Isabel Otero

Procedures and Training Adviser to the National Electoral Commission
UNDP Electoral Assistance Team in Sierra Leone
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Critical Tasks
Training
Interviewers
Ashley McCants
Country of Reform
Sierra Leone
Town/City
Freetown
Country
Sierra Leone
Date of Interview
Monday, August 04, 2008
Abstract
Isabel Otero discusses the efforts by the United Nations Development Programme Electoral Assistance Team to build electoral management capacity in Sierra Leone. She discusses the 2007 parliamentary and presidential elections and the 2008 local government election. She begins by discussing the development of procedures and worker training by the UNDP. Otero speaks about various strategies used to curtail voter fraud and fraud by officials in the elections through the monitoring of registration lists, ballot papers, identification methods and other means. She also discusses the relationship between the UNDP and the National Electoral Commission. Finally, she reflects upon challenges that the electoral commission may face in the future, and offers advice for building capacity in electoral management in other states with little experience regarding elections. 

Full Interview

72 MB
Isabel Otero - Full Interview
Profile

At the time of this interview, Isabel Otero was employed at the United Nations Development Programme Electoral Assistance Team in Sierra Leone. At the UNDP, she served as procedures and training adviser for the National Electoral Commission in Sierra Leone, a position that she held since 2006. Prior to working in Sierra Leone, she served in Liberia as a training and capacity building adviser. She also previously served as a training officer in Afghanistan, and during both the national constituency assembly election and the presidential election in Timor-Leste. Prior to working on electoral issues at the U.N., Otero worked on gender-equity issues in Colombia with various non-governmental organizations. She holds a master’s degree in philosophy. 

Keywords
Voter Registration
voter fraud
vote counting
UN Policies
training
registration audit
polling supplies
monitoring
election security
election schedules
Election Management Body
Donor Relations
codes of conduct
Sierra Leone
Not specified