Workshop conducted in Erbil by IHEC

The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) of Iraq funded a customized BRIDGE workshop on Media and Elections for participants from mass media & Journalist enterprise. The workshop was conducted in Erbil from 7-9 April 2014.

This workshop aimed to:

•Educate network from mass Media and Journalist enterprise to cover the Election of the Council of Representatives of Iraq in 2014

•Strengthen the understanding of electoral cycle, roles and responsibilities of different actors and explain IHEC procedures and the related issues.

Three days’ workshop was led by Mazin Swadi (Accrediting bridge facilitator) head of electoral skills in IHEC and Co- facilitated by

•Mazin Al-Daif: Workshop Bridge facilitator (IHEC).

•Ibraheem Abduljbaar: Workshop Bridge facilitator (IHEC).

•Jumana Zuhair Raouf: Workshop Bridge facilitator (IHEC).

Twenty one participants (17 male, 4 female) attended the workshop from mass media & Journalist enterprise.

The workshop agenda focused on:

•Bridge Project.

• Legal framework and the principle of free media

•Electoral Cycle and mass media.

•Electoral System and Seat Allocation.

•Polling procedure and media roles.

•Procedures of media accreditation and code of conduct of mass media.

• The role of IHEC websites in mass media.

•The Procedures of Branch Counting and Sorting Centres.

•Tally Centre procedures.

•Electoral Campaign regulation.

•Common dilemmas for mass media during Elections Day.

•Access for Disadvantaged Groups.

•The role of media during Election.

Participants praised the methodology used at the BRIDGE workshop and impact of learning while having group discussions. All the topics presented were of importance for mass media & Journalist.

In recognition of completion of the three-day training course, participants received a BRIDGE certificate. The mass media & Journalist were very excited using BRIDGE as they viewed it as being one of the best tools for training. They welcomed this approach by the IHEC to work with mass media & Journalist to prepare them to cover the Election of the Council of Representatives of Iraq in 2014.