Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights Concluded training workshop in the city of Benha - Qaliubiya under the project "Protect Your Voice from Invalidating 2" with the support of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems "IFES"
which aims to increase voter turnout in the elections of the Shura Council and reduce the proportion of invalid votes in this election. This will achieve several goals which is to build the capacity of (18) youth on the training and voter education electoral system, the new role of the Shura Council in the process of preparing the new constitution. Also it will raise the awareness and abilities (150) of natural leaders and senior families and young people on how to vote according to the new electoral system and the role of the Shura Council in the process of preparing the new constitution. In addition to raising awareness of the 15 thousand citizens at least by procedures for elections of the Shura Council and Council's role in the process of preparing a new constitution through a "pocket booklet" called "not just a Council."
It is worth mentioning that Maat Foundation has carried out a series of training workshops in the governorates of Giza and Kalubia aimed at six centers: "Hawamdia - Badrasheen - Ayat – Shubra Al-Khema – Qanater Al-Khairia - Benha" in addition to the workshop for three days for trainers who are able to do training in the workshops and the preparation of awareness campaigns to voters.
The total number of trainees and participants in training courses are "170" trainees.
These workshops were targeted voter education system to the new electoral procedures and the Shura Council elections and the importance of the Shura Council and its role in the preparation of the new constitution.
Each training was divided into three training sessions. The first session was on the concept of democracy and the forms and the definition and composition of the Shura Council.
The second session addressed the principles of free and fair elections according to international principles and commitments. In the third session, the participants were trained on communication skills and how to communicate with voters and making awareness-raising campaigns to encourage citizens to participate by voting in the election.
The participants in the training and through working groups emphasized on the importance of the correct choice for those who represent them in the next election, especially after the glorious revolution of January 25 and urged all members of the community on the importance of voting.
They also confirm on avoiding the erroneous practices that lead to the invalidity of a vote, stressing the importance of awareness campaigns, especially in underserved areas of such activities.