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.

Political Party Network for Latin America & Caribbean (PPN)

The bilingual PPN web portal facilitates NDI political party training programs in Latin America. The site offers political parties across Latin America and the Caribbean access to comparative information, tools for party building, and techniques on political party reform; in the process, it strengthens the existing network of reform-minded leaders and provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas and expertise, while facilitating the administration and delivery of future NDI political party training programs. An online training feature enables NDI trainers to expand the reach of the Institute’s training program, transforming one to two weeks of face-to-face training to eight to ten months of online and in-person training and mentoring. The web site -- a combination of a resource portal, community-building portal, and interactive training-program management system -- primarily addresses NDI's two flagship programs in Latin America: PREPA, a party renewal program focused on training of trainers, and the Leadership Program, which encourages modernization and renewal by strengthening the skills of emerging leaders.

Women’s Participation

NDI’s most significant technological contribution to its women’s programs has been the online extension of partner networks. The Win with Women Global Initiative typifies this outreach by helping women around the world share resources, experiences and ideas, with the goal of overcoming barriers and challenges to women’s full participation in politics.

iKNOWPolitics.org

An innovative, multilingual global platform, the iKNOW Politics web site is designed to promote gender-sensitive governance and expand the role and participation of women in political and public life. iKNOW Politics connects parliamentarians, representatives, candidates, political party leaders and members, researchers, academics, and practitioners across borders, generations and faiths. The network equips them with the materials, expertise and best practices to make their political mark.

Citizen Participation

The Institute has assisted NGO partners and civic groups with development of databases and tracking software for members, trainers and volunteers, enabling NDI’s partners and groups to coordinate training activities, organize focus groups, distribute materials and generate statistical reports. NDI’s technological support in developing civil society has also included consulting on websites for public outreach, assisting with online discussion groups to help sustain networks of activists, and developing secure intranets that incorporate collaboration tools so groups can work together in confidence on policy or planning documents.

Improving Civic Data Collection in Angola

Through a coordinating body, the National Platform, NDI has assisted Angolan civic networks with standardization of trainings, forms and press statements around election and civic education programs since 2006. This assistance included technical guidance on development of new tools for data collection and reporting. The Platform used a computerized data collection system, with scannable observation forms, to record and sort observation information on the election registration process ahead of the 2008 national poll. The new technology uses scanners with “intelligent character recognition” software, which reads handwritten data on observation forms and uploads that information to a centralized computer database. The database processes scanned observer reports from around the country, reducing data collection time and the potential for human error.

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact Chris Spence, Chief Technology Officer, at  (202) 728-5554.
 

  Subscribe to updates about democracy and technology