Iraqi CSOs establish an Informal Alliance to Perform Citizen’s Non-partisan Observation of Upcoming Elections

Ten CSOs are conducting their activities in accordance with the International Standards for domestic election monitoring. In order to support the conduct of free and fair Iraqi Parliamentary and IKR Provincial Councils elections on April 30, 2014, ten Iraqi CSOs from ten different governorates came together to form an informal alliance acting in accordance with the “Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations”.

Peace Generations Network/IKR, Ajial Association for Intelligence and Creation Development/Dayala, Alhaq Organization for Human Rights Culture/Kirkuk, Akad Cultural Institute/Babel, Al-Rafidain Women Organization/Muthanna, Al-Mir’at Center for Monitoring and Developing Media Performance/Babel, Bustan Association for Children Protection and Education/Sulimanya, Human Right Organization in Wasit, Hammourabi for Monitoring Human Rights and Democracy/Salah ad-Din, South Youth Organization/Dhi Qar; all gathered around international standards and methodology in order to have efficient domestic monitoring of the elections, each in its governorate. All participating CSOs have recruited 3125 citizen experience with domestic election monitoring in Iraq.

All the members of the informal alliance will follow the same internationally recognized methodology to observe the whole electoral process through using unified forms and unified data collecting procedures, in order to facilitate aggregation of their findings for both election observation and media monitoring. Also, the CSOs will use same methodology for the training and deployment of observers and mobile teams. CSOs will perform all of their activities in accordance with the “Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations”.

The assessments, conclusions and recommendations will be produced in accordance with the international standards by using credible sources and confirmed and verified information. All confirmed and verified information will be communicated to the public in a timely manner.

Source: Iraqi Al-Amal Association.