TABLE OF CONTENTS: FOREWORD by the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; AUTHOR?S PREFACE; DECLARATION ON CRITERIA FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, unanimously adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 154th Session (Paris, 26 March 1994)... PART 1: Free and Fair Elections: Further Steps along the Democracy Road: 1. INTRODUCTION; 2. EVOLVING AND CONSOLIDATING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS; 2.1 The Inter-Parliamentary Union; 2.1.1 The status of the IPU in its relations with the United Nations; 2.1.2 The IPU?s agenda; 2.2 The United Nations, the General Assembly, elections and democracy; 2.2.1 Enhancing the principle of elections; 2.2.2 Support for new or restored democracies; 2.2.3 Respect for the principles of national sovereignty; 2.3 The Commission on Human Rights; 2.3.1 Promoting and consolidating democracy; 2.3.2 Strengthening popular participation; 2.3.3 The role of regional and other organizations; 2.4 Regional and sub-regional developments: Some aspects; 2.4.1 Africa; 2.4.2 Americas; 2.4.3 The Commonwealth; 2.4.4 Europe... 3. DEVELOPMENTS IN LAW AND PRACTICE: 3.1 Elections, democracy and accountability; 3.2 Democracy, representation, and electoral systems; 3.3 Political parties and political rights; 3.4 The right to vote; 3.5 Elections and equality; 3.5.1 The participation of women in political life; 3.6 Electoral administration... 4. A PRESENT AND FUTURE AGENDA: 4.1 Free and Fair Elections revisited; 4.2 Accountability and verification; 4.3 Participation, representation, and equality; 4.4 The evolving agenda; 4.5 The ?democratic imperative..... PART 2: Free and Fair Elections: The Development of International Law and Practice: 1. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES; 1.1 Outline of the study; 1.2 Sources... 2. THE INTERNATIONAL LAW BACKGROUND: 2.1 International obligations; 2.2 Self-determination and national sovereignty; 2.3 Elections and human rights treaties; 2.3.1 Universal instruments; 2.3.2 Regional instruments; 2.4 United Nations election activities; 2.4.1 Action in the UN General Assembly; 2.5 The Inter-Parliamentary Union: Policy and practice; 2.6 Regional and other developments... 3. FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS: 3.1 Constituent elements; 3.1.1 Electoral law and system; 3.1.2 Constituency delimitation; 3.1.3 Election management; 3.1.4 The right to vote; 3.1.5 Voter registration; 3.1.6 Civic education and voter information; 3.1.7 Candidates, political parties and political organization; 3.1.8 Electoral campaigns; 3.1.8.1 Human rights and the election environment; 3.1.8.2 Media access and coverage; 3.1.8.3 Codes of Conduct; 3.1.9 Balloting, monitoring and results; 3.1.10 Complaints and dispute resolution; 3.2 Evaluation and assessment... 4. INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS: 4.1 The goal or objective; 4.2 The rights and responsibilities of individuals and political parties; 4.3 The rights and responsibilities of government; 5. CONCLUSION... ANNEX: Free and Fair Elections - Extracts from Selected International Instruments; SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY; USEFUL WEBSITES; INDEX.