Guidelines to Assist National Minority Participation in the Electoral Process

This document establishes guidelines for elections that include the participation of minorities in public decision making. It discusses background for and recommendations on election options, the administration of elections, and election monitoring. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) commissioned an international group to develop the Lund Recommendations in June 1999 for use in the prevention of minority-related conflicts. The group identified minority participation in governance (addressed in this document) as one of several sources of potential conflict. The ODIHR used four of the Lund Recommendations concerning elections as the impetus to produce these guidelines, which aim to make the participation of national minorities in public decision-making more effective by enhancing their representation.

The document includes background information on the development of the Lund Recommendations, the importance of participatory process, and the international legal framework. It reviews Lund Recommendations seven through ten, both their content and specific legal frameworks. Number seven discusses the freedom to participate in elections without discrimination. Number eight discusses freedom of association as it applies to the right to establish political parties based on communal identities. The ninth explains the justifications for an electoral system which facilitates minority representation and influence. Number ten discusses the formation of electoral districts that facilitate the representation of minorities. The document concludes with a chapter on ensuring fair conduct in elections by the administrators of elections. The document includes annexes of checklists for election preparation, a glossary, and an addendum on electoral observation, including a section of reporting on minority issues.