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Brief Profiles of Countries, EMB’s

and

Partner Organizations of A-WEB

INTRODUCTION to identify and obliterate barriers, facilitate for accessible
elections and maximize the participation.
Regular and periodic elections are an essential feature of
a democratic polity; and free, fair, credible and transpar- ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
ent elections are critical to the legitimacy of a democratic
government. Elections shape up the political will of the Obliteration of barriers in enhancing electoral participa-
people to constitute the foundation of authority for dem- tion, inclusion of voice from all sections of society in dem-
ocratic governments. The state in a democratic society ocratic polity has its own issues and challenges . EMB’s
derives its strength from the cooperative and dispassion- across the world have addressed these issues and chal-
ate will of its citizens, free and equal. In this context it is lenges through new initiatives, innovation and integration
imperative that the voice of all categories of citizenry is of state-of- the-art technologies and capacity building
included in democratic representation. Inclusive and ac- for efficient and efficacious delivery of free and fair elec-
cessible elections coupled with ethical participation are tions as per their mandate. International institutions have
prime considerations that add to, determine and define contributed through continued research and support in
the health of a democratic polity. pursuit of deepening of democracy. Knowledge sharing
on elections and electoral practice through technology
UN GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR based platforms especially launched by International In-
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION stitutions serve as one stop authentic and rich resource
for earning from each other’s experiences.
Participation in terms of universal equal suffrage as a hu-
man right finds its roots in the Universal Declaration of ORIGIN OF A-WEB
Human Rights, (UDHR) 1948, the International Covenants
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966 and is further The year 2011 witnessed the origin of a new international
expressed for ‘Inclusion and Access’ in specific prescrip- institution when the National Election Commission of the
tion under the Convention on Elimination of Discrimina- Republic of Korea (NEC) proposed the establishment of a
tion Against Women (CEDAW) 1979, UN Convention on global association for structural support and firm estab-
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), 2006 besides lishment of democratic elections in emerging democra-
similar other UN Treaties and regional instruments. cies. The proposal was presented at the Conference on
the eve of celebration of the 20th year of ACEEEO in Hun-
Democracies across the world have shaped their con- gary. This was followed by adoption of Resolution to es-
stitutional, legislative, and legal framework for ‘Inclusive tablish Association of World Election Bodies the A-WEB.
and Accessible Elections’ based on universal adult suf- The proposal was further developed through a series of
frage, deriving guidance from the aforesaid international deliberations in the Working Group (s), the charter final-
Treaties. Election Management Bodies of different coun- ized and finally, in October 2013, the establishment of
tries, with a view to fulfill the mandate for free, fair, trans- A-WEB was officially announced along with approval of
parent and credible elections have evolved their opera- its charter. As on date A-WEB has 106 countries with 115
tional framework, developed strategies and action plans EMB’s as members with 16 Partner organizations.

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