In line with the African Union’s commemoration of the African Year of Human Rights with a Special Focus on the Rights of Women, the African Union Commission (AUC) deployed a Short-Term Election Observer Mission consisting only of women, to represent the Organization at the Seychelles Parliamentary Elections scheduled for 8-10 September, 2016.
The team was led by H.E. Ambassador Fatuma Ndangiza who is former Chairperson of the African Peer Review Panel of Eminent Persons.
Upon arrival in the country, the AU Head of Mission for the parliamentary election and other observers went to the field to see for themselves the political campaign rally that were organized by the militants of the ruling party known as the LEPEP and the coalition of the opposition party dubbed the LDS.
The AU women observers were dispatched to Seychelles from the 1st of September, and will remain in Seychelles until the 15th of September 2016, with a view to assessing the participation of women in elected office, and as voters; and that all citizens at national level are well sensitized to exercise their civil rights by responding massively to casting their votes during the elections.
The AU Head of Mission is expected to meet with the political leadership in the country, including the Electoral Commission and other national stakeholders, to exchange views and encourage stakeholders to guarantee the holding of fair, credible and transparent elections in the country.
H.E Ambassador Fatuma Ndangiza is also expected to meet the Minister responsible for Women and key actors in the areas of Gender to gather information on the best practices of involving women in elected positions given that Seychelles is amongst the leading African countries that has enhanced women empowerment and gender parity in all sectors at the national level.
The overall objective of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) is to provide an accurate and impartial reporting and assessment of the quality of the Parliamentary Elections in Seychelles, including the degree to which the conduct of the elections meet regional, continental and international standards for democratic elections.
