Elections and Political Processes in Asia · 2014-11-04 · Elections and Political Processes in Asia The Asia Foundation approaches election assis-tance from a development perspective,

Elections and Political Processes in Asia

The Asia Foundation approaches election assis-tance from a development perspective, with afocus on sustainability. We work to build capacityin local organizations so that they can supportlong-term democratization before, during, andafter elections. We understand that a strong civilsociety sector is an essential element of a devel-oped democracy, so we design our elections andpolitical processes programming in ways thatstrengthen civil society’s capacity to contributeacross the board.

Each Asia Foundation election program is unique.We use data from surveys and qualitative assess-ments to develop a comprehensive conceptualframework for elections assistance in that country;this includes identifying realistic possibilities forintervention and taking account of activitiesplanned by other providers to avoid overlap andduplication. Development of the framework is acollaborative process with civil society representa-tives, election administrators, and other assistanceproviders and has in many cases become the over-arching elections assistance strategy for the donorand assistance community.

The Foundation has a reputation for low-cost and high-impact election assistance. Our countryoffices across Asia are staffed with local and inter-national development professionals who havedeep knowledge of the country context and holdlongstanding relationships with key stakeholdersin government and civil society. These networksand understanding of the political environmentreduce political risk and make it possible to conduct programs on more sensitive issues. Inthis way, Foundation support can reach even the most marginalized members of society withculturally appropriate and effective programming.

AFGHANISTAN

The Asia Foundation has been a major providerof election and democracy assistance inAfghanistan in every election process since 2002.This includes critical and timely technical assis-tance, international monitors, and logistical sup-port for the Emergency Loya Jirga in 2002, theConstitutional Loya Jirga in 2003, and throughevery electoral process since Bonn. Currently theFoundation supports civic education to increasepublic knowledge of democratic rights, and elec-toral processes; and the establishment of Election

The Asia Foundation is one of the largest and most effective providers of election and governance assis-tance in Asia. Our programs support free and fair elections through voter education, voter registration,election administration, and international and domestic election observation. In addition, we supportdemocratic governance through political party development and legal and regulatory reform. Key to all ofour work in the elections and political processes sector is support for a culture of democracy, includingthe development of an engaged citizenry and a vibrant civil society.

The Foundation

has supported

programs promoting

free and fair

elections and an

informed electorate

in more than

20 countries across

Asia since 1960.

ELECTIONS &POLITICAL

PROCESSSES

The Foundation

develops and

carries out diverse

and innovative

programs tailored to

country-specific

electoral environments

through the support of

active local partners.

Volunteer Groups in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan to help the Independent Election Commission ofAfghansitan during electoral events.

In advance of the 2014 and 2015 elections, theFoundation is supporting increased political participa-tion by women through training to women members of parliament, provincial councilors, and prospectivewomen candidates on networking and campaign messaging; and supports efforts to encourage womento run in the upcoming elections. To reach more isolated communities with critical elections and democracyinformation, the Foundation conducts innovative andeffective dialogue forums with traditional and religiousscholars (ulema) and community members in mosquesand community centers.

BANGLADESH

The Asia Foundation supports the 29-member ElectionWorking Group (EWG), the only national domesticobserver network in Bangladesh. In 2013, the EWGbegan implementing an election observation and votereducation program focused on the forthcoming parlia-mentary election. Network members will deploy short-term observers across the country on election day. In thelead-up to the elections, network members are deployinglong-term observers in 118 constituencies to monitor the pre-election environment, including election preparation at the local level, campaign practices, andelection-related violence. For the forthcoming elections,the EWG is also partnering with minority/indigenousorganizations to observe the pre-election, election day,and post-election day environment in areas that are relatively isolated and in constituencies that are mostvulnerable to electoral violence.

The EWG also promotes public dialogue about andadvocacy for electoral reform. Advocacy initiativesinclude assessments, policy briefs, reports, and relatedrecommendations. Stakeholder roundtables on the audit and delimitation issues give primary stakeholders,including the Election Commission Bangladesh, donors, and relevant local and international organiza-tions an opportunity to review pertinent issues and related recommendations.

INDONESIA

Since 2012, The Asia Foundation has been managingthe Australia Indonesia Electoral Support Program.Under this program, the Foundation supports civil soci-ety organizations, universities, research institutions, andthe media in their efforts to improve voter education andconduct high-quality independent verification of electionsthrough election observation and investigative reporting.

Activities include national voter surveys, capacity building for grassroots organizations to engage theircommunities in election-related activities, and innovativeuses of technology to make election information widelyaccessible via social media and the Internet. TheFoundation also supports in-depth research on access toelection information and on electoral corruption.

The Foundation also works to increase women’s partici-pation in national, provincial, and district legislatures.This initiative builds on the success of a 2009 programthat trained women to conduct political campaigns andbuild constituencies. The results of that program wereremarkable: women went from 11 percent to 18 percentof the seats in the national parliament, and from 10 percent to 25 percent in local legislatures.

MYANMAR

The Foundation has been involved in supporting elections in Myanmar since the 2012 by-elections.Through that program the Foundation provided supportfor the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)international observation, and their training activities for media and domestic observers. The Foundation also provided observation training for observers deployedby several embassies, and for the international observersinvited by the Government of Myanmar.

Currently the Foundation is conducting a national civic education survey that will inform civic and votereducation efforts in advance of the 2015 national elec-tions with Australian support. The Foundation is alsosupporting the development of responsive accountableand democratic political parties through an innovativepartnership with Australian political parties.

NEPAL

The Asia Foundation conducted a four-month project to help ensure a free and fair election to a ConstituentAssembly (CA) in Nepal on November 19, 2013.Through the program the Foundation supported anobservation mission from the Asian Network for Free

Elections (ANFREL) which deployed 50 observers,including 10 long-term observers and 40 short-termobservers for the CA elections. The Foundation, in collaboration with the Election Commission of Nepal(ECN), also organized observation of the elections byhigh representatives of election commissions from theSouth Asian and Southeast Asian regions.

As in the 2008 CA elections, the Foundation was againthe largest supporter of domestic observation in Nepal:providing support to two domestic observation networks.The National Election Observation Committee (NEOC)deployed more than 10,000 election-day observers toprovide comprehensive coverage of polling centers acrossthe country; and the Election Observation Committee(EOC) deployed 300 long-term observers to monitor thepre and post-election environment. Working in concert,these organizations also conducted an effective advocacycampaign to convince the ECN to reform observationregulations that diminished the transparency and credi-bility of the election process.

With the aim of providing civic education on the CAelections and to sensitize and increase participation inthe forthcoming elections, the Foundation supportedKailpal Production Pvt. Ltd. to produce and air 10 radioepisodes on civic education, including a public dialogueon electoral and constitutional issues. Moving forwardthe Foundation anticipates providing support for theconstitutional development process, and assistance forelectoral reform aimed at enhancing the transparencyand credibility of the election process (particularly thecounting process).

PAKISTAN

The 2013 general election in Pakistan was the most significant democracy strengthening event in the country’s history: the first transition from one democrat-ically elected government to another following comple-tion of the government’s five-year constitutional tenure.Asia Foundation programs contributed significantly tothis historic outcome through election assistance andsupport to local organizations working toward free andfair elections in the country. Founded with assistancefrom the Foundation, and currently supported under theSupporting Transparency, Accountability and ElectoralProcesses (STAEP) program, the civil-society based Freeand Fair Elections Network (FAFEN) helps ensure elections are held in a free, transparent, and non-violentmanner in Pakistan. Since the start of the program, nearly40,000 election observers have been trained, and a comprehensive electoral assistance process has beendeveloped—from pre-election monitoring to Election

Day observation to post-election results tabulation andmonitoring of the acceptance of results.

STAEP also runs education campaigns to facilitate voterregistration and to help improve female voter turnout.As a result of these campaigns, nearly 300,000 citizens,including women, transgender persons, religious minori-ties, and other disenfranchised members of society havebeen issued computerized national identity cards(CNIC). Targeted mobilization campaigns in advance ofthe 2013 elections increased female voter turnout by asmuch as 70 percent in polling areas where female voterturnout had been negligible in prior elections. The AsiaFoundation’s other major partners, including AuratFoundation and Trust for Democratic EducationAccountability through the Gender Equity Program andCitizens’ Voice Project, also participated in this year’sgeneral elections, focusing on increasing voter turnout,female voter mobilization and facilitating CNICs, partic-ularly among disenfranchised groups.

PHILIPPINES

The October 2012 Framework Agreement on theBangsamoro provides the greatest hope in a generation for an end to the long-running conflict in the southernPhilippines. But this hopeful beginning will not be sustainable unless the agreement delivers actual improve-ments in politics and governance in the Bangsamoro. A key factor will be how the MILF and other groupstransition from armed struggle to democratic politicsand governance, and there was significant concern that

1960s

India

Korea

1980s

Philippines

1990s

Bangladesh

Cambodia

China

Indonesia

Mongolia

Nepal

Sri Lanka

Taiwan

Thailand

2000s

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Cambodia

Indonesia

Pakistan

Philippines

Malaysia

Mongolia

Nepal

Timor-Leste

AS IA FOUNDAT ION ELECT IONS PROGRAMSTHROUGH THE YEARS

if the MILF, and other armed and unarmedgroups, are unable to participate effectively inelections and democratic governance the peaceprocess could be at risk.

To address this concern The Asia Foundation developed, with support from the UK, a programto facilitate four significant changes: 1) armedgroups committed to the peace process will transition to or develop political parties that compete democratically to realize their vision of a Bangsamoro; 2) political parties will understandhow effective representation and accountabilitycan increase electability; 3) political parties willunderstand how to compete effectively in the newministerial (parliamentary) form of government;and 4) provisions in the Basic Law governingpolitical parties will be consistent with interna-tional norms, standards, and best practices.

The Foundation is currently working with three local partners to provide critical capacity development for nascent and existing politicalparties in the Bangsamoro region. In the future,the Foundation anticipates providing additionalassistance for party development, and assistancefor voter education and election observation for the referendum on the establishment of the Bangsamoro.

SRI LANKA

Since 2010, The Asia Foundation and thePeople’s Alliance for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) have pursued a range of initiatives to promote free and fair elections in Sri Lanka. This work has included voter education, voterregistration, and some elections monitoring activities. Civic education is a cornerstone of theFoundation’s partnership with PAFFREL. Regularmeetings are held to promote civic consciousnessand raise public awareness about electoral activities, the quality of political representation,responsibilities of sub-national government andrelated services. Information on how to engage in a range of electoral activities is disseminated to citizens through posters and brochures, as wellas through a broad media campaign.

The Foundation has taken significant steps tostrengthen the process of voter registration, whichis particularly critical in the North and East ofthe country, where internal conflict disrupted registration, threatening the potential disenfran-chisement of millions. It is also very important inthe Central Province where many citizens work-

ing in the plantation sector have not obtainedimportant national identity cards and are there-fore not registered to vote. In these areas, PAF-FREL facilitated a review and revision of registersand held a series of dialogues and training sessionswith political parties, the Department of Elections,and members of civil society and setup facilitationcenters to encourage and expedite voter registration.

TIMOR-LESTE

Timor-Leste has made significant strides in state-building since the country gained its inde-pendence from Indonesia in 1999. In a relativelyshort period of time, national leaders, alongsidecivil society, bilateral and multilateral organiza-tions, and donor governments have accomplishedmuch in stabilizing the country and in creatingformal governance structures. An underlying partof this success is rooted in Timor-Leste’s activesupport for and recent achievement of free andfair elections. The Asia Foundation has supportedelection programming in Timor-Leste since thepopular consultation that led to independence in1999. In 2009, the Foundation helped to estab-lish and implement an electoral legal framework,educate voters, and monitor elections for newlyestablished elected municipal governments.

In the lead-up to the parliamentary elections of2012, the Foundation conducted a qualitativeneeds assessment of female candidates runningfor seats in parliament. The research highlightedfemale leaders’ desire to move beyond a merequota system (in one of the highest female repre-sentative parliaments in the region) toward moremeaningful participation in leadership positions.The research culminated in targeted trainings incollaboration with local partner organizations andAustralian female politicians who shared theirknowledge and experience with the candidates.

Also during the 2012 parliamentary elections, theFoundation provided assistance to the Ministry ofForeign Affairs in hosting an election observationmission from the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).The Foundation managed all elements of the mission, including pre-election training, logisticaland monitoring assistance, and report preparationassistance. As the first-ever initiative to be conducted under the ARF banner, the missionproved instrumental in cementing the govern-ment of Timor-Leste’s desire to join ASEAN,while demonstrating that Timor-Leste is capableof holding free and fair elections and hostinghigh-level delegations.

HEADQUARTERS465 California Street, 9th FloorSan Francisco, CA 94104 USATel: (415) 982-4640Fax: (415) [email protected]

WASHINGTON, DC1779 Massachusetts Ave., NWSuite 815Washington, D.C. 20036 USATel: (202) 588-9420Fax: (202) [email protected]

www.asiafoundation.org

01/2014

The Asia Foundation

is a nonprofit international

development organization

committed to improving

lives across a dynamic

and developing Asia.

Headquartered in San

Francisco, The Asia

Foundation works through

a network of offices in

18 Asian countries and in

Washington, DC. Working

with public and private

partners, the Foundation

receives funding from

a diverse group of

bilateral and multilateral

development agencies,

foundations, corporations,

and individuals.