Over 125 Civic Societies Form Coalition to Observe Election 2020
ADDIS ABABA – At least 125 home-grown civic societies have formed a coalition to observe the 2020 national election in Ethiopia.
The east African nation will hold a parliamentary election on August 29, 2020.
The coalition will engage in educating voters on democratic election in a bid to support Ethiopia’s democratic endeavor, said its officials during an event that announced its formation.
The newly launched body is named as Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organization for Election (CECOE).
It will give a major platform for civic societies to contribute as one in this highly anticipated national event, said Bilen Asrat, Chairperson of the coalition.
The coalition has already prepared a three year civic societies coalition engagement strategic plan.
Bilen said it will be implemented starting from the upcoming election but could also engage further in democratization process of the country for the years to come.
According to the chairwomen, the initiation to form this coalition comes after the Ethiopian parliament has approved a revised civic society’s registration law last year.
She said the focusing areas are predominantly civic and voters education, election monitoring and observation, advocacy and stakeholders participation and research and capacity building process.
Preventing or mitigating election related violence, increase participation of registration and election turnout, post-election advocacy, increase participation of people with disability are among its detail objectives, the chairwomen added.
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By Sisay Sahlu
