A Handbook on the Legal, Technical and Human Rights Aspects of Elections...FOREWORD: "The United Nations Centre for Human Rights is pleased to offer this handbook on human rights and elections as the second in its series of professional training publications. This publication is unique in its comprehensive presentation of standards and issues relating to the conduct of free and fair elections. As such, we hope that it will prove to be a useful and practical tool for Governments, non-governmental organizations, teachers and individuals involved in elections. The Centre for Human Rights has been involved in electoral assistance, through its programme of advisory services and technical assistance, since 1990. Since that time, the Centre has provided electoral assistance to Romania (1990-1992), Albania (1991), Lesotho (1991-1993), Eritrea (1992), Angola (1992), Cambodia (1992), Malawi (1992-1993) and South Africa (1993). In addition, the Centre has prepared guidelines for analysis of electoral laws and procedures, developed draft guidelines for human rights assessment of requests for electoral assistance, and carried out a number of public information activities relating to human rights and elections. The Centre's interest in elections is based upon the realization that elections themselves are human rights events: first, because they give voice to the political will of the people involved; and secondly, because, to be truly free and fair consistent with international standards, they must be conducted in an atmosphere which is respectful of basic human rights. It should be seen as axiomatic that free and fair elections involve far more than ballot boxes, voter registers and campaign posters. Electoral assistance activities for the Centre represent a single point on a continuum of the democratization process, and the Centre is prepared to follow up its involvement in elections with other forms of assistance which may be crucial to postelectoral democratic consolidation and a sustainable democratization process. Thus, in following up its electoral assistance activities with countries, the Centre takes the opportunity to inform those States of further assistance for democratic transition available under the programme of advisory services and technical assistance. The Centre enjoys close substantial cooperation with the United Nations Electoral Assistance Unit and the United Nations Development Programme in this area, and its role in electoral assistance has been enhanced by those relationships. Electoral assistance, for the United Nations, is a truly system-wide endeavour, tapping the complementary expertise and capacities of several organs of the United Nations family. The recent increase in demand for electoral assistance from the United Nations has been reflected both in requests from States themselves and in the recommendations of the World Conference on Human Rights, which, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, called for assistance to be provided at the request of Governments for the conduct of free and fair elections, including assistance in the human rights aspects of elections and public information about elections. The publication of this handbook is one means by which the Centre seeks to respond to this clear demand from the international community..."