NDI believes that democracy programs are most successful when they support indigenous efforts for change. Citizens around the world desire accountable and responsive political institutions, yet NDI does not presume to impose solutions on local partners, nor does it believe that one democratic system can be replicated elsewhere. Rather, NDI shares experiences and offers a range of options, so that leaders and activists can select those practices and institutions that may work best in their own circumstances. NDI also has a long tradition of promoting solidarity among democratic activists the world over and helping them share lessons with one another.
A focus group meets in rural East Timor.
Helping citizens take their rightful place as active, organized participants in political life is NDI's priority. NDI's assistance to citizens enables them to influence political processes and outcomes, and to transform the way political institutions behave and the way that politics is practiced.
NDI's approach generally involves partnering with local civic groups to help them develop the capabilities needed to undertake organized political actions, such as civic and voter education efforts, issue advocacy campaigns, political process monitoring initiatives, and community organizing campaigns. In each case, NDI introduces groups to various tools and techniques. NDI recognizes, however, that empowering citizens requires more than encouraging participation or providing tools. It also must mean helping citizens master the organizing techniques (e.g. issue identification and analysis, planning, resource management, deliberation, communication, fundraising, and evaluation) and developing the know-how required to take collective action, solve complex problems, and become leaders in their own right.
Throughout the course of a program, NDI assists its local partners as they climb a "ladder of participation" that starts with loosely organized, politically inactive groups on the bottom rung and well-organized and politically influential groups on the top. NDI guides groups from one level to the next using a mix of assistance tools that heavily emphasize the practice of "learning by doing." NDI also seeks to engage local groups higher up the ladder to serve as role models, mentors, and facilitators for their counterparts at lower levels. NDI has documented this process in places like Croatia and Sierra Leone, where the Institute has helped local groups capture their successful experiences in toolkits and training courses that can now be accessed by less developed groups.
NDI also concentrates on helping groups think strategically about their actions and take concerted steps to increase their strength and influence over public officials and political processes. Over the course of NDI's involvement, the political engagement of local civic partners becomes more sophisticated and substantive. The Institute's approach often is to first help establish the precedent for citizen participation and then foster a practice that is not centered on one person or group but that extends across a community.
In most cases, NDI's citizen participation programs involve an in-country presence. NDI representatives are then able to provide consistent support when citizens and civic groups begin organizing and participating in political processes. Although knowledge and skills could be conveyed to citizens through periodic visits to a country, or through publications and one-time seminars, NDI has found it is critical to guide citizens as they first apply newly acquired tools and techniques. This assistance is given by NDI resident representatives who are best placed to understand the political environment and the level of development of local partners. This process entails coaching, providing structured feedback and facilitating reflection exercises with partners. NDI labels this process "guided practice" and it complements seminars, conferences, training activities and resource materials. Additionally, NDI will sometimes use financial sub-awards as another device to help civic groups apply their learning. Although NDI is not a donor, the strategic injection of funds into an organization often allows the group to try new things and to learn from that experience.
Liberians patiently line up in Nimba, Liberia during the long awaited presidential election in 2005.
Citizen Participation and Elections
Regular elections provide citizens with an opportunity to express their will and determine the composition of their government. To make sensible choices, however, citizens must be aware of an election's purpose, their voting rights and obligations, the range of electoral options, and the voting procedures. NDI assists local civic groups with conducting citizen-centered voter education and Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns that often include candidate forums and other interactive measures. As part of these efforts, NDI helps groups recognize that elections are an opportunity for building citizen power and influence that can be exerted beyond polling day.
Citizen Participation and Poverty Reduction
NDI believes democracy is an essential component of an overall development strategy and the only political foundation upon which societies can advance and sustain human development. Democracy can ensure that even the poorest citizens have a voice and hold public officials accountable for their policies and actions. It can even remove them from power when they fail to address public needs. Only through the development of democratic political institutions and practices-including the regular participation of citizens in political processes; peaceful political competition; and independent branches of government that pursue, implement, and oversee national policies-can the impoverished peoples of the world develop solutions to hunger, illiteracy, and other problems that plague human development. Rural dislocation, environmental degradation, and agricultural policies that lead to famine all trace to political systems in which the victims have no political voice, government institutions feel no obligation to answer to the people, and special interests feel free to exploit resources without fear of oversight or the need to account. The Institute works with citizens to organize and gain a foothold in the political system. Through its unique relationships with international political organizations and intergovernmental bodies as well as its reputation as an independent, nonpartisan entity, NDI is able to enhance the interaction between citizens and their elected leaders.
Young West Bank citizens look on as their mother casts her vote.
Citizens and Political Process Monitoring
Government planning, budgeting and spending are political opportunities where citizens should be able to access information, influence priorities and hold public officials accountable. To help citizens participate, NDI supports citizen monitoring of the planning, budgeting and spending processes. Political process monitoring involves compiling and analyzing information, developing and disseminating reports, and using the findings to raise public awareness and government responsiveness. In some case, such processes begin with citizens advocating for freedom of information legislation to create mechanism through which budget information can be accessed. Increasingly, NDI is working with citizens at the local level to monitor government service delivery at the point where it has the greatest impact on their lives and the most potential to promote direct interaction with public officials. NDI has found that improving government service delivery can be a rallying point for sustained citizen involvement in political processes.
Citizen Participation and the Role of Young People
Young people are a major force in the contemporary world and are often at the forefront of global, social, economic and political developments. NDI views young people as part of the solutions to the difficulties developing democracies face, not merely another problem to be resolved by others. NDI's focus group research has shown that young, first time voters are more open to voting for new parties and more willing to change political allegiances. Young people, by nature, are more inclined to change than older generations: they are more idealistic in their goals and they are less loyal to established traditions. NDI works with young people to increase their organized voice in political decision making and developments.
Nepalese participants break for a bit of humor during a women’s political participation conference.
Citizen Participation and Political Parties
NDI does not view civil society organizations as an alternative to political parties. Political parties are a necessary element of a strong and vibrant democracy. Parties are unique organizations that fulfill a number of different, yet related, functions that are central to the democratic process. Parties vet political leaders and contest elections, form accountable and representative government, and consolidate public interests. Since most citizens and civil society groups have more specific parochial interests, parties are necessary intermediary institutions capable of balancing and aggregating competing interests in a broader political arena. NDI works to inform citizens and civil society organizations about the importance of strong democratically organized parties, and likewise works to inform parties about the complementary roles of civil society organizations.
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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