By Umar Yusuf

Ahead of  2019 general election, European Centre for Electoral Support, ECES, has commenced implementing a new project on Prevention of Election Violence and Education for Inclusion in Nigeria, PEV-EDI.

INEC boss

The project, jointly funded by the German government and the Federal Government is geared towards increasing, among other things, marginalised groups’ participation in, and contribution to, electoral processes through violence prevention and mitigation, voter education and inclusion, thereby supporting the successful conduct of the electoral process.

Cathy Katiwa, Inclusivity Advisor, ECES PEV-EDI, representative in Nigeria said “the programme focuses on women, youth, persons living with disabilities and internally displaced persons, IDPs, and is being implemented from January till June 2019, well into the next electoral cycle.

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“The objectives of the project include strengthening the capacities of relevant stakeholders to advocate inclusivity in the electoral process, and engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, political parties and other actors to formulate and implement measures designed to facilitate the participation of these groups in the electoral process.”

Speaking at the sensitisation exercise, yesterday,  at Malkhoi IDPs camp in Yola, the Inclusivity Advisor stated that the projects to be implemented include,  working in collaboration with the ECOWAS, Network of Electoral Commissions ECONEC), Women and PWD Round-Table-Dialogue, on protocols for inclusion in elections.