[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1135, 365], "category": "Text", "text": "early and sustained support to the electoral processes of South Sudan\". The NAM report refers to reliance mainly on the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Troika [Norway, UK, USA], the EU, and to the unique position of UNMISS to play a coordinating role amongst regional and international partners. Therefore, in order to enhance its impact, the action will contribute to the support led by multilateral partners whilst complementary technical assistance support together with support to civil society enhancing civic space and inclusiveness in electoral processes, both directly managed and coordinated by EU, will contribute to and further enhance EU's leading role in key reform processes for South Sudan to develop to a more legitimate State."}, {"bbox": [96, 390, 1135, 736], "category": "Text", "text": "As an integral part of the peace process, the hope of forthcoming elections is not only to elect legitimate political leaders, but also to consolidate peace. There is a general consensus amongst all partners that transparent, inclusive and credible elections is the only way for South Sudan to gain lasting peace. An election may be necessary but is in itself not enough, without an environment that fosters trust and acceptance of election results and that enables citizens to participate in a meaningful way. This requires a holistic approach that fuses areas of respect for human rights, equality and inclusiveness of participation, access to information, appropriate legislative frameworks and independent institutions - in particular at the level of the National Elections Commission, the Political Parties Council, and the judiciary level, political consensus and security, to create conducive context in which the electoral process can take place. The project will therefore connect with the multilateral partners (in particular United Nations Development Programme - UNDP - and UNMISS) and with national actors (such as the transitional government, the public institutions on both national and sub-national level, as well as the civil society). to achieve its objectives through fostering a more enabling environment for the elections, and strengthening the institutions to conduct the electoral process themselves."}, {"bbox": [96, 761, 730, 787], "category": "Text", "text": "The action results are structured around three inter-related outcomes:"}, {"bbox": [172, 788, 1134, 839], "category": "List-item", "text": "1. To strengthen institutional capacity on legal and normative framework for transparent, inclusive and credible elections."}, {"bbox": [172, 841, 905, 867], "category": "List-item", "text": "2. To enhance electoral and political rights and citizens' access to information."}, {"bbox": [172, 868, 1134, 922], "category": "List-item", "text": "3. To increase inclusion and participation of underrepresented groups in democratic processes, with a special focus on women and youth."}, {"bbox": [96, 946, 1135, 1081], "category": "Text", "text": "This is aligned with the EU Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for South Sudan (2021-2027) priority area 3 “Good governance, peace and the rule of law for a fairer society” and is directly contributing to its objectives to foster peace and reconciliation, to strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights with a focus on women and girls, to improve/increase the capacity of public sector institutions, management transparency and accountability, and to increase inclusive public participation, in particular of women and youth."}, {"bbox": [96, 1106, 1135, 1184], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will further be aligned with the priorities of the **Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment** in External Relations 2020-2025 (GAP III) and the **Youth Action Plan in EU external action for 2022-2027**."}, {"bbox": [96, 1211, 1135, 1294], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will deliver activities in the sector of Government & Civil Society (DAC Sector 150) and will directly contribute to strengthen SDG 16 \"peace, justice and strong institutions\" as well as SDG 5 \"Gender equality\" and SDG 10 \"Reducing Inequality\"."}, {"bbox": [96, 1317, 1135, 1585], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will also contribute to the Team Europe Initiative on \"Good governance, peace and rule of law for a just society\" (in development). The Team Europe Initiative will work on both the national level to support key reform processes, as well on the subnational level to strengthen the resilience of local communities and address root causes of violence. The interventions will strengthen the peace process and will contribute to a more enabling environment for an inclusive transition to a peaceful and democratic nation. The action will strengthen EU and EU Member States' central political position within the multilateral and regional community (UN, UNMISS, WB, IMF, Troika, IGAD and AU) for advocacy on transformational change towards a more legitimate State. EU support has been essential for some of the key processes in the implementation of the peace agreement and this action would position the EU in coordination with EU MS as one of the key international partners supporting South Sudan in the transitional process by promoting an inclusive and transparent democratic development."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1680, 1144, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 23"}]