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.

An African activist group known as Law and Advocacy for Women in Uganda (LAW-U) has made significant progress in a fight for women’s rights issues. LAW-Uganda has made headlines fighting against domestic violence, female genital mutilation, polygamy, and human trafficking. The group has also fought for women’s land rights, female education, economic empowerment, and equal treatment under the law.

On June 27, 2007, NDI, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, and the Union of Local Self-Government Units (ZELS) joined together to strengthen links between the citizens of Macedonia and their elected representatives by signing a Memorandum of Cooperation to support NDI’s Constituency Office Assistance Project. This NDI initiative is currently opening 65 offices across Macedonia — up from 46 during the previous mandate.

In spite of a tense situation in the Philippines triggered by midterm national and local elections, the 2007 Young Advocates for Peace (YAP) Camp on May 20-30 gathered 71 youth leaders representing indigenous peoples, youth councils, school and out-of-school youth, and children of former combatants from the six political regions of Mindanao, the southern portion of the country.

Between October and November of 2006 NDI conducted a series of focus group discussions in nine Iraqi provinces. These discussions revealed that one year after the passage of a constitution and the election of a permanent government, Iraqis are experiencing frustration bordering on despair regarding their living conditions and the state of affairs in their country.  Measured expressions of hope and optimism found in earlier research have largely been replaced by words of disillusionment and suspicion.