Metropolitan Model United Nations Conference XLII General Assembly

Election Monitoring
Elections have been vital turning points in the history of nations and the world. As parts of democratic transitions, decolonization processes, and implementations of peace agreements, these elections can be very controversial. Many nations choose to hold democratic elections to establish valid and stable government; however, in the first years of democracy, elections are easily susceptible to corruption. Powerful groups within these countries can then seize power by corrupt methods such as stuffing ballot boxes and intimidating voters. The United Nations has been highly involved in providing assistance during electoral periods, when requested, in order to ensure free and fair elections in member states. Although the United Nations began assistance with the integral process of electoral observation, the main focus today is technical assistanceregulated by the General Assembly. Organizations such as the Carter Center send observers to monitor these elections. The Carter Center has monitored elections in various nations including Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, and Guatemala. The unbiased observers are sent long before the election to countries in which they were invited. They analyze the countrys election laws, examine the fairness of campaigns, and evaluate the registration of voters prior to the election. During the election, the observers ensure the safety of the voters and the secrecy of their votes. Throughout the whole process, the observers findings are publicly released. The core of UN electoral assistance is based in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights principle ...that the will of the people, as expressed through periodic and genuine elections, shall be the basis of government authority. Since 1991, resolutions regarding electoral assistance have been constantly updated and changed, with the most recent one being approved in 2012. The type of assistance given, to a particular country must be decided on a case-by-case basis. With election monitoring being unique to each area, the assistance continuously evolves while becoming improved and refined. A broad range of different UN entities provide assistance in election monitoring. Thus, coordination of field electoral assistance, coherence, and consistency are key in maintaining proper elections. In addition, international, governmental, regional, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are beginning to coordinate with the UN. However, better coordination is needed along with a sharing of knowledge, experience, and reports.

Election monitoring is ever-changing as the needs of countries continue to evolve. Delegates will have to come to a consensus about how national sovereignty may be respected in such a sensitive time of a nations progression. Questions to Consider: When, if at any point, has your nation required election-monitoring assistance? If so, was it successful? Why or why not? What methods does your nation utilize to ensure fair elections? Helpful Links: http://www.cartercenter.org/peace/democracy/index.html http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/election-monitoring http://www.ndi.org/election-monitoring-organizations

Note: The following source would add an interesting dimension to debate:

http://www.economist.com/node/21548934