Two-day workshop of the CEC BiH on protecting electoral processes in the information environment begins

(Patria) - The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), today began a two-day workshop titled “Protecting Electoral Processes in the Information Environment” at the CEC BiH Education Center.

The workshop is conducted within the framework of the eponymous project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (FFO) and implemented by International IDEA, with the aim of identifying key challenges in the information environment and developing practical steps to strengthen the protection of electoral processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The first day of the workshop is dedicated to mapping the information environment related to elections, where participants consider global and national trends, identify main sources of risk, analyze problematic narratives and actors that may affect the integrity of elections, as well as existing protective mechanisms, institutional solutions, and opportunities for inter-institutional cooperation.

The workshop is attended by representatives of institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, international organizations, civil society organizations, and experts from various fields, who together form a multisectoral group focused on strengthening the resilience of electoral processes to the challenges of the modern information environment.

Special emphasis is placed on the increasingly pronounced challenges faced by democratic systems worldwide, including the spread of disinformation, manipulative narratives, and other information threats that can undermine public trust in the electoral process, call into question election results, and jeopardize democratic stability.

Through interactive discussions and exchange of experiences, participants will analyze the existing institutional and regulatory framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina, assess the effectiveness of existing countermeasures, and consider possibilities for improving coordination among all relevant actors.

The second day of the workshop will be dedicated to drafting the foundations of a roadmap for protecting electoral processes.

Relying on the mapping results, participants will define priorities, identify areas of joint action, and consider coordination mechanisms for implementing activities ahead of the 2026 General Elections, as well as in the long term thereafter.

The project “Protecting Electoral Processes in the Information Environment” is part of a broader international initiative that International IDEA is also implementing in other countries, including Colombia, Fiji, Guatemala, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, and Paraguay, with the aim of exchanging experiences, strengthening international cooperation, and developing global practices for protecting the integrity of elections in the digital age.