Compendium of International Standards for Elections Second Edition Compendium of International Standards for Elections NEEDS European Commission 6 Chancel Street 200, Rue de la Loi London SE1 0UU B-1040 Brussels United Kingdom Belgium Graphic design: Fröjdlund Grafisk Form AB Cover photos: Ana Paula Alfonso, Salvador Giné, Isabel Ribot, Sonia Sapienza, Jan Solovic Printed by Elanders Graphic Systems AB, Sweden ISBN 978-91-633-1479-7 Table of contents 1. Introduction....................................................................................................1 Abbreviations.......................................................................................... ......2 2. International Human Rights Norms and the Right to Participation ...... ......4 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................... ......4 2.2 The Global Norm of Participation .................................................... ......7 2.3 Participation of Special Groups..............................................................13 2.4 Developments in Europe ......................................................................15 2.5 Participation in the Americas, Africa and Asia ......................................18 2.6 Conclusion ...................................................................................... ....22 3. Explanations on Categories of Election Standards ................................ ....25 3.1 Levels of Standards ........................................................................ ....25 3.2 Types of Standards .......................................................................... ....25 4. Matrix Indicating Membership of Universal and Regional Organisations .......................................................................... ....28 5. Universal Instruments ............................................................................ ....37 The United Nations (UN) ............................................................................ ....37 5.1. Treaty standards .............................................................................. ....38 5.1.1. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (1966) .............................................. ....38 5.1.2. General Comment 25: The Right to Participate in Public Affairs, Voting Rights and the Right of Equal Access to Public Service (Art. 25) (1996) .......................................... ....39 5.1.3 International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) (1966) .................................... ....43 5.1.4 Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (1979) .................. ....44 5.1.5 General Recommendation 23 on Political and Public Life (1997) .................................................................. ....44 5.1.6 Convention on the Political Rights of Women (CPRW) (1952) ...................................................................... ....47 5.1.7 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (MWC) (1990).............................. ....47 5.1.8. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (2006) ...................................................................... ....48 5.2. Matrix on the Status of Ratification of Instruments within the UN System...................................................................... ....50 5.3 Non-Treaty Standards...................................................................... ....64 5.3.1 Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981)........ ....64 5.3.2 Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992) .............. ....64 5.3.3 Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (1967) .......................................................... ....64 5.3.4. Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975)............ ....65 5.3.5 Declaration on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1966) .............................................. ....65 5.3.6 Vienna Declaration of Programme and Action (1993) ............ ....65 5.3.7 General Assembly Resolution A/RES/46/137 (1991) – Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Principle of Periodic and Genuine Elections .......................................................... ....66 5.3.8 General Assembly Resolution (2001) A/RES/55/96 – Promoting and Consolidating Democracy .......................... ....66 5.3.9 General Assembly Resolution A/RES/56/154 (2002) – Respect for the Principles of National Sovereignty and Non-Interference in the Internal Affairs of States in Electoral Processes as an Important Element for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights .................... ....67 6. Regional Instruments ............................................................................ ....68 The African Union (AU) .............................................................................. ....68 6.1 Treaty standards .............................................................................. ....69 6.1.1 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) (1981) ............................................ ....69 6.1.2 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (ACHPR – PW) (2003)................................................ ....69 6.1.3 African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007) ................................................................ ....70 6.2 Matrix on the Status of Ratification of Instruments within the African Union.................................................................. ....75 6.3 Non-Treaty Standards...................................................................... ....78 6.3.1 The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance signed by Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the African Union (2002) ................ ....78 6.3.2 OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (2002).................................... ....79 The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).................. ....84 6.4 Treaty Standards.............................................................................. ....84 6.4.1 Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance Supplementary to the Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (2001) ...................... ....84 6.5 Matrix on the Status of Ratification of Instruments within the Economic Community of West African States............................ ....87 6.6 Non-Treaty Standards...................................................................... ....88 6.6.1 Declaration of Political Principles of the Economic Community of West African States (1991).............................. ....88 The Organization of American States (OAS) .............................................. ....89 6.7 Treaty Standards.............................................................................. ....89 6.7.1 American Convention on Human Rights (AmCHR) (1969).................................................................... ....89 6.7.2 Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women (AmCPRW) (1948) ............................91 6.8 Matrix on the Status of Ratification of Instruments within the Organization of American States .............................................. ....92 6.9 Non-Treaty Standards...................................................................... ....94 6.9.1 American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (1948) ............................................................ ....94 6.9.2 Inter-American Democratic Charter (2001) ............................ ....95 The Council of Europe (CoE) ...................................................................... ....97 6.10 Treaty Standards.............................................................................. ....97 6.10.1 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) (1950) .......................... ....97 6.10.2First Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR – P1) (1952) .............................................. ....98 6.10.3Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCPNM) (1995) ...................................... ....98 6.10.4European Charter of Local Self-Government (ECLSG) (1985)...................................................................... ....99 6.10.5Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level (CPFPL) (1992) .............................. ....99 6.11 Matrix on the Status of Ratification of Instruments within the Council of Europe..........................................................................102 6.12 Non-Treaty Standards...................................................................... ..105 6.12.1 Recommendation on the Electoral, Civil and Social Rights of Prisoners (1962)............................................ ..105 6.12.2 Recommendation on Measures concerning Media Coverage of Election Campaigns (1999) ................................ ..105 6.12.3 Recommendation on Legal, Operational and Technical Standards for E-voting (2004)................................ ..108 The Commonwealth