CARICOM-UN BRIDGE Workshop on Electoral Observation and Roundtable Discussion on Women’s Political Participation

CARICOM – UN BRIDGE Workshop on Election Observation and Roundtable Discussions on Gender and Elections

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in partnership with the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UNEAD/DPPA), and United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) held a BRIDGE workshop from March 26 & 27, 2025 in Georgetown, Guyana on Election Observation as well as a roundtable discussion on women’s political participation. In attendance were leadership of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname. Other participants were from the senior management and staff of the CARICOM Secretariat as well as representation from the African Union (AU) and the Organisation of American States (OAS). 

This event provided participants to have an overview of various aspects of international frameworks, good practices, challenges and lessons learned in the area of election observation. Participants also familiarized themselves with CARICOM electoral observation methodology and shared experiences on issues related to gender and elections including the trends, challenges and ideas that can help promote inclusivity in electoral and political processes in general and specifically women’s participation.

Key issues on the workshop agenda included electoral cycle and election observation, difference between observation, monitoring, supervision, verification and audit, International Obligations for Elections and Declaration of Principles for International Observers, observation methodology and challenges, developing an observation plan, and managing relations with stakeholders. 

The roundtable afforded participants the opportunity for a very interactive discussion on the barriers women face in accessing the electoral process as voters, candidates, observers and election administrators.

The workshop was facilitated by Theophilus Dowetin and Aleida Ferreyra. Experiences on election observation from the OAS was presented by Melene Glynn, from the AU by Karine Kakasi and from CARICOM by Josephine Tamai. They also shared experiences from their institutions on promoting women’s political participation through election observation. Nadege Domjie from UNEAD provided insight into how the UN promotes women’s electoral and political participation through electoral assistance.

Some comments from final participant evaluation include the following:

“It was generally well planned and executed with very solid information and experience’

“I find all aspects of the training interesting but the methodology of delivery was the standout. The activities used to get the information across was excellent”

“I found the entire training today to be useful. I am happy to have gotten the structure for planning, executing and completing a mission report”

“Not having actually observed an election, the information received on how it is done and what to expected were a great deal of help, having worked in preparing elections for many years”

“It was great to meet so many new people and forming relationship with them. I appreciate it”

“It was a great experience for me as my first time participating, great presentations, excellent inactive sessions, groupwork, food was good too”

“The facilitators were excellent. They balanced personal experience with practical exercises and technical learning. Overall, an excellent and informative training. Wish it would have been longer”

There was a general consensus among participants around the need for follow-up on observer mission recommendations and the need to include women not only as observers but also as heads of such missions. 

The workshop was officially jointly opened by Elizabeth Solomon, the Assistant Secretary General, Foreign and Community Relations of the CARICOM and the UN Guyana acting Resident Coordinator Nicholas Pron.