Civil Society & Displaced Persons Playbook

This playbook translates Freeze–Vote–Rebuild into an operational checklist for civil society actors, community organizations, and displaced populations (IDPs and refugees), focusing on inclusion, safety, and accountability.

Primary Goals (Process-Focused)

Ensure displaced persons can register and participate meaningfully in the Vote phase.
Protect voters and communities from coercion, intimidation, and retaliation.
Ensure humanitarian corridors and protected infrastructure rules are real and monitored.
Ensure reconstruction is transparent, equitable, and resistant to corruption.
Create channels for grievances and oversight that do not rely on elite access.

Key Risks

Exclusion: Displaced populations excluded by documentation burdens or access barriers.
Coercion: Intimidation suppressing participation or distorting outcomes.
Disinformation: Confusing eligibility, safety, and procedures.
Capture: Reconstruction favoritism harming trust and equity.
Privacy: Breaches exposing vulnerable people to retaliation.

Non-Negotiables / Redlines (Operational)

Explicit eligibility pathways for displaced persons and refugees.
Accessible registration and participation modalities (including cross-border options).
Secret ballot protections and anti-coercion enforcement.
Secure complaint channels with protection for reporters and witnesses.
Transparency requirements for reconstruction spending and delivery outcomes.
Strong privacy protections for voter data and vulnerable populations.

What Civil Society Should Demand (Checklist)

During Freeze

Corridor Uptime Reporting: Regular updates and rapid response to closures.
Infrastructure Register: Monitoring of strikes on protected sites.
Safe Reporting: Channels to report abuses or access denials without fear.
Public Dashboards: Aggregated incident reporting with clear definitions.

During Vote

Translated Rulebook: Clear eligibility guidance in relevant languages.
Support Centers: Registration assistance specifically for displaced people.
Site Coverage: Observation coverage that includes displaced voting hubs.
Anti-Coercion Hotline: A channel with real investigative and remedy capacity.
Published Audits: Summaries of audit results and dispute outcomes.

During Rebuild

Project Registry: Public record of what is being built, where, and by whom.
Procurement Transparency: Awards summaries and debarment lists.
Community Grievance Mechanisms: Dedicated paths for local project feedback.
Equity Monitoring: Oversight of project distribution across regions.

Operational Responsibilities

How civil society can contribute to framework success:

Education: Provide non-partisan voter education and counter disinformation.
Assistance: Support registration (documentation help, access support).
Monitoring: Report access issues, intimidation, and corruption signals.
Feedback: Participate in community feedback loops for reconstruction priorities.
Protection: Support whistleblower networks and safe reporting practices.

Safety and Privacy Practices

Avoid collecting unnecessary personal data.
Use secure communications for sensitive reports.
Protect the identities of complainants and witnesses.
Coordinate with official dispute mechanisms while preserving local safety.
Insist on strict data governance rules for voter and complaint data.

(See: Data Governance & Privacy)

Verification Demands (What to Insist On)

Participation Metrics: Published by category (resident/IDP/refugee) in aggregate.
Coercion Thresholds: Clear rules for when verified intimidation triggers reruns.
Timeline Enforcement: Transparent dispute resolution windows and published reasoning.
Integrity Gates: Rebuild funding releases must be tied to audit performance.

Key References:

Failure Triggers and Fallback Options

Advocate for clear responses to:

Systemic Exclusion: Extend registration windows or deploy additional centers.
Verified Intimidation: Increase protection or rerun compromised precincts.
Data Breaches: Pause affected systems and initiate independent investigation.
Reconstruction Corruption: Suspend tranches, debar vendors, and replace operators.

Questions to Ask in the Room

How can displaced persons register if they lack documents, and what is the appeals process?
What protection exists for people reporting intimidation or coercion?
How will privacy be protected for voter rolls and complaint data?
What triggers a rerun or recount, and who decides?
Where can the public see reconstruction spending and progress in a usable form?