After a two year absence, IFES is returning to Sierra Leone with a new project to promote inclusive and nonviolent elections in 2013.  IFES will build on its previous work in Sierra Leone to provide targeted assistance to the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), political parties and civil society actors in advance of the next elections.  The project, Promoting Inclusive Elections (PIE) in Sierra Leone, is funded with an $850,000 grant from the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS). CEPPS is a collaborative effort among IFES, the International Republic Institute and the National Democratic Institute overseen by the United States Agency for International Development. 

The program consists of four primary components:  strengthening the capacity of the NEC and PPRC to design and deliver peaceful and inclusive elections that meet the needs of youth, women and persons with disabilities; building the capacity of political parties to adopt inclusive and nonviolent approaches to electoral processes; enhancing efforts to promote nonviolent elections; and assisting local organizations in designing and implementing a nationwide civic education campaign targeting women and disabled communities.