2012

Active participation of voters is one of the most significant guaranties for democratic and fair elections, and awareness campaigns promoting active participation are to be an everyday work. At the dawn of elections in 2012 and 2013 in Armenia ICHD proposed to address the issue of active participation by addressing the public apathy through involvement of youth in the election processes. The goal of the project was to raise the level of youth involvement by training and supporting them to participate in the Armenian elections as independent observers. To achieve the above-mentioned goal ICHD trainers provided a series of two-day trainings in five marzes of Armenia for around 50 young people, providing participants with skills to monitor and report on the election process. The first day of the training focused on election legislation of Armenia, international standards of elections, particularities of observation, differences between observers and proxies, as well as the methodology and process of election observation. On the second day participants got an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in a simulation game on the overall process, observation and problems that may exist during the elections. After the training the project team supported the observers-to-be with the CEC election observation accreditation test, kept track of observer placements and assisted local observer teams in implementing the mission during the elections. After the election ICHD elaborated a paper based on the findings of the observation mission of local observer teams (fellows of trainings), which reflected the elections process, and provided recommendations on future reforms.