inform the public on issues, such as why they should participate and what
guarantees are in place to protect their right to participate in the process.
Voter education should be accessible to all members of society, regardless of
their language or level of literacy. As such, voter education material should
be multimedia and multilingual and culturally appropriate for various social
groups. Public bodies, such as the EMB where applicable, usually bear
primary responsibility for civic and voter education programmes. Moreover,
such programmes can also be implemented effectively by CSOs. At the subregional level, the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol calls upon states to
involve CSOs involved in electoral matters in civic education campaigns.3
Providing targeted and timely voter information on procedural issues in the
registration and election process is largely the responsibility of public bodies,
such as EMBs. However, political parties have a strategic campaign interest in
ensuring that relevant information is disseminated among their potential voters.
Political parties and independent candidates are responsible, in turn, for ensuring
that the electorate is informed of their political programme and candidacies.
The following Table of Jurisprudence covers issues from all three elements
emphasizing the obligation that States Must Take Necessary Steps to Give
Effect to Rights, and focusing on the obligations of Transparency and the
Right to Information, Universal Suffrage, the Right and Opportunity to
Vote, Freedom from Discrimination and Equality under the Law.
Table of Jurisprudence
11. Civic and Voter Education
11.1 Are there provisions mandating civic and voter education?
Transparency and the Right to Information
ICCPR, Art. 19(2): Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to
seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in
writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
UNCAC, Art. 10: Taking into account the need to combat corruption, each State Party shall, in accordance
with the fundamental principles of its domestic law, take such measures as may be necessary to
enhance transparency in its public administration, including with regard to its organization,
functioning and decision-making processes, where appropriate. Such measures may include, inter
alia: (a) Adopting procedures or regulations allowing members of the general public to obtain,
where appropriate, information on the organization, functioning and decision-making processes
of its public administration and, with due regard for the protection of privacy and personal data, on
decisions and legal acts that concern members of the public.
UNCAC, Art. 13: Each State Party shall take appropriate measures, within its means and in accordance
with fundamental principles of its domestic law, to promote the active participation of individuals
and groups outside the public sector, such as civil society, non-governmental organizations
and community-based organizations, in the prevention of and the fight against corruption and to raise
public awareness regarding the existence, causes and gravity of and the threat posed by corruption. This
participation should be strengthened by such measures as: (a) Enhancing the transparency of and
promoting the contribution of the public to decision-making processes; (b) Ensuring that the
public has effective access to information; (c) Undertaking public information activities that
contribute to non-tolerance of corruption, as well as public education programmes, including
school and university curricula; (d) Respecting, promoting and protecting the freedom to seek,
receive, publish and disseminate information concerning corruption. That freedom may be subject
to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided for by law and are necessary.
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