The Foundation for Peace and Solidarity (FPS) has launched the second phase of the Vote Smart Cameroon project, dubbed “Beyond the Ballot,” to strengthen electoral integrity, promote inclusive governance and build democratic trust ahead of the 2027 municipal elections.
Supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the six-month project runs from October 2026 to March 2027 and covers the Centre, West, Northwest and Southwest Regions.
It targets young people, women, conflict-affected communities, electoral stakeholders, governance actors, media professionals and civil society organisations, particularly groups whose voices are often underrepresented in democratic processes.
Five key activities will be implemented, including the establishment of Civic Integrity Sandboxes to promote dialogue between citizens and governance actors, and community verification networks and rumour clinics to counter misinformation.
It targets young people, women, conflict-affected communities, electoral stakeholders, governance actors, media professionals and civil society organisations, particularly groups whose voices are often underrepresented in democratic processes.
Five key activities will be implemented, including the establishment of Civic Integrity Sandboxes to promote dialogue between citizens and governance actors, and community verification networks and rumour clinics to counter misinformation.
The project will also introduce citizen governance scorecards to assess local government responsiveness and accountability. In addition, 60 monitors from youth groups, women’s organisations and civil society will be trained to identify electoral risks, barriers to participation and gaps in public trust.
Three evidence-based policy briefs will also be produced, offering recommendations on governance reforms, citizen participation, accountability and electoral integrity.
By the end of the project, the organisers expect to establish three platforms for citizen-institution dialogue, train 30 media experts, civil society actors and community leaders in information verification, and strengthen civic networks across the four regions.
The initiative aims to sustain the participation of young people, women and conflict-affected communities in peaceful, inclusive and accountable democratic processes beyond 2027.
