NEBE Provides Orientation Workshop for Accredited CSOs for the 7th General Election

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) began providing an orientation workshop for civil society organizations (CSOs) accredited to participate in voter education for the 7th General Election. The workshop, held February 18–19, 2026, opened with remarks by NEBE board member Teklit Yimesel. He said that civic and voter education is not a one time activity. With voter registration scheduled to begin soon, the focus must be on encouraging eligible voters to obtain their voter cards on time during the registration period (March 7–April 6, 2026) and on raising awareness so citizens vote knowledgeably on election day. Teklit also noted that NEBE has updated the Civic and Voter Education Manual and expressed confidence that CSOs will carry out the education with a strong sense of responsibility.

The workshop covered the basics and principles of civic and voter education, the roles and operations of CSOs throughout the election cycle, understanding diversity, respecting differences, and promoting inclusivity, methods for effective community mobilization, activities of volunteers who participate in voter education and how they collaborate with CSOs, election legal frameworks and NEBE’s role, and leading discussions, public events, and trainings.

During the training, participants received the updated Civic and Voter Education Manual, which is organized into eight chapters. It was also noted that the Board previously accredited 169 CSOs to provide voter education for the 7th General Election.