PHASE 1: Capacity Assessment Exercise

The capacity assessment phase is implemented during the first months of the project and entails a through evaluation of existing and required capacities among the ESN-SA member organisations and their partners in the target countries. The resulting report and strategy document will lay down the basis for country-specific priority areas for professional development of the in-country member organisations and the larger CSO community. Moreover, it will clarify on the specific ERV issues relevant for the different countries and thus also feed into the development of a comprehensive research strategy that is responding to work that is carried out by the ESN-SA member organisations on the ground. Notably, the capacity assessment report and strategy document will comprise “living documents” and are thus updated on a continuous basis to account for the emergence of new areas of skills and knowledge needed during the course of the respective electoral cycles and political developments in the target countries. 

The phase addresses the first specific objective of the project: to strengthen the capacity of member CSOs to the network, and stakeholders, in elections-related violence and prevention.

The following two activities are being delivered within Phase 1:

• CSO Capacity Assessment Exercise to be conducted in all ESN-SA countries
• Development of capacity assessment reports and dedicated training and research priorities