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"We know we can’t do it all on our own, so we have a strong commitment to partnership, a recognition that our partners bring something uniquely valuable to the table, just as we believe we do.” 
- Tony Banbury, IFES President & CEO

IFES ON THE ROAD

Last week in Delhi, IFES President and CEO Tony Banbury gathered with election management bodies from around the world to discuss misinformation and the use of technology in elections at the Election Commission of India’s international conference. Speaking to the Indian Express, Banbury said the “single gravest threat to democracy” is the information space, urging social media companies to implement voluntary guidelines during elections. 

At the conference—part of the Summit for Democracy—he also warned about the technological tools being given to political candidates and nefarious actors who want to influence election outcomes to spread misinformation and attack opponents.  

Actors wielding technological tools to spread misinformation is a major concern in the upcoming Nigeria election. Banbury visited Abuja, Nigeria, after the conference to meet with our partners, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to combat these threats as well as support a national civic education curriculum to strengthen the electoral process. 

“To catch them young, the revised curriculum is a hallmark innovation that will introduce children and youth very early to the concept, processes, ethics, and values of democratic systems and governance,” Banbury said.

HOW A STUDENT IS BREWING PEACE IN ETHIOPIA

When law student Halina stepped on her university campus in Ethiopia, she noticed tension between students of different ethnic groups, finding it difficult to collaborate with her peers. But with the support of an IFES-sponsored program, she helped students bridge some divides over a cup of coffee. 

“There was a leader of one cultural setting and one of another, and these groups never sit together; they never even cross the same street,” she said. “They shared ideas and experiences that were common to both of them, and now they’re on talking grounds.” 

Read more of Halina’s story here.

UPCOMING ELECTIONS
- Ecuador Referendum
Feb. 5, 2023

- Nigeria General Elections
Feb. 25, 2023

DIPPING INTO THE HISTORY OF INDELIBLE INK

IFES was recently featured in a Quartz “weekly obsession” article about the dark purple ink that voters dip their finger into after they vote. Countries use indelible ink to prevent people from voting more than once. 

Read more about it here.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join Peter Erben, IFES’s principal advisor and senior country director in Ukraine, at the U.S. Institute of Peace on Feb. 8, where he will speak about the vital importance of supporting Ukraine’s democratic progress and institutions. He will be joined by Amb. Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States. The event will be moderated by Amb. William Taylor with introductory remarks by Tony BanburyRegister here.

On Feb. 9, join IFES for a conversation exploring strategies for establishing and enforcing state accountability in politically fragile environments around the world. Our esteemed panelists include Francis Fukuyama, Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), Stanford University; IFES's Regional Director for the Americas, Maximo Zaldivar; and Thomas Carothers, Senior Fellow and co-director of Democracy, Conflict, and Governance, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with veteran journalist Maggie Lake as moderator. 
RSVP here.

 

The Voice is a monthly newsletter from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems that keeps you informed about elections worldwide and how IFES is advancing democracy for a better future. Get this newsletter sent directly to your inbox by subscribing here

To stay up to date with the latest news and blog posts from IFES, visit ifes.org. To keep track of upcoming elections, visit IFES’s electionguide.org

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