Global Programme for Electoral Cycle Support (GPECS)

The programme's work at the global, regional, and country levels and on gender is inter-dependent and mutually reinforcing. For example, country- and regional-level experiences in an area such as enhancing women's participation in electoral processes will be compiled, codified, and fed into global policy guidance as relevant. Similarly, global initiatives on electoral standards or assessment methodologies will be pilot-tested at the regional and national levels before being further developed. GPECS components include:

• Global component - The global component strategically incorporates existing global initiatives and partnerships - such as the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network, BRIDGE, and the EC-UNDP Partnership on Electoral Assistance - to build on existing networks, training curricula, and partnerships. The GPECS sets out a harmonised and process-driven, rather than event-driven, approach to electoral support. That is, GPECS builds on empirical experience that lessons learned are best captured and applied in the post-election period, so that by the time the next voting day approaches, the systems and institutions in place are, hopefully, stronger, more democratic, and more credible.
• Gender component - Example: In March 2011, GPECS sponsored a south-south peer learning exchange, facilitating and financing a 4-person delegation from the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) and a gender specialist from UNDP Nepal's Electoral Support Project to visit South Africa. They took part in a peer-to-peer learning exchange with the South African Electoral Commission. The objective was to study its programmes reaching out to women in voter registration processes and voter information campaigns.
• Regional component: The focus is on supporting south-south cooperation and promoting regional knowledge development, exchanges, and capacity. Example: GPECS facilitated a network for electoral communication for indigenous people in Latin America and the Caribbean. In October 2011, more than 80 media experts took part in a seminar held in Quito, Ecuador, as an initial step to sensitise and train indigenous communicators and journalists in electoral cycle dynamics and on new information and communication technologies (ICTs) so that participants could also share their knowledge within their own indigenous communities. A specific session was held to talk about modern technologies and the use of social media. Discussion touched upon direct access to information, unfiltered news, multiplier effects of re-tweeting or sharing posts, and examples about how to maximise communication activities adjusted to indigenous contexts. At the end of the seminar, a programmatic declaration was signed where participants and the UN entities present agreed to create an indigenous network of communicators and to implement a media monitoring system on the electoral cycle. They also approved initiatives for building capacities in the communications domain with an intercultural dimension, as well as to facilitate the use and knowledge of ICTs.
• Country component - Capacity development is foreseen through: provision of operational guidance and advice; liaison and interaction; and development of knowledge products and information - e.g., global- and regional-level exchanges, trainings, seminars, e-learning, publications, etc. Example: Raising awareness of the role of women both as candidates and voters in Niger throughout the electoral processes was at the heart of the civic and voter education campaign strategy that was implemented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2010 with the support of UNDP. An integrated set of audio and video messages were broadcast on national and private television and radio stations in French and in several local languages. A face-to-face campaign was also undertaken in which civil society organisations along with INEC reached out to young, elderly, and marginalised people - with a special focus on women as electors.

The GPECS website provides various highlights, updates, and resources related to the above-summarised work. Also, GPECS issues a quarterly newsletter, Voices, which aims to provide a forum for the community of electoral practitioners, including UN colleagues, electoral management bodies, donors, and partners, to share information and resources. It focuses on observations and perspectives associated with GPECS-funded activities on the ground.

Democracy and Governance, Women.

As of March 2011, GPECS direct country support had reached more than US$12 million allocated in 14 countries covering support areas like electoral management body (EMB) capacity building, voter education, gender, legal framework development, and non-governmental organisation (NGO) support. GPECS regional advisers have provided more than 100 advisory services in 44 countries covering areas like electoral operations, electoral procurement and budgeting, project formulation, and gender mainstreaming.