BRIDGE Strategic Plan

Preamble

In an era marked by evolving worldwide political landscapes and diverse challenges to democratic processes, it is increasingly imperative to foster robust and resilient elections. This strategic plan aims to enhance the capability of election management bodies, civil society organizations, and key partners and electoral actors through a comprehensive global curriculum. Our endeavour upholds the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and integrity in electoral processes, recognizing their essential role in building and sustaining trust in democratic processes and governance. 

Our dynamic collaborative effort brings together a diverse group of BRIDGE Partners, each contributing unique expertise and perspectives. We acknowledge the complexity of the current global context, where challenges impact electoral integrity and public trust including the rapid advancement of technology, shifts in information dissemination, and necessity for increased resilience in democratic institutions. 

While the design is to address emerging issues, the frame is sensitive to diverse political and social environments in which BRIDGE Partners operate. The goal is to equip stakeholders with knowledge and skills needed to navigate and effectively mitigate challenges, without attributing specific political connotations or implications. Our focus is on fostering a collaborative approach that strengthens electoral processes through shared learning and best practices that educate, engage, and innovate through the BRIDGE curriculum. 

Together, through this strategic plan, the BRIDGE Partners aim to build a foundation for more resilient, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes, thereby supporting the continued development and stability of democratic institutions across the globe. 

The BRIDGE Partners remain dedicated to our core values of collaboration, agility, respect and diversity for the varied contexts in which the BRIDGE partnership functions. By doing so, we strive to contribute positively to the global discourse on democratic governance and the reinforcement and protection of credible elections. 

Vision

Create a better world by strengthening democracies through electoral capability and resilience. 

  • Promote internationally accepted principles of democracy and best electoral practice. 

Purpose

  • Promote internationally accepted principles of democracy and best electoral practice. 
  • Enhance skills, capability and confidence of electoral management bodies, key partners, and electoral actors. 
  • Foster a learning culture through a diverse and highly connected community that shares electoral knowledge, resources, and best practices. 

BRIDGE values

The underpinning values in the BRIDGE content and methodology are:

Pillars

Pillar 1: Curriculum

Goal: deliver the highest quality curriculum that responds to contemporary challenges to trusted elections. 

Defining success: The BRIDGE curriculum is reviewed and updated on a regular basis and maintains its participatory adult education techniques with a distinctive values-based approach.  New modules and emerging topics are introduced that respond to contemporary challenges in electoral administration. With consistent progress towards this goal, all modules will be reviewed and updated in this five-year period, and curriculum on emerging topics developed. 

Pillar 2: Partnership

Goal: facilitate more effective leadership and oversight of BRIDGE. 

Defining success: All BRIDGE Partners actively engage and participate regularly in the established BRIDGE governance processes at the appropriate level and actively contribute their expertise and resources to the activities described in the BRIDGE implementation plan, ensuring institutional continuity, visibility and commitment to strengthening BRIDGE activities. 

Goal: ensure greater adherence to the BRIDGE rules to protect the reputation, quality and standards of BRIDGE. 

Defining success: the BRIDGE Partnership actively monitors the community’s compliance to the BRIDGE rules and utilisation of the BRIDGE Portal. The BRIDGE Partners actively model the expected requirements and continue to inform and educate the BRIDGE community (facilitators and implementers) on BRIDGE best practices. 

Pillar 3: Community

Goal: strengthen engagement with and support to facilitators for better knowledge sharing and professional development. 

Defining success: the BRIDGE Partners consistently support and advocate continuous learning by strengthening and working to expand the BRIDGE community of practice. The BRIDGE Partners initiate regular engagement with the BRIDGE community, including increased outreach to new and diverse actors, to foster knowledge sharing. 

Goal: broaden engagement and targeted audience to new actors and networks connected to electoral processes. 

Defining success: the BRIDGE Partners seek to create new connections with actors involved in electoral processes and utilize these connections to expand the reach of the BRIDGE curriculum. BRIDGE training events continue to increase across a broader range of actors, networks, and countries.

Pillar 4: Innovation

Goal: promote the use of technology to effectively administer and deliver the BRIDGE program; and ensure the delivery of BRIDGE capitalises on new and innovative formats. 

Defining success: The BRIDGE Partners continue to strengthen the website and portal in new and innovative ways. Curriculum delivery methodologies will be actively explored to strengthen the implementation of BRIDGE: macro- and micro-levels of implementation are considered to increase maximum curriculum coverage while prioritizing environmentally friendly methods of delivery. 

Implementation

The strategic plan is supported by an implementation plan that details the activities identified and agreed to by the BRIDGE Partners that will contribute to the achievement of the vision and pillars detailed in the strategic plan.