Accra, April 15, GNA - Leaders of political parties from Central and Northern Africa on Tuesday started a two-day study in Accra on Research and Dialoguing methodology to enhance their ability to assess the nature, character, functioning and performance in relation to democratization processes. The workshop, organized by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), in collaboration with democratic governance institutions, also seeks to provide a platform for the parties to share ideas across the regions and build strategic network for collaboration.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mr Theophilus Dowetin, International IDEA Programme Manager, said the workshop would also produce national and regional reports on the state of political parties in these regions. He said the workshop would come out with a working document on the internal functioning of political parties, including leadership structures and role of the membership; the rules of internal democracy; the representation of women; the youth and other often under-represented groups; candidate selection and policy development; funding; training and management practices. It will also study the external regulatory framework, which will cover issues about laws affecting political parties and political conduct, such as provisions on campaigning, registration of political parties, freedom of speech, requirements on party organizations, public funding of political parties and media access.

Mr Dowetin said the recommendations would be added to other studies already conducted by International IDEA in West, East and Southern Africa to produce the first Pan-African research document on political parties. He said the aim was not to work out a universally ideal model of a political party, but to examine and collate information on the extraordinary variety of parties that function in different political systems of the world.

The results of the study may help parties to identify and exchange good practices and learn from one another. The Global Research and Dialogue Programme on Political Parties has already been conducted in more than 75 countries worldwide. International IDEA is an intergovernmental organisation which supports sustainable democracy worldwide.