Civic Education

 

EMDS constantly issues and distribute print materials to enlighten the population. The Civil Forums carried out by EMDS and supported by NDI, Canada Government and NED, helps to develop voters’ skills and knowledge about elections. The objectives of such forums are to help civil populations increase their awareness about election procedures, voting rules, voters’ lists, registration of observers and their rights, rules of preparation of complaints about elections.

 

 

Civil Forums 2010

 

EMDS continues its program to enlighten the voters. It organized Civil Forums in Ganja, Sumgait, Mingachevir, Beylagan, Sabirabad, Calilabad, Masalli, Barda, Shamakhi, Goycay, Shirvan, Imishli, Shamkir, Zardab, Yevlakh where have participated representatives from municipality, political parties, NGOs, Mass Media and also teachers, doctors, students, volunteers. Totally, 283 people were a participant of such forums.

 

The participants of forums were informed about voters’ list, election monitoring, preparation of complaint about elections, participation in elections by the experts of EMDS.

 

 

Civil Forums – 2009-2010

 

EMDS have carried out the forums to stimulate relationship between electors and elected bodies, to improve the election code, to acknowledge the population about the importance of institute of monitoring.  Civil Forums have been carried out in two directions. Main topic of the first direction of forums was the bill about “Changes and Additions to the Election Code” which was

Prepared and proposed by EMDS. Such forums, where leaders of political parties, representatives of local and international organizations and ambassadors of foreign countries have participated, held in Baku.

Second direction of forums was devoted to work of Milli Majlis (Parliament), the role of population in the development of parliamentary traditions, analyze of violations in previous elections and the voters discussions around election processes. Total number of participants of forums was 207.

 

 

 

Civil Forums - 2009

 

EMDS carried out forums to enlighten the voters in municipal elections, to increase the voters’ activeness and to provide legal information to population about election procedures. 244 members of local NGOs, Mass Media, civil society representatives, volunteers and voters had participated  in these forums held in Baku, Sumgait, Ganka, Mingachevir, Shaki, Goycay, Sabirabad and Beylagan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public Discussion – 2009

 

EMDS organized public discussions over the increasing the awareness about articles which were up for the referendum among voters, increasing the civil monitoring over election process where had participated relevant authorities, political parties, NGOs and Mass media. Also, Civil Forums were carried out by EMDS to increase the voters’ interest and also civil monitoring over the elections before municipal elections.

880 people (738 men and 142 women) participated in public discussions which took place in Baku, Sumgait, Ganka, Mingachevir, Goycay, Calilabad and Beylagan.

 

 

 

Local Views of Voters

 

EMDS started the program “Learning the Desires of Voters” in October 2008 which last till September 2009.

During this program along with the members of parliament and their representatives 646 voters, (533 men and 103 women), local mass media and NGOs representatives participated in the Local Meetings of Voters (LMV) held in 25 electoral districts.

LMVs took place in Baku, Shaki, Ganja, Calilabad, Goycay, Mingachevir, Sumgait and Beylagan and were events open to the public. Local population was informed about the Local Meeting of Voters through local media and public announcements. Local population showed huge interest to such meetings mentioning that LMVs could help to solve their local problems.

 

 

 

 

Through Print

 

Ensuring the list of voters

 

EMDS printed out flyers named “Check your name on list of voters” and handed out among the population. Information about checking the names on the list of voters before election, rules of getting the registration exit ID were provided in the flyers which were distributed in more than 50 electoral districts.

 

 

Flyers about participation in municipal elections

 

EMDS prepared the flyers “For voters: About the participation in the Municipal elections” and distributed among the population in 30 electoral districts.

Election process, calculating of votes, observing rules were explained in these flyers for the population who would participate in the municipal election held on the 23^rd of December in 2009.

 

 

Enlightening of voters about function of parliament and members of parliament

 

EMDS has issued flyers about functions of parliament and members of parliament and handed out in 30 electoral districts. These flyers provided information about status, authorities, functions and responsibilities of parliament and members of parliament before its electorate mentioned in State Constitution, “Law about Status of MPs” and internal legislation of Milli Majlis (parliament).

 

 

Legal Aid for Voters

 

EMDS has printed and handed out more than 3000 copy of forms in order to provide tools to voters to get the stenographic transcripts of their MPs’ speech in Milli Majlis in 25 electoral districts. These forms provide legal tools for electorate to follow their parliamentarians’ attitude to particular issues or laws. Voters were explained the rules of filling out of these forms and sending them to their MPs.