Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa

23/04/2026

16/04/2026

Democracy starts at home and at ESN-SA, we practice what we preach 😊

We are excited to announce the election of our new Board Members, democratically chosen by our members to steer the next chapter of our work in advancing electoral integrity across the region.

A big thank you to our outgoing Board for their service, and a warm welcome to the incoming team.

Curious to see who made the cut? Take a look at the bulletin below for the election process and list of our newly elected Board Members.

16/04/2026

🔑 Key Takeaways from the ESN‑SA 2026 Election Academy
📅 13–14 April 2026 | 📍 South Africa

🔹 Election observation remains essential for transparency, credibility, and public trust, but is under growing pressure from shrinking civic space and limited resources.

🔹 A rapidly evolving context marked by geopolitical tensions, democratic backsliding, and technological disruption demands constant adaptation, innovation, and collaboration.

🔹 Technology is transforming elections ⚙️, improving efficiency while also introducing risks such as misinformation, cyber threats, and digital manipulation.

🔹 Africa’s democratic landscape is increasingly complex 🌍, with rising youth influence, coalition politics, declining public trust, and constitutional challenges shaping electoral processes.

🔹 Sustainability is a critical concern 💰 donor dependency, institutional gaps, and the “accountability paradox” continue to undermine the effectiveness of election observation.

🔹 Election observation remains the voice of reason 🤝 trusted and credible, but requiring stronger protection, solidarity, and independence.

🚀 The Way Forward
✅ Strengthen collaboration, partnerships, and South‑to‑South learning
✅ Diversify funding and build local ownership
✅ Embrace digital, long‑term, and cost‑effective observation models
✅ Enhance advocacy, visibility, and engagement with regional bodies and the private sector
✅ Invest in youth inclusion and revitalise citizen‑led election observation
📣 A strong call to action: Adapt. Collaborate. Sustain.

To safeguard Africa’s democratic future, election observation must continue to evolve while remaining independent, credible, and citizen‑centred.

16/04/2026

Key Highlights from Session 5 from the Election Academy: Sustainability of Election Observation Organisations 🌍🗳️

As the demand for credible and transparent elections continues to grow, the sustainability of election observation organisations has become an urgent and unavoidable conversation.

🔎 Key insights from the session included:
🔹 Declining donor funding is placing significant pressure on domestic observer groups, despite their increasing relevance and responsibility. Many organisations are operating within fragile and unpredictable funding cycles 💸
🔹 The challenge of political legitimacy, dependency, and the accountability paradox remains a critical concern
🔹 There is a growing need to strengthen institutional resilience and invest in long‑term organisational capacity
🔹 Diversified funding models and local ownership are essential to ensuring continuity and independence
🔹 Regional and international actors still play an important role in coordination, capacity building, and knowledge sharing 🤝
🔹 Sustainability goes beyond finances, it also includes credibility, independence, adaptability, and relevance
The discussion also tackled pressing realities facing the sector today:
⚠️ The closure of USAID‑funded programmes has had serious ripple effects on election observation organisations
💬 A critical question was raised: Who will fund elections and election oversight going forward?
🛡️ Without adequate resources, domestic observers are severely constrained in safeguarding election integrity
🗳️ Elections remain a necessity, when citizens cannot choose leaders peacefully, the result is often bad governance driven by flawed elections
🏛️ Even amid the rise of authoritarian and totalitarian tendencies, elections remain central to political legitimacy
👥 Citizen participation continues to be a cornerstone of credible electoral processes
💡 Looking ahead – practical strategies for sustainability:
✅ Operating with leaner and smarter structures, closing observer organisations is not an option
✅ Engaging the corporate sector, highlighting that elections underpin good governance and economic stability, elections are a value chain 📊
✅ Exploring income‑generating initiatives, local fundraising, sponsorships, and youth‑focused support programmes
✅ Reviewing observation methodologies and adopting cost‑effective, innovative deployment models without compromising credibility
✅ Re‑imagining and revitalising volunteerism and citizen-led observation 🙌
A timely and honest conversation on how to ensure election observation remains strong, independent, and impactful in a rapidly changing global landscape.

13/04/2026

As we conclude Day 1 of the 2026 Election Academy, here are the key takeaways from Session 4: Adapting to Inclusive Elections 🌍🗳️

Inclusive elections are not merely aspirational; they are fundamental to credible, legitimate, and representative democracies. The session underscored several critical points:

✨ Strengthening meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.

✨ Moving beyond numbers to ensure real influence in decision‑making spaces.

✨ Tackling persistent structural barriers, including restrictive social norms, limited access, and exclusionary political systems.

✨ The vital role of election observers in assessing inclusivity throughout the entire electoral cycle.

✨ A powerful reminder that no election is truly credible if it leaves people behind 🤝

The discussion also highlighted key regional realities:
🔹 Women continue to face deep‑rooted structural challenges, largely driven by entrenched patriarchal systems across many African countries.

🔹 In countries like Zambia, women’s representation in Parliament has never exceeded 20% 📉.

🔹 Critical questions were raised about whether reserved seats effectively benefit women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

🔹 Many political party policies remain unfavourable, limiting the full and meaningful participation of these groups.

🔹 This led to an important call to action: How can civil society engage in more strategic and impactful advocacy? 💬✊

A thought‑provoking session that challenged us to rethink inclusion, not as a checkbox, but as a democratic imperative.

13/04/2026

🌍🗳️ Key Insights from Session 3: Election Observation in Political Environments

- Elections are not merely technical exercises; they are profoundly political processes. One of the most striking reflections from the session was the concept of the “politics of the stomach,” highlighting how socio‑economic pressures and survival needs often shape political participation and electoral choices.

🔍 Key issues discussed:
📊 The critical importance of understanding political dynamics and local context when observing elections.

🚫 A continued shrinking civic and operating space for domestic observers, including restrictive accreditation processes, limited access to information, and increasingly tight legal frameworks.

⚠️ Ongoing challenges in defining what to observe and how to operate effectively within constrained environments.

👥 Recognition that elections shape the future of the next generation, making credible, independent observation more important than ever.

💡 Key takeaways:
🗣️ Election observation remains a vital voice of reason, trusted by citizens and stakeholders, as electoral outcomes determine the direction of a country.

🔒 Shrinking civic space continues to be one of the biggest threats to effective observation, from restrictive laws to limited access to critical public information.

🤝 Stronger collaboration, solidarity, and enforcement of access‑to‑information frameworks are urgently needed to safeguard democratic integrity.

⏳ Significant post‑election gaps persist, with limited post‑election observation, even though the impact of election outcomes extends far into the future.

✨ A powerful reminder that election observation must remain adaptive, context‑aware, and firmly anchored in protecting democratic integrity.

13/04/2026

Key highlights from Session 2: Technology and the Future of Elections 🗳️🤖

• Technology is transforming elections, from voter registration to results transmission, enhancing efficiency and transparency. The use of ICTs by EMBs, in particular in voter registration, results management, etc - Mamabolo Sy - CEO, Electoral Commission of South Africa

• AI and digital tools are reshaping election observation, requiring new skills and methodologies and rising risks: misinformation, cyber threats, and digital manipulation remain major concerns - Bridget Chipungu Chimbga

• The need for stronger safeguards, digital literacy, and accountability mechanisms is critical, and collaboration between EMBs, observers, and tech actors is key to protecting electoral integrity - Kojo Pumpuni Asante (PhD)

A timely and important discussion on how innovation can both strengthen and challenge democracy.

13/04/2026

Insightful reflections at the 2026 Election Academy - Session 1 on the changing landscape of elections in Africa 🌍🗳️

Key takeaway: election observation is operating in an increasingly complex environment shaped by global tensions, democratic backsliding, and rapid technological change 🤖

Across Africa, we are seeing a mix of progress and pressure, coalition politics emerging, youth voices rising ✊, but also constitutional manipulation, shrinking civic space, and declining public trust.

For election observers, this means adapting fast, strengthening long-term observation, embracing digital tools, and reinforcing collaboration to safeguard electoral integrity 🤝

The future of democracy in Africa will depend on how well we navigate this evolving terrain.

13/04/2026

Excited to kick off the 2026 Election Academy in Johannesburg 🇿🇦 under the theme: The Future of Election Observation in Africa 🌍

In the opening session, we reflected on the critical role election observation continues to play in strengthening transparency, credibility, and public trust in democratic processes 🗳️

As the landscape evolves with increasing political complexity, rapid technological change 🤖, and sustainability challenges, we must continue to adapt, collaborate, and innovate.

Over the next two days, we look forward to rich dialogue, shared learning, and practical solutions that will shape the future of election observation across Africa 🤝

13/04/2026

We are excited to be in South Africa for the 3rd Election Academy, being held under the timely theme: “The Future of Election Observation in Africa: Adapting to Political, Technological, and Financial Shifts.”

As the electoral landscape across the continent continues to evolve, this Academy provides a critical platform for reflection, innovation, and collaboration among practitioners committed to strengthening democratic processes.

From navigating complex political environments to harnessing emerging technologies and addressing resource constraints, the conversations here are both urgent and forward-looking.

Stay tuned for insights, key takeaways, and highlights from the Academy as we explore what the future of election observation in Africa should look like.

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Rindai Chipfunde Vava

24/03/2026

We recently launched our Gender Checklist for Free and Credible Elections in SADC!

This Checklist is not just another document it is a powerful strategic tool designed to help assess the critical gender issues that matter for advancing equality across the region.

It goes beyond box-ticking. 💡
It provides a holistic framework to ensure gender considerations are woven into every stage of the electoral cycle, from planning to implementation to evaluation.

Most importantly, it shifts the focus from numbers alone to a deeper, qualitative assessment of women’s participation and representation in electoral processes. ✨

Read the full checklist on