United Nations electoral assistance is a system-wide endeavor, tapping
the complementary expertise and capacities of several organs of the
United Nations family. In the field of technical assistance, the Electoral
Assistance Division (EAD) continues to work closely with the United
Nations Development Programme, the Department of Economic and Social
Affairs and the Office of Project Services. When appropriate, the
participation and support of the Centre for Human Rights has been
requested and obtained. EAD has also collaborated closely with the
United Nations Volunteer Program (UNV) of UNDP to recruit volunteers
to provide technical and observation assistance to major missions
(e.g. Cambodia, South Africa, Mozambique, Eastern Slavonia, Liberia).
A. OVERALL UNITED NATIONS COORDINATION
Focal Point for Electoral Assistance Activities --The
General Assembly, in resolution 46/137, authorized the Secretary-General
to "designate a senior officer to act as a focal point"
for all United Nations electoral assistance activities. The present
Focal Point is the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs.
All communications related to United Nations electoral assistance
must be transmitted to the Focal Point.
Electoral Assistance Division (EAD) -- The Focal Point
is assisted by the Electoral Assistance Division, which is part of
the United Nations Department of Political Affairs. The main role
of the Division is to evaluate all requests for electoral assistance,
to undertake needs-assessment missions, to provide consistent answers
from the United Nations system to requesting governments, to work
cooperatively with UN and non-UN system actors in the design and implementation
of electoral assistance project activities, to develop operational
strategies for electoral components of peace-keeping operations, to
maintain a roster of electoral experts able to provide technical assistance
on short notice, to facilitate the international observation of elections,
and to serve as the UN's institutional memory in the electoral field.
B. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)
Within the United Nations system, and in close consultation with the
Electoral Assistance Division,
UNDP plays an important role in providing technical
support and assistance to electoral processes. It engages
with the countries in long-term capacity building and institutional
building of the electoral bodies between elections. It plays a key
role in aid coordination and in coordination of electoral assistance
at election time. When United Nations electoral assistance is provided
to a country, UNDP's Country Office plays the role of central support
system of the UN system for such an undertaking. UNDP electoral assistance
projects are executed using the array of modalities of execution currently
available (DESA and OPS execution, national execution, execution by
other agencies, etc.).
1. United Nations Resident Coordinator -- The UN Resident
Coordinator or UNDP Resident Representative plays an instrumental
role in assisting with the organization and funding of electoral assistance
activities at the field level, including the facilitation of needs
assessment missions and technical assistance activities.
2. Management Development and Governance Division (MDGD)
-- At UNDP headquarters in New York, the Management Development and
Governance Division of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support
is responsible for helping to facilitate UNDP's governance-related
assistance and to that effect liaises closely with the Electoral Assistance
Division on major policy and operational matters.
3. Regional Bureaus -- The UNDP Regional Bureaus will,
as appropriate, provide support to the Government through the Resident
Coordinators in areas of governance, democratization and electoral
assistance. They liaise with the Electoral Assistance Division on
country level operational matters and technical assistance projects
in which UNDP is involved.
C. OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS (OHCHR)
Since 1990, OHCHR has been involved in electoral assistance with a
particular emphasis on the legal and human rights aspects of elections
through its Technical Cooperation Programme. The principal areas of
election-related assistance provided by the OHCHR include legal analysis
and legislative assistance with regard to electoral laws and related
legislation; analysis and recommendations concerning the prevailing
human rights environment and legal and institutional needs, with emphasis
on certain human rights seen as prerequisites for free and fair elections;
support for civic education endeavors; the training of public officials
with key roles in elections. In addition, OHCHR has published a handbook
on Human Rights and Elections and developed draft human rights guidelines
for human rights assessments for electoral assistance, monitoring
and observation. The OHCHR is also prepared to provide post-election
assistance aimed at consolidating democracy and strengthening, for
example, the administration of justice, and legal and constitutional
reform.
D. NON-UNITED NATIONS SOURCES OF ELECTORAL
ASSISTANCE
Several inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations are
also active in the electoral assistance field. Among these are the
Commonwealth Secretariat, European Union (EU), Organization of African
Unity (OAU), Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Inter-Parliamentary
Union (IPU), the Centre for Electoral Promotion and Advice (CAPEL),
the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
(International IDEA), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems
(IFES), and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
(NDI), and the Carter Centre, among others. In countries where they
are active, needs assessment teams cooperate with inter-governmental
and non-governmental organizations providing electoral assistance
to establish appropriate working arrangements, share information,
encourage efficient use of resources, and avoid duplication of effort.
