in South Sudan - although for a short period because I decided to leave as South Sudan celebrated its independence - this marked even for me a transition period. I was very humbled by this experience and I decided to go back to my village to teach at the University there and make contribution to my country - after seeing all those Sudanese from the Diaspora who trooped back to work for nothing to develop their country - I was truly inspired. This is why it breaks my heart to see what is going on now in South Sudan. I have a very strong connection with this country even though it’s not my country, and I feel for the people of this country, many of whom I know and knew. What are some biggest challenges you have experienced working in elections so far? Wanting to do so much with so little. Most countries in which I have either observed elections, trained election officials, or worked on elections had insufficient resources to carry out what they needed to do, or didn't have the facilitation or the capacity they didn't. Yet some were within reach but politicization denied them the opportunities. In some cases competition between funding partners delayed much needed support, undermining the work; this is always a challenge. Delays of disbursements by donors is also a challenge. Unfortunately many countries in Africa still depend on donors for core functions in the electoral process; this means they have no control of their electoral cycle calendar. Inadequate voter education resulting in very high numbers of spoilt ballots is by far my saddest experience, which still recurs even now. Imagine thousands of committed and determined voters waking up so early in the morning, braving the African sun, the fatigue, the hunger, to go out and cast their ballots only for the same to turn out as spoilt ballots. What a sad, sad waste! Have you experienced any specific problems being a woman in the field of elections? Of course, not being taken seriously and revered like my fellow male colleagues, but this is not a problem for me. What was a problem is watching and witnessing the treatment of women candidates and how their names were maligned just because they dared to vie for elective office. Actually, there is no place in the world where everyone in the community is comfortable with female leadership. You will hear people in the developed countries tell you that they would readily elect women to the highest offices but their words do not translate into action. Very few countries in the world have attained gender parity in elective and appointive positions and this is not for lack of female candidates. Any advantages? Unfortunately none. Being a woman, one has to always work twice as hard and sometimes for less pay; even by those who claim they have embraced equality. When it comes to the details, people are the same everywhere in the world. Some worse than others, but generally the same. Do you have any advice for other women who are involved or want to become involved in elections? If you dream it, you can do. Don’t expect any favours, have faith in God and in yourself, work hard and you will succeed, eventually. Be true to God, yourself and to others, and always do to others as you would have them do to you. And remember, what Martin Luther King said no one can climb your back if your back is not bent - stand firm on your principles. No one will hurt you without your permission. You are also a member of the ACE Practitioners' Network. Can you tell us a bit about how you have used the network? When I get time, I respond to questions and give advice. I also use this resource to share information. I get a lot of direct queries and I always refer many people to the website and the encyclopedia. I also use it for my research on elections matters, which I still do even in my current position. * Koki Muli currently serves as the Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Kenya Mission to the United Nations Headquarters. ACE on: Women and Elections
The "ACE On: Women and Elections" compiles a cross-section of content drawn from across ACE knowledge resources on the topic of gender in electoral administration. If you would like to see a particular topic summarized this way, please send your suggestions to [email protected].
Focus On: Women and Voter Registration
There is a rising recognition that more sustainable, more democratic, and more peaceful societies can only be achieved with the full and equal participation of women". – Michelle Bachelet, Former Executive Director of UN Women, February 21, 2013 The ACE Focus On series aims to explore in greater detail cross-cutting issues referenced in the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network. A subject matter specialist introduces each topic, highlights issues and sample materials in ACE and identifies additional online resources for users to research more information. The newest Focus On, "Challenges to Women in the Voter Registration Process" is authored by Tova Wang and addresses the challenge of gender equity in electoral processes. Starting the analysis with an exploration of international law, the piece then addresses the obstacles to women in the voter registration process and the legal and structural barriers women face. The analysis concludes with a series of global case studies outlining the challenges women confront. Included in these case studies are Pakistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Afghanistan, Libya, Bolivia, and Guatemala. If you would like to see a particular topic addressed in an ACE Focus On, or in Spanish or French, please send your suggestions to [email protected].
The Practitioners' Network
ACE EncyclopaediaACE Encyclopaedia Topic Areas cover 13 key areas in electoral management, with an emphasis on sustainability, professionalism, and trust in the electoral process. Three updated Topic Areas were published in French this past quarter: Boundary Delimitation, Media and Elections, and Electoral Integrity.
Recent Publications by ACE Partners and Members of the Practitioners' NetworkCreate a tailored cycle based on who you are and how you want to strengthen the electoral process. The Online Electoral Cycle is a ‘one-stop shop’ for anyone involved in elections or who manages any stage in the electoral process. Users can identify what they want to achieve and select solutions that are appropriate to their own situation.
Controversies like ballot-box fraud, corruption, and flawed registers taint elections across the world. This annual report compares the risks of flawed and failed elections, and how far countries around the world meet international standards. Spearheaded by the Electoral Integrity Project (EIP), the assessment evaluates national parliamentary and presidential contests across 66 countries from 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2013.
Jointly produced by IFES and NDI, this handbook outlines the challenges and considerations in implementing electronic voting and counting technologies around the world. Co-written by Ben Goldsmith and HollyRuthrauff, the manual offers step-by-step approach for electoral practitioners in every stage of the electoral cycle.
This Good Practice Guide marks UNDP´s first review of programming strategies for youth political participation beyond the ballot box. It identifies key entry points for the inclusion of young people in political and electoral processes and compiles good practice examples of mechanisms for youth political empowerment around the globe, focusing on innovative instruments with the potential to provide fresh inputs for UNDP programmes as well as initiatives by other stakeholder. |
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The ACE Practitioners’ Spotlight highlights an influential member of the ACE Practitioners’ Network through an in-depth Q&A session. International Women’s Day (March 8, 2014) aims to recognize the achievements of women leaders across the world.
The ACE Practitioners' Network features a vast collection of electoral materials addressing gender inclusion in the electoral process. 
