Elections and Democratisation

Elections: For many years Fohof was one of the leading Civil Society organizations that advocated one-person-one-vote elections to be implemented in Somalia.

Fohof designed civic electoral processes education programs as Somalia is in cross-roads to reach this milestone of delivering this long-awaited electoral system. Fohof prepared viable programs that will enhance public awareness about elections and electoral processes.

Fohof is in direct contact with all relevant stakeholders including the National Independent Electoral Commission (Somalia) and other international agencies, resident foreign embassies in Somalia, donor agencies and other entities that could have a direct role for Somalia to deliver free and fair one-person-one-vote in the near future.

Fohof envisages free and fair one-person-one-vote elections in Somalia could be done by deploying voter-registration and voter-identification technologies including bio-metric.

Democratisation

According to some technical United Nations documents the narrative of the best democratic system is debatable in many cultures and societies. However, one thing is certain, it is the best viable system of governance that is inclusive, participatory, just and increase a certain level of social mobility.

Horn of Africa (HoA) societies aspire to reach a democracy-based system of governance, to entertain this idea in the context of HoA social fabric Fohof believes building the system from the grass-root level is the key. When the local person is been educated to understand what good governance means and what it means to elect a representative only then one can expect to promote true democracy.

Fohof attempts to advance this multi-phased theme by employing a combination of techniques including programs that educate the average person through local media, elder engagement, influencing the influencers. This will lead to a society that acknowledges the privileges it has and the authority it has over people in positions of power and how to account for them. Individual involvement in the political process enhances the accountability and responsiveness of the government.

Unique core gaps Fohof intends to fill

  • Public persuasion to accept norms of democracy through grassroots level formal and informal engagement.
  • Core local government training programs delivered in collaboration with international capacity building experts.
  •  Media engagement so that media will relay certain messages to the masses.
  • Long term public awareness-raising programs.