ZESN election support ZESN valstöd The overall goal of Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) is to facilitate the participation of civil society in local authority, parliamentary, presidential elections and by-elections in order to promote democratic values, transparent, free and fair electoral environment and processes in accordance with set international standards. 

Building on the achievements during the previous cycle of the ZESN Electoral Support Programme (2016-2019), supported by Sweden and other partners, ZESN has submitted a programme proposal to the Swedish Embassy, based on the ZESN five-year strategic plan (2019-2024), which covers the next electoral cycle in Zimbabwe, with the next national and presidential election planned for 2023, as well as the in-between elections interventions. The total budget is USD 7 497 971 (approximately SEK 72 000 000) for 2020-2024.  Through this project ZESN will continue to advocate for electoral reforms, and to push the electoral reform agenda throughout the electoral cycle on interventions aimed at ensuring comprehensive administrative and political reforms, improved election administration, and a more level playing field for all contestants ahead of 2023, with a view to guarantee Zimbabweans their democratic rights. The Embassy is proposing funding of total 22 160 000 SEK for the period 2020-2023. This includes 160 000 SEK for the installation of solarpanels and solar Power at the ZESN Harare office. An additional 750 000 SEK is proposed to be used to fund a systems audit of ZESN and the end evaluation of the support. 

The proposed programme will work within the following areas:
1. Advocacy for electoral reform
2. Electoral education and capacity building
3. Electoral processes monitoring and evaluation
4. Coordination and capacity building in electoral processes

The Embassy assesses that the proposed programme is on line with the result area 1 under the strategy for development cooperation with Zimbabwe 2017-2021, Human rights, democracy, the rule of law and gender equality, specifically, regarding strengthening "Improved conditions for democratic governance, reduced corruption, responsibility and accountability in public institutions". The programme is furthermore relevant for the Drive for Democracy, which is a key focus area for the Swedish Government, as well as SDG 16.  The initiative aims to provide support to democracy’s institutions, to its processes and to its defenders. One of the key areas defined by the Drive for Democracy is to support civic engagement, with free and just elections, with increased engagement in the democratic process by women and youth. 

The Embassy  is carrying out a pilot programme to install solar energy in a select few partners premises to facilitate their work due to the dire energy crisis in Zimbabwe. As part of the Embassy's support to improved access to renewable energy in line with result area 3.2 it is proposed that 160 000 SEK will be added to the agreement and the decision for ZESN to install solar energy in line with the attached procurment proposal. Det övergripande målet för Zimbabwe Election Support Network, ZESN, är att stärka demokratiska processer och genomförandet av val som är fria och rättvisa i Zimbabwe i linje med internationella standards.  ZESN är ett nätverk av 36 organisationer från olika delar av det civila samhället (kvinnorättsorganisationer; fackföreningar; MR-organisationer; media; kyrkliga organisationer; osv.), som alltsedan 2000 spelat en viktig roll för att befästa och utveckla Zimbabwes demokrati. ZESN har inkommit med en förfrågan om stöd för att genomföra Electoral Support  Program under 2020-2024. Programmet har en total budget om USD 7 497 971 (cirka 72 000 000 SEK) för fem år. Ambassaden föreslår att stöd ges med totalt 22 000 000 SEK under 2020-2023, för att stärka berörda civilsamhällsorganisationer och valinstitutioner i Zimbabwe inför, under och efter de allmänna valen 2023 (parlament, president och kommunfullmäktige), samt genomföra väljarutbildning och oberoende observation av dessa val. Det föreslås vidare att 160 000  SEK inkluderas i ZESNs budget för att under 2020 finansiera installation av solpaneler och solenergi vid ZESNs huvudkontor i Harare.  Den totala avtalssumman med ZESN blir 22 160 000 SEK. Ytterligare 750 000 SEK föreslås avsättas för en systemrevision av ZESN samt en slututvärdering av stödet. 

Insatsen har fyra huvudsakliga inriktningar:
1. Opinionsbildning och arbete för valreformer i syfte att bidra till ett representativt styre byggt på fria och rättvisa val, och fria politiska partier.
2. Väljarutbildning för medborgare i syfte att öka deltagande i val och valprocesser.
3. Oberoende valobservation för ökad transparens i valprocesserna.
4. Koordinering och kapacitetsuppbyggande för organisationer i nätverket i syfte att öka effektivitet i nätverkets kapacitet att arbeta med valprocesser.

Ett flertal utvärderingar har bekräftat betydelsen och kvaliteten av ZESNs arbete. Ambassadens bedömning är att det föreslagna programmet är väl i linje med resultatområde 1 under strategin för Zimbabwe 2017-2021,  Förbättrade förutsättningar för demokratisk samhällsstyrning, minskad korruption, ansvarstagande och ansvarsutkrävande i de offentliga institutionerna, samt i linje med Sveriges Demokratisatsning och med SDG 16. 

Som del av Sveriges stöd till förbättrad tillgång till förnyelsebar energi som är socialt och miljömässigt hållbar, i linje med strategimål 3.2, föreslås att 160 000 SEK läggs till beslut och avtal för att installera solenergi vid ZESNs kontor i Harare. The overall goal of ZESN is to facilitate the participation of civil society in local authority, parliamentary, presidential elections and by-elections in order to promote democratic values, a transparent, free and fair electoral environment and processes in accordance with set international standards. 
In June 2019 the Embassy commissioned an independent evaluation, carried out by NIRAS Sweden AB, of the ongoing support to ZESN (during the period 2016 - 2019). The scope of this evaluation was to assess the results of the activities, and the relevance, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of Swedens support to ZESN. In total the Swedish Embassy in Zimbabwe provided SEK 21,300,000 to ZESN during the agreement period.
The conclusion of the evaluation is that ZESN is on course and the overarching recommendation is that ZESN should largely continue with its current structures and approaches, with relatively few adjustments to its current work. The interventions of the proposed programme are informed by the recommendations from the evaluations of the previous Electoral Support Programme and ZESN's strategic planning processes undertaken during 2019. 
The objectives for the interventions will span over the period from 2020-2024. Preparations for the 2023 general elections will begin in 2022 while electoral reforms, oversight on other electoral processes has already commenced and electoral education is continuous throughout the electoral cycle.

The main objectives are:
Objective 1.  ADVOCACY FOR ELECTORAL REFORM: To promote creation of a legal framework and election culture conducive for the conduct of free and fair elections. 
Objective 2: ELECTORAL EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING: To enhance citizen participation in issues of governance and democracy
Objective 3: ELECTORAL PROCESSES MONITORING AND OBSERVATION: To promote democratic, free and fair electoral processes through impartial monitoring and observation of elections. 
Objective 4: SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE MOBILISATION: Enhanced and institutionalised sustainable fundraising and resource mobilisation strategies.
Some examples of the activities under the respective objectives are listed below.
Objective 1:- Election petition parliament process
- Analysis of the electoral amendment bill and meetings on the electoral law bill
- Public hearings on amendment bill
- Advocacy on the delimitation process
- Advocacy for Special Needs groups 
- Advocacy for electoral reform
- Meetings with parliament, Zimbabwe Elections Commission (ZEC), traditional leaders and institutions supporting democracy (Chapter 12 and others)
Objective 2:
- Provincial/district level workshops for traditional leaders, youths, political parties and other special interest groups
- Engagement meetings between policy makers on electoral and governance issues at community level
- Capacity building of CSOs, CBOs and FBOs on community voter education (CVE)
- Community mobilisation in preparation for public hearings on electoral amendment bill- ZEC accredited Voter Education - production and disseminsation of IEC materials- Community Mobilisation on key electoral processes (including delimitation)
Objective 3:
- Tracking of Election Observer Mission recommendations- Observation of by-elections
- Observation of delimitation process
- Observation of the 2023 harmonised elections
- Regional observation and learning missions
Objective 4:
- Develop and institutionalise sustainable fundraising and resource mobilisation strategies
- Partnerships and collaboration as a strategy to reach both urban and rural communities
Swedish funding as part of this appraisal is proposed for the period 2020-2023.