Sections
DONATE
SUPPORT WWW.JOLLOFNEWS.COM
Account Login
‘Human rights key to successful elections’
Friday, 18 March 2011 23:04
JollofNews - The validity of many elections in Africa has been marred by the totality of events before, during and after
polls.This has contributed, in many instances, to refusal by losing candidates to accept poll outcomes, resulting in civil unrest.
This is the concern now being raised by the UN, in anticipation of over a dozen elections expected in the region this year, including in Gambia.
Promoting and upholding human rights before, during and after an electoral process is critical to whether or not that election is ultimately a success,” Patrice Vahard, a senior human rights adviser with the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), said.
He was speaking as UN human rights officers from across the sub region concluded a two-day meeting, Thursday, in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
“With no less than 17 elections coming up this year [in the region], human rights are going to be key to those elections being peaceful,” he said, adding: “We need to insist on the centrality of human rights in the electoral process.”
The Dakar meeting culminated in the issuing of a communiqué in which the officials expressed concern over rights violations during recent elections in the region, notably in Ivory Coast.
Further citing the Ivorian experience, where hundreds of people have been killed since incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo refused to leave office after his UN-certified defeat by Alassane Ouattara in last November’s presidential ballot, Mr. Vahard said: “These bad examples could serve as a lesson to be proactive in mainstreaming a culture of human rights.”
According to him, it is vital that the protection of human rights be made a priority in planning for an election. He therefore proposed practical steps such as introducing training for political parties, security forces and electoral officials and staff on human rights whenever an election approaches.
Incumbents in the region have used state resources to suppress their opponents’ supports either by unleashing armed thugs or threatening consequences for failure to support their bids.
While in Gambia, for example, there have been reports of threats of denial of development projects to any region where the people do not vote for the incumbent, in Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo has cut off electricity supply to regions where his opponent got major support.
In light of these and many similar occurrences in the region, Vahard said monitoring of human rights violations should also continue for a month beyond the proclamation of final results.
The UN also has a critical role to play, he noted, in disseminating messages of tolerance and human rights awareness before, during and after a poll.
Written by Kemo Cham
Jollofnews Poll
Who do you think should be the next President of The Gambia?
Follow us on Twitter
-
Anti-cuts protest at Clegg's homeUp to 100 anti-cuts protesters gather outside Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's home in south-west...
-
Islamist and ex-PM vie for mantle of Egypt's revoltCAIRO (Reuters) - The Muslim Brotherhood and a military man identified with the police state...
-
Bristol Rovers Speed Merchant Could Be Racing To Posh(GamSports) – Peterborough United are thought to be one of a number of Championship sides...