UNDP TANZANIA CONDUCTS ELECTORAL OBSERVATION WORKSHOP FOR CSOs

The UNDP, through the Democratic Empowerment Project (DEP), is supporting the capacity development of a network of Tanzanian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that are organizing to field election observers at the upcoming general elections in October 2015. To these ends, UNDP organized a three-day BRIDGE Modular workshop on Electoral Observation for participants drawn from the Tanzania Election Monitoring Committee (TEMCO), Tanzania Civil Society Consortium on Election Observation (TACCEO) and the Coalition on Election Monitoring and Observation in Tanzania (CEMOT). The workshop began on the 19^th and ended on the 21^st August 2015 in Bagamoyo, Tanzania and facilitated by Mr. Zefanias Matsimbe (Accrediting Facilitator).

The aim of the training was to introduce the network to the theoretical, conceptual and practical aspects of election observation management including the guidelines and principles of electoral observation, Tanzanian electoral legislation and code of conduct for election observation. The workshop also introduced participants to best practices and comparative experiences in observation in an effort to foster improved knowledge and skills necessary to enhance the quality and credibility of election observation in Tanzania.

The DEP under its Component 2 (Improved EMB management and Integrity Capacity) provides for professional development support to both Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) and electoral stakeholders including participation in events and workshops to foster institutional capacity building.

The DEP is a three-year electoral cycle programme which is managed by UNDP though a multi-donor basket fund supported by Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, European Union, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The project aims to strengthen the credibility and capacity of key institutions in Tanzania to effectively implement elections management.