Electoral Reform and Civic Advocacy (AERCA)

OVERVIEW

  • Implementation period: July 2009 – December 2015
  • Project budget: $38.7 million

The Electoral Reform and Civic Advocacy (AERCA) project supports an Afghan-led electoral reform process that addresses inadequacies that were highlighted in past Afghan elections. The current electoral system does not yet allow for full representation of Afghan citizens and limits opportunity for the growth of effective political opposition. In response, AERCA engages with reform-minded civil society advocates to support improvements in the electoral system and facilitates public opinion research on electoral reform and democracy issues. AERCA increases civic participation in electoral reform advocacy through the Afghan Civil Society Electoral Network (ACSEN) – a network of over 150 civil society organizations (CSO) and political stakeholders working together to improve public confidence and transparency in Afghan elections. 

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

  • Development of a CSO-led electoral reform agenda
  • Advocacy skills training for civil society activists
  • Civic education for civil society advocates to raise awareness and support on community mobilization efforts for the presidential, provincial council and parliamentary elections
  • Public opinion research on attitudes toward political parties, elected leaders and individual preferences on different electoral systems
  • Training and grants to Afghan research centers to conduct studies on electoral reform

RESULTS

  • Established the Afghan Civil Society Electoral Network (ACSEN) to coordinate civil society electoral reform efforts
  • Provided 18 grants to local CSOs to implement election-focused civic education and public outreach initiatives
  • Conducted 756 workshops to encourage participation by women in electoral reform
  • Carried out unprecedented, nationwide public opinion survey on electoral reform issues, showing 92.3 percent of Afghans favor reforms.
  • Forged a partnership with Kabul University’s National Center for Policy Research to create Afghanistan’s first nationwide electoral survey network
  • Led study tours for civil society leaders and elected officials to India, Mexico, South Africa, and New Zealand to provide Afghan stakeholders with comparative perspectives on alternative electoral systems and the pursuit of electoral reform