In partnership with the four political parties that have government-funded Research and Analytical Centers (RACs), the project began the Capacity Development Program. This program aims to provide technical assistance to build RACs capacities to carry out evidence-based research, develop policies, and educate their party constituents.
IFES signed Memorandums of Cooperation with these four political parties , aiming to help implement the general objective of the project: Democratic and credible election processes that facilitate political participation and social integration by enabling voters to select their representatives and hold them accountable.
As part of this long-standing program, IFES began the first tailor made pre-election cycle of activities, including building capacities in the area of research design, data analysis and processing, and presentation skills including preparation of design and info graphics. The program was created and adjusted in cooperation with the RACs and the political parties, based on their needs and the needs of the citizens.
By participating in the project, political parties’ representatives will have the opportunity to learn and be exposed to new techniques and opportunities to improve public policy development, and communication and interaction with their constituents.
Additionally, after the technical assistance and the ongoing support is completed, the political parties will be able to apply a more citizen-centered and programmatic approach to overcome their ethnocentric narratives and engage in policy development, making election processes more representative and inclusive.
Citizens will be better informed and will demand accountability from the elected officials, forcing political parties to become more responsive and citizen-oriented.
