Elections commission reaches out to civil society organisations

AMMAN — The Independent Elections Commission (IEC) on Wednesday held a consultation meeting with a number of civil society organisations (CSOs) concerned with political work and the supervision of elections.

Participants at the meeting, which also included representatives of associations and study centres, discussed research papers prepared by experts in the area.

IEC President Riyadh Shakaa underlined the important role CSOs play in raising voters’ awareness and encouraging citizens to take part in the electoral process, especially as Jordan is “making strides in the area of political reform, to arrive at parliamentary governments”.

IEC Secretary General Ali Darabkeh highlighted challenges facing the commission and its achievements, while the head of the Lower House Integrity Committee, MP Mustafa Rawashdeh, stressed the importance of the participatory approach for the IEC and CSOs when it comes to managing the elections.

For her part, IEC Deputy Chief Commissioner Asma Khader underscored the significant role of civil societies in rendering elections successful.

Abla Abu Olbeh, secretary general of the Jordanian People’s Democratic Party (Hashed), stressed the need to consolidate the independence of the IEC and open bridges of communications and cooperation between the commission and CSOs.