The Asian Network for Free Elections is organizing a webinar on election observation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar on Monday, 19 October 2020, at 4 p.m. (Yangon Time).*

With the continuous rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Myanmar, authorities have imposed restrictions to curb the further spread of the virus. Several townships in badly hit states and regions are under strict stay at home order while travel restrictions are also in place.

The situation has proven to be particularly challenging for various election stakeholders with the general elections edging closer. Several political parties have called for the postponement of the elections but the Union Election Commission remains firm and committed to proceed with the elections as scheduled.

How is the COVID-19 pandemic changing the election environment in Myanmar? What are the particular areas of concern that election stakeholders should pay attention to? How are election stakeholders coping with the new normal?

ANFREL invited People's Alliance for Credible Election executive director Sai Ye Kyaw Swar Myint, Arakan Election Monitoring and Observation Consortium project coordinator Aung Naing, and Humanity Institute executive director Hpawdaw Naw Htoi to shed light on issues and challenges of observing the upcoming 2020 Myanmar General Election amid the COVID-19 pandemic. C.A.N. -- Myanmar founder and chairperson of the Board of Consultants Saw Zin Maung Soe will moderate the discussion.

ANFREL is hosting the webinar via online meeting platform Zoom and will be streamed live on ANFREL’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ANFREL). To join, please register here: https://bit.ly/2GJD5Io

This webinar is the fourth of a series of online discussions which aim to create public awareness on democratic elections in the lead up to the 2020 Myanmar polls scheduled for 8 November 2020.

The ANFREL Webinar Series is a platform for civil society organizations and other election stakeholders to discuss election-related issues and promote democratic elections in Myanmar.

Previous webinars discussed the importance of inclusiveness in elections, candidate registration, voter list display and voter education, and COVID-19 and the 2020 Myanmar polls.

This program would not have been possible without the generous support from the Canadian Embassy in Yangon and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

*NOTE: This webinar will be in Burmese language but simultaneous English translation will also be available.