The Gambia

Development Objectives

The project focused on enhancing national capacity in organizing free and fair elections and collaboration with key stakeholders in the media and CSOs.

Activities

• Technical and Managerial Skills of the Staff and Management of the IEC was enhanced to manage and support the electoral process through provision of materials, provision of Technical assistance, training of staff and study tours.
  
• Efforts to improve voter registration and education programme is to ensure that the qualities of both exercises are of acceptable standards is on course. A consultant has produced a strategy plan, which will be validated for immediate action.
  
• Establishment of a PMU
  
• Capacity of the Electoral Observers enhanced to provide required oversight has been accomplished through training activities
  
• Equitable media coverage and Public Outreach program conducted with the effective participation of the IEC.
  
• Capacity of Civil Society Organizations enhanced to play a more active role in advocating for free and fair elections
  
• Monitoring and Evaluation exercises conducted through review meetings and progress reports.
  

Intended Results

The project strengthened institutional frameworks and systems to facilitate free and fair elections and enhanced national capacity to ensure broader participation and national ownership of the Electoral process. Capacity of the CSOs were also enhanced and for the first time in Gambian Electoral history, a CSO coalition played a key role in voter education, observation and monitoring of elections.

Corporate Thematic Area : Democratic Governance and Human Rights

Project Status : The project is at its final stages with the Local Government Elections being the last major activity. Improvement of the electoral system such as the voter registration and voter education will be continued now against the next elections in The Gambia

Location: Nationwide

Period of the Project : July 2006 to January 2008

UNDP Program Officer: Bashirou Garba-Jahumpa, Programme Specialist

National Implementing Partner: Independent Electoral Commission

Project Director: Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission

Major Sources of Financing: Joint basket Funding (UNDP, EU &DFID) -$1,274,598

Delivery: $918,000.00