CNDH takes part in a webinar on electoral processes and NHRIs

The CNDH took part on June 22, 2020, in a webinar on National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and electoral processes organized by the Association francophone des Commissions nationales des droits de l’Homme (AFCNDH) “Francophone Association of National Human Rights Commissions” in cooperation with the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).

This webinar was an opportunity to present the electronic version of the election handbook and the methodology for its elaboration for French-speaking NHRIs.

At this webinar, experiences were exchanged and feedbacks were shared from French-speaking NHRIs which held polls in the first semester.

More than 20 NHRI representatives took part in this webinar, such as Cameroon, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali.

The CNDH of Morocco shed light on its experience in election observation, mainly its collaboration with journalists during the electoral process and its presidency of the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers.

On this occasion, the CNDH focused on Law 30-11 laying down the terms and conditions of independent and neutral election observation. The CNDH also emphasized its own observers’ deployment.

In this regard, the CNDH highlighted the implementation of a platform dedicated to the election observation and the development of a TV spot published on Moroccan channels in which it details the process of election observation.

In addition, the CNDH emphasized the capacity building of actors such as the initiation of several capacity building programs for the benefit of different actors in 2016, including training election observers. The CNDH also developed programs on the promotion of the participation of people with disabilities in elections and on the electoral lexicon for the benefit of the NGOs working in the field of deafness.

As part of its cooperation with La Maison de la Presse, the CNDH organized a training session on September 26 and 27, 2016, in Tangier, Morocco on building the capacity of journalists in media follow up of legislative elections of October 7, 2016.

This training session benefited around forty journalists who are members of La Maison de la Presse representing written, electronic and audiovisual press.

It also focused on the normative reference governing elections (electoral campaign, voting, and the announcement of results), the legal framework relating to neutral and independent elections’ observation, as well as ethics and deontology questions  related to media monitoring of electoral deadlines.

Furthermore, as an observer, the CNDH develops and publishes its report on election observation. Likewise, it follows press conferences for the publication of election observation reports of other national and international organizations.

Today and a few months before the next elections scheduled for 2021, the CNDH will continue, by law, to chair the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers.

And as part of the training component, special importance should be given to training journalists, with the scheduling of training sessions in the 12 regions of Morocco. The issue of ethics and respect for deontology, besides the legal framework, should also be emphasized.