Today, representatives from political parties, civil society organizations, and the media officially signed the Code of Conduct for the Responsible Use of Social Media during the local election campaigning. This important initiative was carried out in collaboration with Democracy for Development (D4D) and Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), marking the second time these stakeholders have joined forces following a successful partnership during the previous local elections in 2021.

The signing ceremony highlights a shared commitment to fostering a respectful, transparent, and inclusive online environment during elections. During the event was emphasized that while political debate and disagreements are essential to democracy, they must always take place in a spirit of respect and responsibility.

The Code of Conduct sets out clear principles for:

• Upholding electoral laws and ethical standards across online platforms
• Preventing disinformation, hate speech, and harmful content
• Promoting constructive dialogue among political parties, media, and citizens
• Ensuring equal and safe participation for women, minorities, and marginalized groups in the political process

By signing the Code, political actors, media outlets, and civil society reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the integrity of elections and strengthening public trust in democratic institutions. The monitoring of social and online media is an essential part of ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct during elections. A dedicated monitoring body, oversees digital spaces two weeks prior to the start of the official campaign period and throughout the entire month of campaigning.

This process includes identifying and documenting both compliance and violations related to disinformation, hate speech, harassment, and lack of transparency in political communication. Weekly reports are prepared to provide timely insights, while a final comprehensive report is produced after the elections. Through this structured monitoring, the Code ensures that online spaces remain transparent, inclusive, and accountable, safeguarding the integrity of democratic discourse and protecting vulnerable groups from harmful content.

All the Political Parties who were unable to attend the signing ceremony due to other pressing obligations can contact D4D to sign the Code and express their commitments to uphold democratic standards.