As we conclude Day 1 of the 2026 Election Academy, here are the key takeaways from Session 4: Adapting to Inclusive Elections 🌍🗳️

Inclusive elections are not merely aspirational; they are fundamental to credible, legitimate, and representative democracies. The session underscored several critical points:

✨ Strengthening meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.

✨ Moving beyond numbers to ensure real influence in decision‑making spaces.

✨ Tackling persistent structural barriers, including restrictive social norms, limited access, and exclusionary political systems.

✨ The vital role of election observers in assessing inclusivity throughout the entire electoral cycle.

✨ A powerful reminder that no election is truly credible if it leaves people behind 🤝

The discussion also highlighted key regional realities:
🔹 Women continue to face deep‑rooted structural challenges, largely driven by entrenched patriarchal systems across many African countries.

🔹 In countries like Zambia, women’s representation in Parliament has never exceeded 20% 📉.

🔹 Critical questions were raised about whether reserved seats effectively benefit women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

🔹 Many political party policies remain unfavourable, limiting the full and meaningful participation of these groups.

🔹 This led to an important call to action: How can civil society engage in more strategic and impactful advocacy? 💬✊

A thought‑provoking session that challenged us to rethink inclusion, not as a checkbox, but as a democratic imperative.

#ElectionAcademy2026 #InclusiveElections #Democracy #WomenInPolitics #YouthParticipation #DisabilityInclusion #CivicEngagement

AHEAD Africa European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) ZESN East and Horn of Africa Election Observation Network (E-HORN) Ghana Center For Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) West Africa Election Observers Network – WAEON South African Council Of Churches Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) Sitabile Dewa Nzira De Deus Zambia National Women’s Lobby Golden Nachibinga

On behalf of the Electoral Support Network for Southern Africa (ESN-SA) and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), we extend our sincere gratitude to the people of Malawi and the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for the warm welcome to our team. As ESN-SA and ZESN, we are honoured to be part of this important democratic process and are truly experiencing the warmth and spirit that Malawi is known for.

On 14 September 2025, the Learning Mission team arrived in Malawi following an invitation from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to observe the 16 September General Elections. The Learning Mission comprises 13 accredited short-term observers from domestic observer groups in Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The team will be primarily deployed in Lilongwe and its surrounding areas, remaining in the country until September 19, 2025.

Download The Full Statement

INTRODUCTION
In response to an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Botswana, the
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) deployed an Election Observation Mission
(EOM) to observe the Botswana General Elections held on 30 October 2024. ZESN joined
efforts with the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa (ESN-SA) and deployed a
five-member team to observe voting in urban, peri-urban and rural areas around
Gaborone. Prior to the Election Day observation, the team met with various electoral
stakeholders.

The mission’s main aim was to assess whether the electoral process in Botswana complied
with national laws and to evaluate the alignment of the country’s electoral framework
with regional and international standards, principles, and best practices. This Preliminary
Statement is a foundational output of the Mission, offering its initial findings and
recommendations on the process thus far. It provides that the Botswana General Elections
were conducted in a calm and peaceful atmosphere and largely adhered to national,
regional and international frameworks. The observation and the Preliminary Statement
underscore the ZESN and ESN-SA’s dedication to advancing democratic integrity and
transparent electoral processes in the region.

Download The Full Statement Here