Peace and Collaborative Development Network
Building Bridges, Networks and Expertise Across Sectors
-
Sarah Imani
Female
Hamburg
European Union - Share
- Blog Posts
- Discussions
- Events
- Groups
- Photos
- Photo Albums
- Videos
Sarah Imani's Page
Profile Information
- What motivated you to become involved in peace and conflict resolution?
- I was born in a bi-cultural family and lived in different countries. observing all the differences but also similarities of problems in different countries, i got caught by the idea to study law in order to understand better structual inequalities and how questions of individual freedom are treated by the state. since then, questions of justice and human rights were in the centre of my my interest. especially when it comes to their cultural context and their universal implementation.
- Please feel free to provide a short bio about yourself (no more than 3 paragraphs)
- 2007 J.D. law in Hamburg/ Germany
Since 2007 post graduate MA programm at the University of Bradford/ UK
- Please list the countries and/or regions in which you have direct and significant expertise
- .
- What is your current country of residence?
- Great Britain
- What is your current job (and organization) and/or where and what field are you studying?
- peace studies at the university of bradford/uK
- What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)
- http://www.ictj.org
- What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)
- http://www.agenceglobal.org/
- What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)
- http://www.irinnews.org/
- Which are your primary sectoral areas of expertise?
- Democratization
- Which are your primary skills areas?
- Research
- What are some of your current areas of research (if any)?
- Islamic law in relation to international humanitarinan law.
questions of transitional justice,
ethics and international relations
Terms of Use
By using this site you're agreeing to the terms of use as outlined in the community guidelines.
Events
-
2009 Balkans Peace Park Expedition II
August 15, 2009 at 12pm to August 29, 2009 at 12pm – Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro
-
World Summit on Arts and Culture 2009
-
Introduction to Election Observation
October 10, 2009 at 9am to October 11, 2009 at 6pm – London, UK
-
4th Conference on Engaging The Other
November 13, 2009 at 9am to November 15, 2009 at 2:30pm – San Mateo Marriott Hotel
Latest Activity
July 28, 2009 to August 13, 2009
Dear friends,
On behalf of the Board of Directors and International Advisory Board (IAB) of Global Majority, I would like to share with you the latest information about our upcoming program on conflict resolution that will take place in Jerusalem...
Let me join the others to say - THANKS FOR THE GREAT WORK - to keep us informed. This post has helped me a great deal to prepare for a July 7-9 Strategic Economic Needs and Security Exercise (SENSE) simulation that is sponsored by USIP, in partner...
About
© 2009 Created by Craig Zelizer
Comment Wall (13 comments)
You need to be a member of Peace and Collaborative Development Network to add comments!
Join this social network
Current events in Iran have focused world attention on the issue of fair elections and the role of international election monitors. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has taken a lead among intergovernmenmental organizations in training and providing international election monitors. The United Nations has done so only on an
ad hoc basis.
It would be useful for the United Nations to have an election-monitoring agency drawing upon the experience of the OSCE. With the attention on the Iranian experience, it should be possible to get a UN General Assembly resolution to create a study group to analyse the possibility of such an election-monitoring agency.
The first step is to contact national Foreign Ministries and national missions to the UN in New York with the proposal of such a study. During the summer months, preperations are being made by diplomats for the start of the UN General Assembly in September. As many of the ideas for such a UN agency are in my article, you could copy it with a short letter to national officials asking for such a study.
Thank you for your cooperation, Rene Wadlow
International Election Monitors:
Agents of Free Elections
Rene Wadlow*
The post-election demonstrations in Iran which have led to deaths and arrests indicate that a large number of Iranians believe that the election count has been the result of fraud. The regime had hoped to prevent a massive show of democratic stirring by a show of force and by cutting off means of communication — web sites and cellphones. However, the fact that hundreds of thousands came out on the avenues of Tehran and in less numbers in other cities indicates a failure of the repressive policies. Even if large protests do not continue, a ‘wind of change’ has blown over Iran.
The Iranian government had declined the offers of international monitoring of the elections, and thus the world community is left with only the word of the Iranian government that the election process was free and fair. The wide victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — 62.6 percent against some 34 percent for his main challenger, Mir Hussein Moussavi, goes against earlier opinion polls and an increasing popularity of Moussavi in the late stages of the election campaign. Mir Hussein Moussavi had been Prime Minister during the long and costly-in-life war with Iraq (1980-1988).
After four years of President Ahmadinejad’s weak economic policies as well as his confrontation with many other countries, many Iranians were looking for a change. For the elections, President Ahmadinejad tried to build his support in the rural areas with last moment rural development efforts which his opponents saw as transparent ‘bribes’. He had lost much support among educated Middle Class urban voters who wanted a better standard of living, employment opportunities for the young, and greater personal freedoms.
Thus, the election could have been close even if Ahmadinejad had won fairly, having the resources of the State at his control. Now, there is great scepticism concerning the outcome both in Iran and in the world community. The scepticism is so great that a promise by the Guide of the Iranian regime, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been made concerning a recount in certain contested areas. However, electoral fraud is rarely at the counting stage. One can recount a stuffed ballot box and come up with the same number of votes. This is why the whole electoral process needs to be monitored by independent election agents.
Citizens of the World have often called for international, basically UN supervision, of elections. The organization of elections remains a prerogative of the national – administrative sub-divisions of the State, and local governments. However, in cases where the election campaign can be tense and prone to violence as was the presidential election of Zimbabwe, or when there has been a past history of fraud, international, independent monitors are important agents of fair elections and help to protect human rights, to strengthen the rule of law and to ensure pluralistic democracy.
Election observation work is an important activity for the 56 member States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights housed in Warsaw, Poland. The Office for Democratic Institutions, originally called the Office for Free Elections, first played an important role in the democratic transition in post-communist countries. While its observation of elections is its most visible task, the Office also conducts a number of other useful election-related activities: reviewing electoral legislation, training observers, and publishing guidelines and handbooks about electoral issues.
The Office for Democratic Institutions is concerned with a wholistic approach to election monitoring including the following:
- Respect for basic fundamental freedoms such as the freedom of assembly, of association, and expression;
- Respect for the civil and political rights of the candidates and voters;
- Compilation of accurate voter lists;
- Equal opportunities to campaign in a free environment;
- Equitable access to the media;
- Impartial election administrative bodies;
- Unhindered access for international and domestic election observers;
- Effective representation and participation of women:
- Effective representation of national minorities;
- Access for disabled voters;
- Honest and transparent counting and tabulation of the votes;
- Effective complaints and appeals process with an independent judiciary.
The United Nations has no comparable permanent election monitoring office, but on an ad hoc basis the UN played an important monitoring role in the first multi-racial elections in South Africa, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has provided election aid and monitoring in countries such as Nepal as that country was coming out of a decade of armed violence.
The Iranian government would have been wise to request international monitoring for its presidential elections. Now it is too late. It is unlikely that a new election will be held to replace the contested one. The Iranian elections have indicated a wide current of support for change. The hesitations of the ruling circle concerning post-election manifestations have highlighted division of views within this ruling circle. The demonstrations have also indicated to the world community as a whole the need for independent election monitoring. Steps should be taken quickly for the UN to provide such services drawing on the rich experience of the OSCE.
*Rene Wadlow, Representative to the UN, Geneva, Association of World Citizens
Dear Colleague,
Current events in Iran have focused world attention on the issue of fair elections and the role of international election monitors. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has taken a lead among intergovernmenmental organizations in training and providing international election monitors. The United Nations has done so only on an
ad hoc basis.
It would be useful for the United Nations to have an election-monitoring agency drawing upon the experience of the OSCE. With the attention on the Iranian experience, it should be possible to get a UN General Assembly resolution to create a study group to analyse the possibility of such an election-monitoring agency.
The first step is to contact national Foreign Ministries and national missions to the UN in New York with the proposal of such a study. During the summer months, preperations are being made by diplomats for the start of the UN General Assembly in September. As many of the ideas for such a UN agency are in my article, you could copy it with a short letter to national officials asking for such a study.
Thank you for your cooperation, Rene Wadlow
International Election Monitors:
Agents of Free Elections
Rene Wadlow*
The post-election demonstrations in Iran which have led to deaths and arrests indicate that a large number of Iranians believe that the election count has been the result of fraud. The regime had hoped to prevent a massive show of democratic stirring by a show of force and by cutting off means of communication — web sites and cellphones. However, the fact that hundreds of thousands came out on the avenues of Tehran and in less numbers in other cities indicates a failure of the repressive policies. Even if large protests do not continue, a ‘wind of change’ has blown over Iran.
The Iranian government had declined the offers of international monitoring of the elections, and thus the world community is left with only the word of the Iranian government that the election process was free and fair. The wide victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — 62.6 percent against some 34 percent for his main challenger, Mir Hussein Moussavi, goes against earlier opinion polls and an increasing popularity of Moussavi in the late stages of the election campaign. Mir Hussein Moussavi had been Prime Minister during the long and costly-in-life war with Iraq (1980-1988).
After four years of President Ahmadinejad’s weak economic policies as well as his confrontation with many other countries, many Iranians were looking for a change. For the elections, President Ahmadinejad tried to build his support in the rural areas with last moment rural development efforts which his opponents saw as transparent ‘bribes’. He had lost much support among educated Middle Class urban voters who wanted a better standard of living, employment opportunities for the young, and greater personal freedoms.
Thus, the election could have been close even if Ahmadinejad had won fairly, having the resources of the State at his control. Now, there is great scepticism concerning the outcome both in Iran and in the world community. The scepticism is so great that a promise by the Guide of the Iranian regime, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been made concerning a recount in certain contested areas. However, electoral fraud is rarely at the counting stage. One can recount a stuffed ballot box and come up with the same number of votes. This is why the whole electoral process needs to be monitored by independent election agents.
Citizens of the World have often called for international, basically UN supervision, of elections. The organization of elections remains a prerogative of the national – administrative sub-divisions of the State, and local governments. However, in cases where the election campaign can be tense and prone to violence as was the presidential election of Zimbabwe, or when there has been a past history of fraud, international, independent monitors are important agents of fair elections and help to protect human rights, to strengthen the rule of law and to ensure pluralistic democracy.
Election observation work is an important activity for the 56 member States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights housed in Warsaw, Poland. The Office for Democratic Institutions, originally called the Office for Free Elections, first played an important role in the democratic transition in post-communist countries. While its observation of elections is its most visible task, the Office also conducts a number of other useful election-related activities: reviewing electoral legislation, training observers, and publishing guidelines and handbooks about electoral issues.
The Office for Democratic Institutions is concerned with a wholistic approach to election monitoring including the following:
- Respect for basic fundamental freedoms such as the freedom of assembly, of association, and expression;
- Respect for the civil and political rights of the candidates and voters;
- Compilation of accurate voter lists;
- Equal opportunities to campaign in a free environment;
- Equitable access to the media;
- Impartial election administrative bodies;
- Unhindered access for international and domestic election observers;
- Effective representation and participation of women:
- Effective representation of national minorities;
- Access for disabled voters;
- Honest and transparent counting and tabulation of the votes;
- Effective complaints and appeals process with an independent judiciary.
The United Nations has no comparable permanent election monitoring office, but on an ad hoc basis the UN played an important monitoring role in the first multi-racial elections in South Africa, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has provided election aid and monitoring in countries such as Nepal as that country was coming out of a decade of armed violence.
The Iranian government would have been wise to request international monitoring for its presidential elections. Now it is too late. It is unlikely that a new election will be held to replace the contested one. The Iranian elections have indicated a wide current of support for change. The hesitations of the ruling circle concerning post-election manifestations have highlighted division of views within this ruling circle. The demonstrations have also indicated to the world community as a whole the need for independent election monitoring. Steps should be taken quickly for the UN to provide such services drawing on the rich experience of the OSCE.
*Rene Wadlow, Representative to the UN, Geneva, Association of World Citizens
Very nice to see you at this global network.I am pleased to know that you are involved in Peacebuilding which is the need of the hour and we all should united & struggle for real Better Globe free of War,Racism,Extremism,Terrorism and Poverty.
I hope that you will keep in touch with me.At the last let us pray that may peace prevail around the globe.
Global Citizen
Waris Ali
Chairman Global Foundation,Lahore,Pakistan.
i was writing to Peter and saw your mention of Bradford Uni, so thought I'd look in at you, as I lived in Bradford about 20 years ago and had a lot of friends at the Uni!
Re our organisation, yes the idea is certainly that everyone can contribute and that we work cooperatively with other organisations and groups.
This has to be a quick message right now, but just to say you'd be very welcome indeed to join our online community! www.womenforachangecommunity.ning.com (no time commitment!).
Thanks for the encouragement!
Looking forward to hearing more from you
Iam a Kenyan student pursuing my masters in peace and conflict studies in Germany.I hope and wish to pursue my phd in peace and conflict studies in Bradford university in the UK after finishing my masters in sep.2009.I would request you to tell me about this university.How is the peace and conflict phd programme?Thanks
Yours,
PETER.
View All Comments