A Ugandan citizen speaks out during a political party dialogue in a northern Ugandan internally displaced persons camp.
NDI's Mission to Increase and Strengthen Citizen Participation
NDI works to increase and strengthen the political participation of citizens. Citizens are essential to the development and maintenance of a vibrant democracy; they give life and meaning to democratic principles and institutions. Without the active involvement of citizens in political life, government power can be abused and the basic rights and freedoms of democracy can go unrealized. Because democracy requires informed participation, citizens must understand ideas about citizenship, politics and government. They need knowledge to make decisions about policy choices and the proper use of authority, along with the skills to voice their concerns, act collectively and hold public officials accountable. They also need to want to exercise their rights, and they need the political space to do so without unreasonable resistance or harassment from authorities or others. For more than 20 years, NDI has conducted programs to activate and empower citizens and civic groups, establish strong civic cultures and achieve an appropriate balance of power between citizens and government.
Contact Information
For further information on our Citizen Participation programs, please contact:
Aaron Azelton, Director of Citizen Participation Programs aaron@ndi.org
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