Advocacy

AHEAD Africa’s commitment to electoral integrity across African Union member states will be reflected in its advocacy efforts to influence policy reforms and promote transparent and inclusive electoral processes, with a particular focus on following up on election observation recommendations.

2025

AU-ECOSOCC Citizens’ Forum

From 8 to 9 July in Malabo, AHEAD Africa joined over 100 civil society leaders to reimagine democracy and advocate for reparative justice. Together, we called for a new social contract that places people at the heart of democratic transformation.

Commitments from the Citizen’s Forum

Enable and respect digital civic space, civic technology innovations and e-governance approaches that are inclusive, responsive, transparent and accountable
Allocate more resources to the AU-Civic Tech Fund and replicate it at the regional and national levels as commitment to Africa’s digital transformation and support for citizen-led innovation.

Recommendations to the African Union

Create a Continental Data Solidarity Pact ensuring ethical data ownership, reparations for digital exploitation, and community control of data.
Develop and adopt an African AI Bill of Rights to protect against algorithmic harm and exclusion.
Allocate more resources to the AU-Civic Tech Fund and replicate it at the regional and national levels as commitment to Africa’s digital transformation and support for citizen-led innovation.

Recommendations to the AU member states

Establish multi-stakeholder AI Governance Councils inclusive of CSOs, technologists, regulators, artists, and Indigenous communities.
Launch AI Literacy Labs using participatory tools (games, drama, digital storytelling) in local languages.
Enforce moratoriums on surveillance AI until independent human rights audits are conducted.
Institutionalise auditable, explainable, and challengeable public sector AI systems.
Elevate civic technologists, poets, artists, and local innovators as co-authors of ethical AI that reflects Africa’s sociocultural realities.
Enable and respect digital civic space, civic technology innovations and e-governance approaches that are inclusive, responsive, transparent and accountable.

Outcome document

AGA-APSA workshop on the ACDEG

From 22 to 23 May in Nairobi, AHEAD Africa advocated for the universal ratification and implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).

More information

ACHPR 83rd NGO Forum

From 2 to 22 May in Banjul, AHEAD Africa joined civil society in calling for a more open civic space, transparent elections, and stronger support for citizen observers across Africa.

Recommendations to the ACHPR

Establish a mechanism on electoral integrity in Africa to work with citizen observers in tracking and promoting implementation of election observation recommendations.
Ensure ACHPR’s AI study study addresses the use of technology in electoral processes and sets standards to protect integrity and participation rights.
Support rights-based training for judicial and electoral officials on election technology.
Support national multi-stakeholder platforms to engage stakeholders in implementing and monitoring observation recommendations.

Recommendations for African Union Members States

Ratify and implement the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG).
Strengthen the independence of Election Management Bodies and Political Party Regulators.
Ratify, domesticate and implement the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection.
Protect and legislate for a more open civic space including in the digital sphere.
Reform election observation laws and policies to make accreditation for citizen observers more accessible, inclusive, and affordable.
Regulate the financing of political parties and candidates for election campaigns.

Read full resolution

2024

Kenya

AHEAD Africa’s parter, the Elections Observation Group (ELOG Kenya), as part of the Uchaguzi Platfrom, submitted a memorandum to the Senate regarding the Election (Amendment) Bill No. 2 of 2024, amending Section 6 of the Election Offences Act, 2016.

EACSOF Summit 2024

9 of our recommendations on democracy and elections made it to the East African Civil Society Organizations Forum final report.

Recommendations to the East African Community Member States

Ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Governance, and Elections.
Develop and implement the Draft Protocol on Good Governance.
Give the East African Court of Justice explicit human rights jurisdiction.
Fully embrace technology to improve electoral and democratic processes.
Boost impactful, inclusive engagement of civil society and citizens in democracy and regional integration.
Resource East African Community organs and prioritise citizen engagement.

Recommendations to the East African Community Secretariat

Revitalise the Annual Secretary General’s Forum and Regional Dialogue Committee.
Ensure adequate funding for civil society engagement and the Consultative Dialogue Framework.
Maintain consistent channels for dialogue with civil society on democratic governance.

Read the full report