Global Knowledge Network On Voter Education - learning from each other
Peru
Since the beginning of October 2017, International IDEA in Peru has been participating in the media campaign entitled 'THE POWER IN YOUR HANDS: electoral reform 2017' in partnership with Radio Programas del Perú (RPP) – the main radio broadcasting station of the country with nationwide coverage, which also has a television and web cross-platform.
At present, Peru is discussing the political reform that has been demanded for more than a decade. Various topics that are expected to be reformed might have a very deep impact in the regional and municipal electoral process of 2018 in which more than 12,000 authorities will be elected nationwide. Hence, it is relevant to position this topic as part of the public agenda in order to ensure citizens' participation in this process.
The campaign aims to inform citizens about the electoral reform being implemented in Peru and encourage citizens to participate in the country's political processes. The campaign will last for 14 weeks during which 2-minute micro programmes will be broadcasted with information, comments and interviews with the team of International IDEA as well as with national and international experts, with a focus on four fundamental pillars:
- Financing of politics; public and private financing; prohibition of anonymous contributions, and sanctions in case of infringements.
- Gifts, i.e. discuss the convenience of maintaining or modifying the law that prohibits candidates from distributing gifts during the campaign.
- Impediments for candidates, i.e. a decision on whether people sentenced for offenses should/could be candidates for public office.
- Gender quota.
A similar campaign was carried out in 2016, within the framework of the general elections for President and Members of Congress. The aim was to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of casting an informed vote and, at the same time, to inform citizens about the representatives' responsibilities, the candidates' profiles, the submitted government proposals and to alert about the dangers of the penetration of illicit money in electoral processes.
This experience reached an audience of more than 12.5 million listeners and viewers across the country as well as 19 million internet and social media users. Calculations for the current campaign forecast a similar outreach.