Civil Society Organizations (CSO) around the world play a crucial and strategic role to promote citizen’s participation, to promote electoral processes which are free, fair and credible; including a key role in reducing election related conflict dynamics and promoting a peaceful electoral environment. In light of the ongoing political changes in Ethiopia, as well as the upcoming election, several Ethiopian CSOs recognized the need for the coordination of CSOs engagement and the strategic importance of forming a network of CSOs for electoral support both in preparation for upcoming elections as well as for a long term CSO engagement in the electoral process in a sustainable and systematic way.

Accordingly, CECOE was realized by engaging more than 60 voluntary organizations in May 2020 and currently over 175 CSOs from all over the country. An Interim Coordinating Committee (ICC) emerged with the mandate to organize the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Election. The ICC comprises the Ethiopian Civil Society Forum (ECSF), Inter-Africa Group (IAG), Ethiopian Lawyers Association (ELA), Coalition of Christian Relief and Development Associations (CCRDA), Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), Ethiopian Civic and Voters Education Actors and Ethiopian National Disabilities Associations Network (ENDAN).

The followings are among the objectives of CECEO:

• To help facilitate the capacity of its members to undertake voter and civic education awareness, and increase voter participation the electoral process
• To mobilize and provide the necessary support to members to actively participate in monitoring and observation of all electoral process and referenda,
• To collect, organize, document, and share information related to electoral process