Nairobi, Kenya - CCCPA, represented by its Peacemaking and Peacebuilding Program Assistant, Ms. Darin Hany, participated in the inaugural edition of the all-youth training course titled “Strengthening Pan-African Capacities for Electoral Observation and Assistance (SPEC)”, held from 11 to 13 May 2024, organized by The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (DPAPS) of the African Union Commission (AUC), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).

The training course aimed to provide technical support to essential partners, including DPAPS, electoral support units of regional economic communities (EAC, ECOWAS, ECCAS, SADC), networks of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), CSO-led observer groups, and selected national EMBs. Its overarching aim is to enhance the transparency and credibility of electoral processes across Africa, thereby advancing the objectives of SDG 16.6.

In this regard, the training program provided participants with a comprehensive curriculum that gives them the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the purposes of election observation, the importance of international benchmarking, the vital role of youth engagement in democracy, the nature of the electoral cycle, and the methodologies of data gathering and triangulation as an electoral observer. 

The training brought together almost 60 African women and youth from 24 African countries working in the field of peace and security across Africa.