Council of Europe/European Union
Programmatic Cooperation Framework (PCF) projects in Armenia

Long-term Electoral Assistance to the Election Related Stakeholders of Armenia

Start date: January 2016                                               
Duration: 18 months
Budget: EUR 302,139                                                     
Donor: European Union and Council of Europe
Partners: Central Electoral Commission (CEC), civil society organisations, political parties represented in the National Assembly

This country specific Project for Armenia aimed at strengthening the capacity of the main election stakeholders of the country through capacity building and awareness raising involving both the electoral authorities and civil society, as well as sharing best practice on election related issues within the Eastern Partnership countries. The Project objectives were:

• to enhance capacities of the CEC and electoral commissions at all levels to organise elections in line with international standards;
• to improve observation of elections at national level;
• to increase participation of first time voters in the election process;
• to increase participation of women as voters and candidates; and
• to ensure equal treatment of candidates through transparent campaign finance procedures and financing of political parties.

The objectives were successfully achieved through organising training sessions and workshops for the CEC and civil society organisations, conferences and awareness raising actions focusing on political participation of women and first time voters, and peer-to-peer exchange within a mixed study visit to an Eastern Partnership country.