International Foundation for Election Systems

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IFES (formerly known as the International Foundation for Election Systems) is an international, non-profit, Washington, DC-based organization that "supports the building of democratic societies". Founded in 1987, IFES has 200 employees with field offices in more than 21 countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. IFES participates in leading technical assistance projects for international and bilateral donor organizations such as USAID, the UN [1][2], DFID, the OSCE and others. Since 1987, IFES has worked with election assistance and democratic development in over 100 countries.

The next president of IFES will be Jean-Pierre Kingsley.[3] The Senior Director for Communications and Research at IFES is Dorin Tudoran.[4]

IFES receives funding from the following governments/organizations:

  • the US government
  • Canadian International Development Agency
  • Swedish International Development Agency
  • Finnish International Development Agency
  • British Department for International Development
  • private contributions

Contents

[edit] Current Areas of Activity

  • Strengthening Electoral Processes: IFES provides technical assistance to governments, political parties and civil society organizations in election planning and administration, electoral law development, and voter education.[5] [6]
  • Building the Capacity of Civil Society: IFES works to mobilize citizens to participate in democratic politics in a constructive and effective manner.
  • Bolstering the Rule of Law:[7] IFES encourages the development of an independent judiciary, an independent media, and an informed and engaged civil society as means to achieve the rule of law in developing democracies.[8]
  • Encouraging Good Governance: IFES works to improve the transparency and efficiency of government institutions by building the management capacity, independence and professionalism of public officials in order to enable them to better serve their constituents.[9]

[edit] Advocacy for Voters Rights

The International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) is committed to extending the reach of democracy through technical assistance and support to governmental and nongovernmental organizations in new and emerging democracies[10] by providing professional advice and technical assistance in promoting democracy and serves as an information clearinghouse on elections, rule of law, governance, and civil society.[11]

Voters Rights:[12]
  • My Right to be heard by my government
  • My Right to vote for the first time[13]
  • My Right to run for office
  • My Right to equal access[14][15]
  • My Right to choose without fear[16]
  • My Right to a better future

[edit] Informational Products

IFES offers many resources for those who are interested in the field of democracy development. These include:

  • Democracy at large, a quarterly magazine designed for professionals interested in democracy development worldwide.
  • A free monthly e-newsletter (IFES e-news) that provides the latest news and information about IFES’ work and democracy development worldwide (sign up at www.ifes.org).
  • An online election calendar, www.ElectionGuide.org, which lists past and future election dates for countries around the world. It also provides election results, voter turnout statistics, and profiles of election issues.
  • The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network, which IFES participates in with other elections organizations. The website provides extensive information about the nuts and bolts of election administration.
  • The IFES Buyer's Guide for Election Suppliers, the only comprehensive directory of companies selling election supplies, equipment and services to those responsible for managing public and private elections.
  • Public opinion research and surveys on democratic development (http://www.ifes.org/arc-surveys.html).
  • The Arab Election Law Compendium, a collection of election laws in Arabic and either English or French from various countries throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. It includes full texts of laws, background on the election process and detailed analysis of each law prepared by notable regional experts.
  • www.Moneyandpolitics.net, which promotes political integrity through the establishment of transparent and accountable systems of political finance and public ethics.
  • Other resources available at www.ifes.org.

[edit] Sources

  • International Foundation for Election Systems. Official website. [1]
  • "Group Watch: International Foundation for Electoral Systems" Right Web Program of the Interhemispheric Resource Center. December 1989.[2]
  • Network for Good profile. [3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ UNDP-POGAR: Programme on Governance in the Arab Region: Democratic Governance: Web Links
  2. ^ ENHANCING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN ELECTORAL PROCESSES IN POST-CONFLICT COUNTRIES, UN OSAGI, http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/meetings/2004/EGMelectoral/aidememoire.html
  3. ^ Kingsley to take international election monitoring post. CBC News. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  4. ^ Biography of Dorin Tudoran, at IFES web site
  5. ^ Democracy Dialogues on International Electoral Systems and Laws- U.S. Department Of State
  6. ^ AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AT RISK: AGENDA FOR RENEWAL AND REPAIR, http://www.lwv.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=4323
  7. ^ Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities - www.electionaccess.org
  8. ^ CNN,Building credibility without a constitution:Helping poll workers,Nigerian National Assembly and presidential elections, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/nigerian.elections/stories/boda.essay/
  9. ^ Democracy Dialogues on International Electoral Systems and Laws- U.S. Department Of State
  10. ^ Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities - www.electionaccess.org
  11. ^ University of Minnesota Human Rights Library,STUDY GUIDE: The Right to Vote, http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/studyguides/votingrights.html
  12. ^ IFES - An international nonprofit organization that supports the building of democratic societies
  13. ^ CNN,Building credibility without a constitution:Helping poll workers,Nigerian National Assembly and presidential elections, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/nigerian.elections/stories/boda.essay/
  14. ^ For Voters with Disabilities, http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=int&document=pre&dir=bil&lang=e&textonly=false
  15. ^ ENHANCING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN ELECTORAL PROCESSES IN POST-CONFLICT COUNTRIES, UN OSAGI, http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/meetings/2004/EGMelectoral/aidememoire.html
  16. ^ CNN,Building credibility without a constitution:Helping poll workers,Nigerian National Assembly and presidential elections, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/nigerian.elections/stories/boda.essay/

[edit] External links


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