May 2019
At the end of the campaign, EISA convened and facilitated an inter-university debate on the topic of the legislative elections, which took place on 25 May in Antananarivo. The debate was jointly organised with ONG Tolotsoa. Four universities across the country participated in the debate, namely the Institut d'Etude Politique de Madagascar (IEP), Faculté Economie, Gestion, Sociologie de l'Université d'Antananarivo, la Faculté de Droit et Science Politique de l'Université d'Antananarivo and Faculté de Droit, Economie, Gestion, Mathématiques et Informatiques Appliquées de l'Université de Toamasina.
The debating contest allowed youth to address the different barriers that prevent them from participating in the electoral process and identify solutions regarding these barriers. The debate was broadcast live on Facebook with more than 700 views and the final was also broadcast on the national radio on May 25 to reach more target especially young voters in the regions.
Apr-May 2019
The Voter and Civic education campaign started on the 23 April and ended on 25 May 2019 and was conducted countrywide. The approach varied from one region to another depending on the local and cultural context of each region. The first phase of the campaign focused mainly on direct interaction through person to person communication and, door to door, engaging with traditional leaders, community dialogues, mass awareness at local markets and some mobile caravans for larger towns. A total of 875 educators across the 119 districts of Madagascar participated in the conduct of the campaign. The campaign reached 119 districts, 1.329.730 people, 519 municipalities and 1358 neighborhoods. Target beneficiaries appreciated the conduct of the Voter and Civic education campaign within their communities regarding the use of ballot papers, documents for voting but especially the roles and function of MPs as CSOs noticed that most voters were not aware of the roles of the future members of Parliament.
The second phase of the Voter and Civic education campaign consisted of a media campaign where EISA partnered with 48 local radio stations across the country from May 13th to 25th. The objective of this specific campaign was to reach out to citizens not reached during the first phase of the campaign. This media outreach also included sensitatisation messages and voting information such as voting day, the ballot papers and the roles and functions of parliament. Local radios were selected based on the geographical reach of the station and the number of audiences. Live programmes varied from 15 to 30 minutes. A total of 239 radio programmes were broadcast. A social media campaign was also conducted on EISA's Facebook page to strengthen the sensitisation message. In total the campaign has reached about 480.000 people nationwide.
The campaign has encouraged voters to cast their ballot in an informed manner. The deployment across the 119 districts also helped increase the visibility of the electoral commission (CENI) and provided part time employment to members of women and youth organisations.
May 2019
To intensify the campaign in regions with low turnouts during the presidential election, EISA organised cultural events focused on sensitisation, debates and exchanges with the public about the legislative elections in Diego on 4 May, in Antananarivo on 17 May and in Ihosy on 23 May. The objectives of the events was to create a platform for representatives to listen to the concerns and barriers identified by women and youth that prevent them from voting and/or standing for office, and also to encourage them to cast their ballots on May 27.
To this end outdoor stages were put in place, with the participation of local entertainers and activists. This approach saw a positive response from and interaction with local citizen. The three cultural events were attended by approximately 11,847 people. The events in Antsiranana and Antananarivo were broadcast live on Facebook and reached about 4,548 viewers online.
EISA developed new campaign materials were produced for the legislative elections. New posters that included information regarding the election date and a specimen ballot paper was also produced by EISA and the CENI.
Each constituency received a pack of specimen ballot papers specific to each constituency, provided by the CENI, to familiarise voters with the voting procedure. In addition, a flyer containing information about the roles and functions of members of parliament was produced to encourage voters to make informed choices when casting their votes. EISA also prepared a pagivolte illustrating the roles of MPs and information on the documentation to vote was produced to better reach illiterate voters.
A total of 30,000 posters, 178,500 flyers, 228 pagivoltes and 900 t-shirts were produced for the campaign.
CVE activities were conducted across 116 districts among 119 districts and involved about 20 local civil society organisations mostly youth and women organisations. Sensitisation activities varied from mobile caravans across these 116 districts, home visits for people in rural areas, sensitisation booths, and media outreach. EISA mobilised 819 animators to conduct the campaign within the 114 districts covered during the first-round presidential elections. The campaign continued into the presidential run-off and covered 116 districts by 513 animators.
In full, it reached 1,064 municipalities among the 1,693 across the country and around 1,204,055 citizens.
Feb 2019
From 1 to 15 February 2019, EISA conducted a campaign to sensitise voters to register in preparation of the 27 May legislative elections. This campaign targeted specifically women and youth. It was carried out in four different regions: SAVA, Atsimo Andrefana, Menabe, Ihorombe, in 8 districts and in 109 neighborhoods.
The enrolment rate in the targeted district reached an average of 14% compared to the 2% national enrollment rate. This campaign has thus led to a significant increase in the number of women and youth registered to vote in the targeted regions. Among the 14,151 citizens sensitised, 4,438 registered women voters and 6,276 registered youth voters.
December 2018
![[Click to enlarge] Voter and Civic education Sensitisation poster for the second presidential run off](images/mad2018campaign3.jpg "[Click to enlarge] Voter and Civic education Sensitisation poster for the second presidential run off")
The civic and voter education campaign for the presidential run-off was officially launched on October 15th 2018 in Toliara with the electoral commission and the UNDP/SACEM.
The objective of the campaign, which was carried out until the second presidential run-off, was to encourage voter participation in the presidential elections through the teaching voting procedures
and increasing awareness on the importance of citizen participation in the vote.
![[Click to enlarge] Instruction poster on the use of ballot paper](images/mad2018campaign4.jpg "[Click to enlarge] Instruction poster on the use of ballot paper")
The campaign was conducted across 117 districts and involved about 20 local civil society organisations mostly youth and women organisation, that had previously received training from the electoral commission, UNDP and EISA.
An exchange and evaluation workshop were conducted with the regional focal person between the elections to review campaign activities during the first round, to assess challenges and identify good practices
to increase the effectiveness of the next campaign. Representatives from the UNDP/ SACEM also took part in the exchanges.
![[Click to enlarge] Illustrated flipchart showing the essential documents for voting](images/mad2018campaign5.jpg "[Click to enlarge] Illustrated flipchart showing the essential documents for voting")
The end of the campaign was marked by a mobile caravan going through the capital for two days on December 14th and 15th of 2018.
September 2018
On 28 September EISA signed an agreement with UNDP to conduct a civic and voter education campaign in the run up to the presidential election scheduled for late 2018.
This project seeks to increase and promote massive citizen participation through a nation-wide sensitisation campaign, targeting particularly Malagasy women and youth.
September 2018
Following the media training on parliamentary processes in February, EISA held a two-day training for media professionals from Antananarivo and other regions of Madagascar on how to display more sensitive gender news coverage. The event took place on September 11th and 12th in Antananarivo. Media professionals are an important partner in sensitising and promoting a democratic culture and encouraging equity between men and women. 18 journalists attended the training, 8 of them were from the regions where women's participation is particularly challenging.
August 2018
On 30 and 31 August 2018 was held in Antananarivo the training of trainers for civil society organisations on civic and voter education, organized jointly by the electoral commission and EISA and funded by USAID.
The workshop saw the participation of 58 representatives of civil society organisations from the 22 regions of the island, including more than 50% of youth and women's associations.
August 2018
A workshop to review the achievements of women's organizations in promoting women's participation in public life Twelve female heads of CSOs working to promote women's participation in public life attended a workshop in Antsirabe August 8th and 9th.
Before the workshop, an organisational audit of the CSOs structure and human and financial resources was conducted and the results of the presented during the meeting. The audit also included recommendations on how they could effectively improve women participation.
August 2018
The STEP EPT specialist conceptualised and designed a VCE manual that was reviewed and validated by the CENI Director of Electoral Education and Communications and the Head of the Sensitization and Electoral Education Service, local CSOs and CENI's technical partners.
The validation workshop took place on 2 and 3 August 2018 in Antananarivo and was attended by 25 participants, nine youth, nine women and three persons with disabilities. The manual was produced in French and Malagasy and serves as the key document for the CENI and CSO voter education campaigns. It also includes strategies on how to participate actively in public life.
Following the validation workshop and adoption of the curriculum, and the training of CENI staff, a training of trainers (ToT) targeting CSOs was conducted on 30 and 31 August 2018 in Antananarivo. The training was attended by 60 participants from 47 CSOs, 52% women and 43% youth. The CSO representatives were selected through a call for expression of interest issued by EISA and the CENI based on the CSO mapping report produced by EISA outlined above. Women and youth were given preference, especially those from regions where their participation in the last election and voter registration was lowest.
July 2018
EISA was requested by this organisation (funded by Francophonie) to facilitate a train the trainer workshop on civic and voter education, advocacy and lobbying.
The training took place in Mahajanga from 9 to 13 July and attended by 35 representatives of local women's associations.
June 2018
Based on the results of the CSO mapping exercise, EISA drafted a report providing an analysis of Malagasy CSOs involvement in democratic and electoral processes since 1990. The report includes an overview of the legal and political background in which they have emerged. It also analyses their contribution, strengths and weaknesses in promoting citizen participation and more credible electoral processes. It is the first time that such a document has been produced. The document is also a source of information on CSOs working in the areas of democracy, governance and human rights as it contains a detailed list of CSOs, their focus area and their geographic coverage.
Updated February 2018
From 1 to 15 February 2019, EISA conducted a campaign to sensitise voters to register in preparation of the 27 May legislative elections. This campaign targeted specifically women and youth. It was carried out in four different regions: SAVA, Atsimo Andrefana, Menabe, Ihorombe, in 8 districts and in 109 neighborhoods. The enrolment rate in the targeted district reached an average of 14% compared to the 2% national enrollment rate. This campaign has thus led to a significant increase in the number of women and youth registered to vote in the targeted regions. Among the 14 151 citizens sensitised, 4 438 registered women voters and 6 276 registered youth voters.
Updated February 2018
February 2018
On Thursday 1 February 2018, the Executive Director of EISA, Denis Kadima and his team, Dr Catherine Musuva, Chief of Party of the Supporting Transition and Electoral Processes (STEP programme) and Jessica Ranohefy Andreas, EISA Representative in Madagascar, met with Mr Hery Rakotomanana, the Chair of the Electoral Commission of Madagascar.
The meeting focused on areas of collaboration between the two organizations in view of the 2018 electoral process in Madagascar. As part of the STEP programme, funded by USAID, EISA will implement activities to support the CENI as well as Civil Society Organizations in Civic and Voter Education.
In preparing for the forthcoming 2013 elections EISA commenced its work in supporting the National Independent Electoral Commission for the Transition's (CENIT) efforts in putting in place mechanisms to manage election related conflict. Consultative meetings were held with the CENIT and local Civil Society Oranisations, laying the groundwork for the selection of trainers and the identification of conflict mediators. EISA designed and developed conflict management training materials to be distributed to trainers and future panellists. These include participants' handbooks and check lists for the mediation exercise. For the activity, EISA Madagascar is building on the EISA election Conflict Management Panel model introduced in other countries, such as Burundi, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, and South Africa. These panels would become operational in 2013.
A voter education curriculum was developed in consultation with a local civil society network, the Komity Mpanaramaso ny Fifidianana/Comité National d'Observation des Elections (KMF/CNOE) whereafter core trainers were provided with the skills to facilitate train the trainer programmes in their own regions. In order to ensure maximum outreach, EISA supported the cascade model of training in 23 districts of seven regions of Madagascar. With the skills and support provided by EISA, 16 CSO trainers ran workshops in their different regions attended by 295 participants, including 156 men and 139 women.. Through this cascade approach local capacity was strengthened, and the participants' facilitation skills and confidence in conducting voter education workshops was improved.
In addition, EISA signed a funding agreement with the EU Delegation in Madagascar in support of civil society's involvement in voter information and education for the voter registration process. Consultative meetings with participating CSOs were organised in December 2012 to ensure that all participating CSOs have a common understanding of the project which is being implemented under EISA's guidance and would be ready to roll out in 2013.
Although elections were delayed in Madagascar during 2011, EISA used the opportunity provided by the local government elections in South Africa to organise a study tour for members of the National Electoral Commission (CENI), political parties and CSOs to South Africa to gain first hand exposure to see how Party Liaison Comitttees work as well as the EISA/IEC Conflict Management Panel structures function in practice. The study tour, which took place from 13 to 20 May, included three officials of the CENI, including the president of the CENI, two political party representatives and three CSO representatives. The delegation also observed polling day in the Gauteng province and held meetings with South African political parties, the South African Civil Society Election Coalition, the Municipal Demarcation Board and the IEC. The Malagasy delegation also established networks with the EMBs of Burundi, Zimbabwe and Mexico which were also in South Africa at the time.
Upon returning to Madagascar, EISA Madagascar convened a half day debriefing workshop which brought together the study tour participants, additional representatives from the participants' institutions, UN agencies, international NGOs, embassies and the media. The participants shared their experiences and reflected on the challenges facing the electoral process in Madagascar.
22 May 2008, Hotel Le Colbert, Antananarivo: Workshop Report
This workshop was a follow up to the work undertaken by the teams sent to observe the elections in the country in December 2006 and September 2007 (see Madagascar: National Assembly 23 September 2007 EOM Report [PDF] and Madagascar: Presidential 3 December 2006 EOM Report/Madagascar: Presidentielles 3 Decembre 2006 [PDF]). The overall goal of the workshop was to unravel the election management challenges facing Madagascar and propose appropriate reform measures. The specific objectives were to:
The workshop addressed the following topics:
The event gathered 50 participants drawn from a list of various stakeholders including political parties, civil society organizations, election authorities, government officials at the central and local levels, MPs (House of Assembly and Senate), the Judiciary, the media, the donor community and development agencies, academia and traditional leadership.
