Elections are an essential feature of democracy, and democracy is both interrelated and interdependent with the promotion and safeguarding of human rights, which are at the core of EQMM’s mission. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are essential elements of democracy. These values are embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and further developed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which enshrines a host of political rights and civil liberties underpinning meaningful democracies.
To this end, EQMM stands firm in supporting the rights of all people in Myanmar to participate in civil and political life of society and the state without discrimination or repression. EQMM hopes to see a genuinely democratic election in Myanmar in November 2020.
At the same time, EQMM maintains that it is a non-partisan organization. We are not affiliated with any political party; we do not have a bias towards any party; nor do we support or oppose any political party or candidate for public office. EQMM respects the diversity of political opinions in Myanmar, and our non-partisanship is critical to the effectiveness of our mission to promote human rights for all.
The following are guidelines to provide clarity on how our non-partisanship applies to our work.
Election Guidelines
Non-partisanship in our work
EQMM employees, when acting in an official capacity, may not:
- Endorse or oppose candidates or political parties contesting in the election
- Make contributions, monetary or otherwise, to a political campaign or political cause on behalf of EQMM
- Rate candidates or parties on who is most favorable to an issue
- Display candidate or political party materials, such as political signs or wear political buttons or clothes
- Express enthusiasm for or against any candidate or political party
- Display the EQMM logo or use EQMM’s name in any association with a candidate or political party
- Ineligible expenses with donor funds
EQMM will not use donor funds for the following expenses: - Direct appeals for support to the electorate on behalf of or by any candidate for public office
- Media message that endorse or supports a candidate for public office
- Direct contribution to a political campaign of an individual candidate or slate of candidates
- Communications goods (i.e. T-shirts, flags, banners, IEC) that endorse or support a candidate for public office
- Salaries to candidates, political party leaders or campaign officers
- Rental or purchase costs of vehicles being used to transport political candidates to and from campaign events
- Public meetings that endorse or feature a particular candidate for public office
- Private polling specifically designed to assist a particular party or candidate contesting the elections
