The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.
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Democracy Updates
Following a devastating civil war, Liberians elected their first democratic government in 2005, hoping for peace and stability. Since then, NDI has been working with legislators to develop lasting institutions and practices that will improve the legislature's effectiveness. As part of the Institute's work to connect lawmakers with their constituents and foster an environment of open and substantive public policy debate, NDI has partnered with STAR radio to launch a weekly radio program: The Legislative Spotlight. The roundtable discussion features different topics and legislators each week, and has helped lawmakers to have productive discussions on key issues with constituents who call in to the program.
Partner Spotlight
Eighteen committee and subcommittee chairs from four House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) partner countries - Afghanistan, East Timor, Haiti and Liberia - participated in a week-long program on the function of committees within the U.S. House of Representatives. The program was sponsored in conjunction with NDI, the International Republic Institute and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
In-Country Perspectives
Alexander Chavarria, NDI’s resident director in Liberia, discusses an Institute program based in Monrovia that works to strengthen the legislature as Liberia continues on the path to democratic governance. One of its goals is to help members communicate more effectively with their constituents.
Liberia
Liberia's first elections after nearly two decades of conflict and civil war were held in October and November 2005, offering Liberians an opportunity to overcome a past of civil conflict and authoritarian rule. Liberians made history by electing Ellen Johnson Sirleaf the first woman president in Africa as well as the most diverse legislature in Liberia's history: 12 percent of the House of Representatives and 17 percent of the Senate are women; and first-time legislators form a significant portion of the legislature. Four years since this historic election, much of the country's infrastructure has been rehabilitated. However, chronic unemployment, a precarious security situation, and the country's poor road network threaten these encouraging developments.
In recent months, the legislature has taken on a host of important issues, including passage of a bill that creates a transparent regulatory framework for natural resources and another one that strengthens government procurement and budgeting processes. The legislature has also been debating critical electoral reform legislation, particularly a threshold bill that sets the number of constituents per legislative district and a referendum bill that proposes a range of constitutional amendments to strengthen the electoral process in advance of national elections in 2011.
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