Appendix A 69 IRI-NDI Pre-Election Assessment Mission Statement Zimbabwe 2018 Harmonized Elections code and the police and judicial system take seriously their role in prosecuting intimidation and violence. ● Address Violence Against Women in Elections – The violence that has historically marred Zimbabwe’s politics and elections has had a differentiated impact on women’s willingness to participate. A number of stakeholders indicated that violence, including harassment, intimidation, psychological abuse, and sexual and physical assault, is both a symptom and indicator of more generalized electoral violence. Opening a safe space for women’s participation will enhance the inclusion of all marginalized groups, as will strong messaging on the secrecy of the ballot and enforcement of the Code of Conduct. Other specific measures include the conduct of gender-sensitive policing throughout the electoral cycle, and the creation of a coherent mechanism linking civil society organizations to the police and political stakeholders to report, refer and respond to any violence that occurs. ● Special Voter Education Targeting First-Time Voters – According to the ZEC’s registration figures, approximately 750,000 voters aged 18 to 29 will participate in the upcoming elections. Many will be casting a ballot for the first time. The ZEC should work in partnership with civil society organizations to develop a specific voter education campaign aimed at first-time voters with an emphasis on engagement via mobile phones and social media. ● Accredit Observers in a Timely and Efficient Manner – As required by law, the ZEC should continue to play the lead role in accrediting both domestic and international observers. The process should be streamlined and the fees associated with such accreditation should be commensurate with the ability of the organizations to pay. Moreover, the process for receiving accreditation should be simplified to ensure that organizations can effectively recruit and deploy observers throughout the country on election day without requiring each observer to travel to Harare or a provincial capital to obtain his/her credential. ● Ensure Responsible Political Party Behavior – The parties should encourage the conduct of free, fair and credible elections throughout the process, while avoiding casting doubts on the electoral process in a manner that undermines public confidence in the process. Moreover, parties should recruit, train and deploy party agents in a manner that enhances the integrity of the electoral process, particularly with respect to the tabulation of results. ● Adopt and Publicize Transparent Procedures for the Tabulation and Announcement of Results – The ZEC should provide political parties and observers with detailed plans for the tabulation and announcement of results well in advance of election day. The ZEC should fully test all aspects of the tabulation system and allow political party representatives and observers to witness this simulation exercise. The Commission website should provide not only aggregate results, but also polling station level results for the presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections immediately after announcing the official results. ● Promote a Well-Publicized Peace Pledge – The political parties should join, preferably by the end of June, in expressing their commitment to conduct a violence-free campaign and to accepting the results of credible elections through a well-publicized pledge witnessed by leading domestic and international personalities. Further, senior officers of the Zimbabwe 9