[{"bbox": [121, 106, 1145, 159], "category": "Text", "text": "capacities of electoral stakeholders in effective leadership and conflict management/prevention approaches in the conduct of elections, iv) supporting judiciary capacity to resolve election disputes timely and peacefully;"}, {"bbox": [85, 160, 1145, 212], "category": "List-item", "text": "* supporting CSOs, media, parliament in view to strengthen citizens' participation, social accountability, promote electoral and democratic reform and support conflict-free electoral process."}, {"bbox": [83, 238, 1146, 478], "category": "Text", "text": "The action adopts an **electoral cycle approach** that addresses key pre-election issues and contributes to the technical conduct of the elections and sets the space for furthering reforms and enhance inclusive democracy at the grassroots level. It promotes and supports the **implementation of the 2018 Electoral Observation Mission (EOM)'s** recommendations – a political and programmatic priority for the European Union – and builds on the outcomes and recommendations of the National EOM Task Force and the electoral reforms conferences spearheaded by the Electoral Management Bodies of Sierra Leone, as well as of the UN Needs Assessment and EU **Electoral Follow Up missions deployed in 2021**. The underlying intervention logic is underpinned by the electoral risks management and conflict sensitivity approach as well as EU and the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (EC-SL) gender equality and inclusion policies, which identify electoral risks and non-inclusion as critical risks to democracy."}, {"bbox": [83, 504, 1146, 902], "category": "Text", "text": "The implementation modalities will be confirmed after the adoption of the Financing Decision. In recognition of the strategic relevance of pursuing a coherent and multilateral response to political risks and governance challenges, the European Union seeks to implement the action in partnership with one or more International Organisation(s) and in collaboration with EU Member States in line with a Team Europe approach. Two implementation modalities are envisaged: 1) **Indirect management with international organisation(s)** to support all objectives of the action and notably i) contribute towards a coordinated multilateral response to electoral needs and related risks, coherent political dialogue and peace messaging by the international community; ii) provide technical assistance to the electoral management bodies, judiciary and security apparatus; iii) procure sensitive electoral material, if need be. It is envisaged the international organisation(s) will entrust implementation of some tasks to sub-delegated implementing partners, notably CSOs, to support multi-stakeholders engagement in democratic inclusion, electoral conflict prevention and election dispute resolution; civic/voter and peace education and social media literacy. 2) **Direct management: the direct award of action grant(s) to NGOs/public bodies** to support i) democratic inclusion, specifically focused on political participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities (PWDs); ii) electoral conflict prevention and election dispute resolution; iii) peace education and social media literacy; iv) citizens watch and domestic electoral observation and other CSOs-led initiatives in support to deepening democracy."}, {"bbox": [83, 927, 1146, 1140], "category": "Text", "text": "This action complements and supplements ongoing EU commitment towards democratic governance funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) National Indicative Programme as well as the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). The action is aligned with the European Consensus for Development, the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, the EU Roadmap for engagement with CSOs, the EU Gender Action Plan III (GAP III, 2021-2025)¹ and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The action will contribute towards progress in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 'Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels', as well as SDG 5 'Gender equality' and SDG 10 'Reduced inequalities'."}, {"bbox": [72, 1168, 301, 1200], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2. RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [101, 1230, 230, 1257], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [83, 1300, 1145, 1567], "category": "Text", "text": "Since the end of the civil war (1991-2002), the situation in Sierra Leone has progressively improved, the country has maintained peace and stability and achieved good progress in state-building efforts. The economy has started to grow with positive prospects of socio-economic development. However the country is still one of the poorest in the world, is dangling at the bottom of all development indicators and is facing considerable threats. Sierra Leone's human development is very low (position 184 out of 188 countries) and the gender inequality index is one of the lowest in the world (position 155 over 162 countries). 52% of the population lives below the poverty line. Sierra Leone's full economic potential is untapped and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the country longstanding social and economic challenges, further increasing inequalities. The pandemic will continue to dampen consumption and investment in the short terms. Although the annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is predicted at 3% in 2021, Sierra Leone is only projected to reach pre-COVID GDP per capital levels in 2024. The economic costs of the"}, {"bbox": [72, 1616, 1158, 1691], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹ EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III, welcomed through Presidency Conclusions by 24 Member States - An Ambitious Agenda for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in EU External Action, https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/system/files/join-2020-17-final_en.pdf"}, {"bbox": [1051, 1690, 1158, 1714], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 33"}]