"Launch of the Training Workshop: 'Electoral Oversight: Legal Provisions vs. Practical Implementation'"

6/16/2026

 Today, Tuesday, July 16, 2026, the intensive virtual training workshop organized by the Arab Women Organization (AWO) via the Zoom application commenced. The two-day workshop is held under the theme: "Election Observation: Between Legal Text and Practical Application."

The workshop was inaugurated by Professor Dr. Fadia Kiwan, Director-General of the AWO, who delivered an opening address welcoming the participants. She expressed her sincere appreciation to Dr. Mohamed Shams El-Din, an expert in social systems from the Lebanese Republic, who is conducting the training sessions.

Dr. Kiwan emphasized that the AWO attaches paramount importance to promoting women's political participation. She noted that years ago, the Organization pioneered a program to establish a regional election observation team from a gender equality perspective, followed by efforts to form national teams. She pointed out that the regional team has already been invited to monitor several general elections across Arab states. Today's workshop, she added, serves to revitalize the regional election observation team, thereby enhancing its readiness and preparation for upcoming electoral milestones in the Arab region.

Furthermore, Dr. Kiwan stressed that the issue of electoral integrity is of critical importance in the Arab world. She noted that this goes beyond merely conducting elections under sound conditions; it also requires instilling a broad societal culture that believes in the credibility and transparency of the electoral process. Elections, she concluded, are not a mere formality, but a genuine expression of the peoples' will, and they must fully and freely reflect the choices of voters.

She added that fair elections require an environment that guarantees freedom of choice, noting that democracy's essence is giving power back to the people, whether to renew trust in the current leadership or to drive partial or sweeping political reform.

"Ensuring electoral integrity and voter freedom boosts social stability," she noted. "It gives citizens a real sense of ownership and a peaceful, structured way to voice their views. In contrast, blocking these democratic channels could lead to protests or violence. Respecting voters also strengthens citizenship and civic responsibility, making people feel their votes count in shaping leadership, whether directly or indirectly."

Dr. Kiwan went on to highlight the legal framework protecting elections, the critical role of observers, and the need for women to participate in observation. She urged for a comprehensive approach that integrates women’s representation, rights, and political participation.

She applauded Oman's recent Royal Decree allocating a seat for women in the Shura Council in every governorate. Affirming the AWO's appreciation for this landmark decision by the Omani leadership, she congratulated Omani women on this historic legislative achievement.

This workshop comes as a continuation of the Organization's ongoing efforts over the years in promoting electoral awareness, as well as training and qualifying dozens of Arab women observers who have already participated in monitoring electoral milestones in several Arab countries. The training sessions are conducted by Dr. Mohamed Shams El-Din, an expert in social systems from the Lebanese Republic. The workshop is attended by male and female members of the Arab Women Organization’s (AWO) regional team for election observation from a gender equality perspective. The participants include members from 11 Arab countries: Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Mauritania, Palestine, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen.

The program features a comprehensive training agenda structured as follows:

Day 1 (Tuesday, June 16): Focus on Systems and Laws

Introduction and Electoral Systems: Understanding the importance of elections in establishing the legitimacy of authority, reviewing electoral laws and vote-to-seat translation mechanisms, alongside analyzing types of constituencies and electoral systems (majoritarian, proportional, and mixed).

Arab Electoral Laws: Conducting a comprehensive reading of Arab electoral legislation, focusing on legal provisions that facilitate election observation and clauses that promote women's roles and enhance their winning opportunities, followed by an open discussion.

Day 2 (Wednesday, June 17): Practical Application and Evaluation

Election Observation Operations: Providing a detailed breakdown of monitoring duties across the three electoral phases (pre-election, polling day, and post-election, including vote counting and the announcement of results).

Evaluating Experiences and Challenges: Reviewing the real-world experiences of Arab women observers and discussing the practical challenges and obstacles they encounter on the ground.

Practical Exercise and Report Drafting: Training participants on preparing and developing election observation reports, presenting data, and formulating recommendations, concluding with an opportunity for participants to draft and present a brief report.