Women’s political participation and leadership in Zambia
20 parliamentary seats are reserved for women in 2026, but is it enough?

Change in the Sahel: Hashtags and Power
Youth digital activism in the Sahel is not uniformly pro-democracy.

Is South Sudan ready for 2026 elections?
Six months remain for the country to ensure credible elections.

About AHEAD Africa
AHEAD Africa is a pan-African EU co-funded project that strengthens civil society’s capacity to monitor electoral related issues and improves electoral integrity across AU member states.
Guided by the AHEAD approach, the project focuses on following up on election observation recommendations to drive electoral reforms.

What we do
Partners
Led by the European Partnership for Democracy.
Activists’ network
Citizen observers networks
Democracy support networks
Discover all elections we support
Zambia
13 August 2026For the first time in Zambia's history, the 2026 elections will reserve 40 parliamentary seats for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, making the next Parliament the country's most inclusive ever.
Ethiopia
01 June 2026Ethiopians headed to the polls to choose 547 candidates to represent their needs. Observers from E-HORN and CEHRO monitored, learned from, and documented the process. What lessons were drawn from this election?
Benin
11 January 2026Weeks after a failed coup attempt in December 2025, Benin’s January 2026 elections tested democratic resilience amid a constrained civic space and rising opposition concerns, while shaping the path to the April presidential race.
Ivory Coast
25 October 2025With Ouattara seeking a fourth term and his main rivals barred, voter enthusiasm was low. 150 observers trained by CRASC-Est, Centre, and WAEON monitored the integrity of the electoral process. What were their findings?
Malawi
16 September 2025A test for the country's democracy, following the historic annulment of the 2019 election and the fresh 2020 vote, which set a precedent for judicial independence and introduced reforms under the new 50%+1 rule.
Ghana
07 December 2024A key opportunity to consolidate democratic achievements amid regional instability, disruptions, and democratic backsliding. Ghana remains a strong example of peaceful political alternation. What did we observe?
Namibia
27 November 2024A historic moment with the election of the first woman President of the country, while opposition parties rejected the results citing technical issues during the process. What are the findings and recommendations from this election?
Botswana
30 October 2024Voters ended nearly 60 years of one-party rule, with the ruling party peacefully conceding defeat once the preliminary results were announced. What are the findings and recommendations from this election?
Mozambique
09 October 2024Elections ended in a spiral of violence marked by protests, repression, and the tragic killings of opposition figures. This election ilustrated how quickly electoral disputes can escalate when trust in the process is weak. What did we learn?
Events
Latest news
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The cost of politics for youth in Africa
High political costs keep many young Africans out of elected office.
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The clock is ticking for South Sudan
Six months remain for the country to ensure the credibility of elections.
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Change in the Sahel: Hashtags and Power
Youth digital activism in the Sahel is not uniformly pro-democracy.
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The future of election observation
Election observation must adapt to evolving realities.
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