Partner Spotlight Highlights from NDI.ORG

Election Work by Guatemalan Civil Society Groups Boosts Confidence in Election Process

vrao — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:17:35 -0400

Public confidence in Guatemala's presidential election process was bolstered by the work of Mirador Electoral, a coalition of five independent Guatemalan civil society groupsthat fielded election observers, provided an independent verification of results and kept tabs on pre-election campaign activity.

The group, with assistance from NDI, was active both before and during first-round balloting on Sept. 9 and the run-off election Nov. 4 that led to the election of businessman Alvaro Colom of the National Unity of Hope Party (Unidad Nacional de Esperanza, UNE) over former General Otto Pérez Molina of the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota).

In largely peaceful run-off balloting, Mr. Colom polled 52.82 percent compared to 47.18 percent for Mr. Perez Molina. Mr. Perez Molina polled strongly in the capital, but Mr. Colom dominated in rural areas, winning 20 of Guatemala’s 22 departments. Mr. Perez Molina conceded on election night.

International and national observers lamented the 48 percent participation rate in the run-off as compared to the 60 percent turnout for the September general election. However, second round turnout was slightly higher than for the previous run-off in 2003. Despite a campaign period marked by more than 100 acts of violence and logistical challenges to the election administration, most Guatemalan voters cast their ballots in an atmosphere of relative calm in both rounds of voting.

Mirador Electoral prepared pre-election reports and fielded a network throughout the country of more than 3,500 election day volunteers representative of Guatemala’s diverse population. NDI received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development and Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden to provide in-house expertise to Mirador Electoral for both pre-election work and the election day observation. NDI also facilitated an exchange of practical election observation techniques with other domestic monitoring groups and experts from Canada, Nicaragua, and Peru.

Prior to the election, Mirador Electoral released five reports for the Guatemalan public providing information on election administration, election-related violence, political party performance, media coverage, and the level of political inclusion of the large but under-represented indigenous sector. (Click here to access these reports in Spanish). Mirador’s July 30 report gave evidence that political parties had exceeded campaign spending limits, increasing public pressure for greater scrutiny by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (Tribunal Supremo Electoral, TSE). Initial results of investigations by the TSE’s auditing department indicated discrepancies between the parties’ spending reports and the amount media sources said parties spent on advertising, underscoring concerns about transparency in party spending and sources of funding.

Using data collected by the observers, Mirador conducted a quick count, or independent verification of the results, pioneered by NDI. Quick counts can help to empower citizens, build local capacity, and provide reliable and comprehensive information. NDI has also found that in contentious electoral environments, the information provided by quick counts can reduce tensions and violence. Mirador’s quick count results were complete just over two hours following the close of the polls.

By law, Mirador was required to report its quick count results to the TSE on election night. The TSE president publicly announced the results that evening, pointing out the minimal differences between Mirador’s count and the official projections. By providing an independent verification of the official results based on the direct observations of non-partisan Guatemalan civic activists, Mirador helped to increase confidence in the electoral process.

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Published on Oct. 25, 2007

Indonesian Women Seeking Political Participation Win 2005 Madeleine K. Albright Grant

ywrausmann — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:04:54 -0400

The Women’s Political Caucus of Indonesia (Kaukus Perempuan Politik Indonesia or KPPI) is at the forefront of the nation's transition to democracy by leading the effort to increase women’s political participation.

A multi-party organization, KPPI includes women from political parties, civic organizations, government, trade unions, academia and the media.

It has been instrumental in establishing laws to increase women’s representation and leadership in political parties. KPPI is a young and growing organization with no funding source beyond nominal membership fees.

As a recipient of the 2005 Madeline K. Albright Grant, KPPI is expanding its efforts to help Indonesian women gain equal access to the levers of political power by enhancing the organization’s ability to deliver quality advocacy and training opportunities to its growing membership.

“The (Grant) gives us the wherewithal to involve the mothers and daughters and sisters of our nation. Together we will build on the political investment of women in Indonesia. Parties are not simply the path to power but the path to shared power,” says KPPI Chair Gefarina Djohan.

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Published on Mar. 4, 2006

Bosnian Women Healing Wounded City

ywrausmann — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:08:06 -0400

Women in the war-torn city of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina have come together to build an advocacy network that is one of the few examples of multiethnic political cooperation in a country fractured by seemingly insurmountable ethnic divides.

The newly formed Mostar Women’s Citizen Initiative draws together women—political activists, civic leaders, ordinary citizens—to address common issues without regard for the ethnic affiliation of its members or those it assists. The Initiative represents a profound attempt to transcend historic ethnic divisions in a city where teens enter its one high school through two different entry doors, learn on two separate floors and study two curricula.

The second annual Madeleine K. Albright Grant recognizes this unprecedented effort in an ancient city whose historic Stari Most bridge once symbolized centuries of multi-ethnic harmony, but could not withstand the ravages of modern-day prejudice and bombardment.

The work of these women is about using the tools of democracy—community organizing, public outreach, petitioning government—and the values of democracy—tolerance, pluralism and compromise—to bridge the city’s sharp divisions, and solve pressing community wide problems.

Today, more than a decade after the Dayton Peace Accords quelled the violence, Mostar remains physically divided, with Croats and Muslim Bosniaks living on either side of the restored bridge, which reopened in 2004. Survey research revealed that the harsh reality of life in a divided city was, itself, the problem most often cited by women in Mostar.

These women witnessed first-hand how problems go unsolved when ethnic affiliation dominates social relationships, education, employment and governance, and they decided to make the political process work for them. They have developed the tools to solve complex problems, to work collectively and to become leaders in their own right. They have gone on to develop, coordinate, and launch advocacy initiatives at the local level including a successful effort to amend the municipal maternity law to better protect female workers. The cooperative work of these women exemplifies a larger message to put aside harmful differences and choose the political process to build better lives for themselves and their community. The Madeleine K. Albright Grant will allow the Initiative to strengthen its organizational capacity and expand efforts to promote public participation in the policymaking process.

Watch a documentary, “Building Bridges,” about the Mostar Women’s Citizen Initiative:

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Published on Mar. 23, 2006

NDI Awards Madeleine K. Albright Grant to 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone

ywrausmann — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:18:59 -0400

On October 24, 2007, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) presented its third annual Madeleine K. Albright Grant to the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone. Founded in 2000 to promote greater participation of women in politics, the 50/50 Group has grown from a handful of women meeting in borrowed space in Freetown to a nationally recognized organization actively engaged in building a new post-war Sierra Leone in which women can share equally with men in the political decisions that affect their lives.

The Madeleine K. Albright Grant annually honors an organization that exhibits exceptional promise in creating a greater role for women in political and civic life. The recipient is selected from a competitive pool of applicants who submit proposals to be conducted using grant money. NDI created the Albright Grant in 2005 to demonstrate the Institute’s sustained commitment to promoting the equitable participation of women in politics and government.

The 50/50 Group’s accomplishments stand on their own, but are amplified by the environment in which they operate. Sierra Leone often ranks last or near last in country surveys of human development and living standards—a placement that reflects the devastating consequences of a fierce 11-year civil war notorious for the gruesome maiming of thousands of citizens by machete-wielding rebels; for the wholesale displacement of the population; and for its ravaging effects on the country’s infrastructure.

Out of these ruins emerged the 50/50 Group, whose founders recognized that while women in Sierra Leone—like their counterparts in other war-torn societies—disproportionately bore the consequences of combat, and had for decades been virtually excluded from political decision-making processes that either led to hostilities or hastened their end. Even though women’s organizations had mobilized against the rebels during the civil war, they were quickly shut out of the post-war governing structures. Since women represented a critical component in Sierra Leone’s reconstruction process, the 50/50 Group was at the forefront of those demanding that they take their place in a more inclusive political system.

Launched in 2000 with NDI support, the 50/50 Group seeks to live up to its name by ensuring an equal share of power between men and women in the country’s traditionally male-dominated political system. The Group was established to change public perception of women in politics, remove barriers to women’s political participation, and equip the next generation of women candidates with the tools necessary to achieve electoral success.

Facing its first electoral test during general polls in 2002, the Group mobilized intensive leadership and campaign training; organized a cadre of experienced trainers across the country and establishing local branches in all of Sierra Leone’s 14 districts. During the training period, women candidates concluded that absent a clear and comprehensive platform on women’s issues, they would continue to be marginalized from the political process. The 50/50 Group and women candidates subsequently produced and distributed the “Sierra Leone Women’s Manifesto,” which underscored the importance of meeting the needs of women in all sectors of development and established a strong foundation upon which to set priorities for a future legislative agenda.

Due in part to the efforts of the 50/50 Group, opportunities for women’s political participation increased dramatically during the 2002 election period with all competing parties placing women on their electoral lists. Campaign workshops organized by NDI and the 50/50 Group acquainted women who aspired to elective office with the practical skills and tools to run effective, issue-based campaigns, while a sustained media campaign conducted by the 50/50 Group successfully increased popular awareness of women candidates. Ultimately, 16 women were elected to parliament, three times the number elected in 1996, and they went on to actively participate in the country’s post-war government. During subsequent local polls in 2004, scores of 50/50 Group-trained women were elected to public office in their communities.

Having become a household name through its prominent electoral activities, the 50/50 Group capitalizes on the period between elections to further its mission especially the long-term goal of changing traditional prejudices and stereotypes that have marginalized women in the past. Between elections, the Group promotes its objectives through its branches around the country. A year-around radio talk show educates the general public on leadership, women’s issues and local government, and seeks to change perceptions of women in politics through regular interviews with successful women. These efforts have helped build a network of talented women ready to assume leadership roles in politics and civic life.

The organization’s proven success at promoting women’s political participation and its impressive proposal to engage women in politics at the community level represented a winning combination in the competition for the 2007 Madeleine K. Albright Grant. In its proposal, the 50/50 Group commits to providing women with the skills and confidence to successfully compete in the 2008 local elections and to working toward establishing a campaign environment more receptive to women’s political participation. This grassroots effort will involve intensive skills training with women activists across the country; public education and voter outreach campaigns designed to improve women’s knowledge of and access to electoral processes; and the creation of networking groups as forums for sharing information and building mutual support among potential female leaders.

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Published on July 3, 2007

Civic Engagement Contributes to Peaceful Election Process in Angola

vrao — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:28:55 -0400

Following three decades of civil war, Angolans went to the polls Sept. 5 for the first time in 16 years. The parliamentary elections unfolded in a largely peaceful manner, much to the credit of citizens who came out in large numbers, political parties that encouraged members to adhere to a strict code of conduct, and local election monitors who were deployed throughout the country.

NDI worked closely with its Angolan partner, The National Platform of Angolan Civil Society for Elections, a network of provincial election monitoring organizations, to encourage citizen involvement in the process and assuage fears that competition would spark violence as it did in 1992 during Angola's first post-independence elections. The Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) did not accept the results of that contest and fighting swiftly returned, unleashing the most brutal period of the country's civil war.

This year, a non-partisan Angolan organization observed elections for the first time. NDI supported the efforts of the Platform to monitor the election process, assisting in the recruitment, training and deployment of more than 1,000 observers in 87 of the country's 164 municipalities. NDI also helped organize an election day command center, where volunteers received and compiled observation data and incident reports sent in by observers from polling stations across the country.

Domestic and international observers reported logistical and organizational challenges and procedural inconsistencies, particularly in the capital, Luanda. But the process was peaceful and UNITA accepted the results, which showed the ruling Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola (MPLA) receiving 82 percent of the vote compared to 10 percent for UNITA. Three days after the election, a UNITA spokesperson conceded, saying that "despite everything that happened, the leadership accepts the election results and hopes the winning party will govern in the interest of all Angolans."

In the post-election period, NDI is working with the National Platform to organize roundtable discussions with its observers, election specialists, political parties and international observer groups to analyze the performance of the Angolan National Election Commission. In addition, participants will explore ways in which the electoral process can be strengthened in advance of the long-awaited presidential election, expected in 2009.

The Platform also will work to build political support for comprehensive electoral reform by encouraging the establishment of an election timeline and revisions to the constitution and 2004 election law.

The largely successful parliamentary elections have brought greater stability to the country, affording more opportunity for political party growth and democratic engagement by citizens at the municipal level. But the challenges remain, such as how to promote accountability and pluralism in a country governed by a dominant political party.

In addition to monitoring the upcoming presidential election, the National Platform plans to observe municipal polls scheduled for 2010 and will then work with local partners to monitor newly-elected local governments.

Pictured Above: NDI's Simão Andre briefs data entry personnel from the National Platform on election day

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Published on Dec. 4, 2008

Lessons for Iraq Gleaned from NDI Mission to Northern Ireland

ggreene — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:27:08 -0400

Iraqi officials seeking to create peace from conflict joined with Northern Ireland experts this fall for first-hand lessons in how the “Troubles” there have been turned into a developing peace over the last 10 years. Nine senior members of Iraq’s Council of Representatives took part in an NDI-sponsored study mission to Belfast to gain a comparative perspective on many issues common to both societies – such as ending sectarian discord, brokering peace agreements and power sharing – through meetings with major players from all facets of the Northern Ireland conflict.

Prior to the study mission, Lord John Alderdice, one of the negotiators of the Good Friday Agreement that brought a settlement to the conflict in Northern Ireland, moderated a two-day NDI-sponsored forum in Erbil that brought together Iraqi representatives from eight political parties and 20 civil society organizations from Kirkuk for a two-day, first-of-its-kind event. Male and female participants of different constituencies, ethnicities, religions, generations, and interest groups discussed security, economic development, public administration and other issues affecting the disputed governorate.

Speaking to the Iraqis in Belfast, Lord Alderdice hailed the prospect of competing interests aligning with common goals. He urged the MPs to maintain engagement at the local level where political parties can have a tremendous impact.

“People assume trust is a requirement for a successful process. Trust is an outcome,” he said. “You would be crazy to trust your enemy – trust comes because you make little agreements and then deliver on those agreements.”

In Belfast, the Iraqis met jointly with leaders – including First Minister Dr. Ian Paisley of the Unionist Party and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein – who during the height of the Troubles held sharply opposing views. “There are people in the world who think a resolution of the situation in Iraq is impossible,” said McGuinness. “I don’t accept that. Many people thought it was impossible that Dr. Paisley and I would even sit here in this room together. We overcame that impossibility and so can you.”

The Iraqi MPs praised their Irish hosts for their honesty in depicting the lingering after-effects of the Troubles. For example, Unionist Party Member Jeffrey Donaldson told them, “It has been a very difficult journey for us in Northern Ireland, but I want to encourage you that what seems like an impossible problem to be solved can be solved if there is the will to do it.” Donaldson also acknowledged that “mistakes” had been made in their quest to find peace and stressed the importance of including all sides in the Iraqi peace process.

“The experience we gained through this visit is very useful to us,” said Iraqi MP Hamid Majid Mousa, “We will attempt and attempt and attempt until we reach peace. … We are working, keeping up dialogue; we disagree and get frustrated, but we always come back to the table of negotiations…We feel no option except to keep going forward.”

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Published on Dec. 20, 2007

Film, Booklet Profile Women in Jordanian Parliament

ggreene — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:27:10 -0400

With support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), NDI has produced "First Class" — the first documentary video of its kind to profile Jordanian women serving in the lower and upper houses of Parliament.

The 15-minute video is a tribute to these remarkable women parliamentarians, and recognizes their efforts as they work to increase women's political participation in the country. A companion booklet profiles the 14 women and MPs and Senators who served in parliament between 2003 and 2007. Both works are available in English and Arabic.

Pictured above: MP Insaf al Khawaldeh, a member of the Jordanian parliament.

Read the report:

Watch the documentary:

English: Part I (below) | Part II

Arabic: Part I (below) | Part II

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Published on Dec. 21, 2007

HDAC Program Offers Comparative Look at Legislative Committee Work

ggreene — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:27:02 -0400

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.

At a Sept. 15 reception on Capitol Hill, the visitors had the opportunity to meet with HDAC members, including Chairman David Price (D-NC) and Reps. John Boozman (R-AR), Lois Capps (D-CA) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE). Pictured (l to r): Senator John Ballout of Liberia, Rep. Price and Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC).

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Published Sept. 29, 2008

Angola: NDI and Local Partner Monitor Parliamentary Elections

ggreene — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:09:12 -0400

Angolans went to the polls for the first time in 16 years in September to vote for a new parliament. Despite some concerns, the Sept. 5 polls unfolded in a generally peaceful way, much to the credit of citizens who came out to vote in large numbers and political parties that encouraged members to adhere to a strict code of conduct.

However, international and domestic observers reported logistical and organizational challenges and procedural inconsistencies, particularly in the capital. The ruling Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola (MPLA) won 82 percent of the vote while the main opposition party, the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), won 10 percent.

NDI-Angola worked with its local partner, The National Platform, an Angolan network of provincial election monitoring organizations, to enhance civil society participation in the election process. It supported National Platform efforts to monitor the pre-election period and assisted in the recruiting, training and deploying of observers on election day. NDI trained members of the Platform to prepare them to train observers within their own provinces. “I felt special working as an observer, with the power of persuading officials to proceed according to the law and preventing possible irregularities,” said one short term observer from Luanda province. “I felt important to represent the people and give them trust in the process.”

The Institute also provided election observation materials, including observer manuals, an election terms glossary in Portuguese and five national languages, a video about election monitoring, and observation forms for the day of the election. To accurately capture the information contained in the forms, the National Platform, with support from NDI, organized an election day command center and trained staff to enter data as the forms were received from election observers working in provinces around the country. These activities increased citizen participation and public confidence in the electoral process.

Pictured above: Nonpartisan observers with the National Platform pore over results of the Sept. 5 parliamentary election.

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Published on Sept. 30, 2008

Burma: NDI Assists Monks Pressing for Change

jbowen — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:49:39 -0400

A year after Burma’s Saffron Revolution, the International Burmese Monks Organization (IBMO), a group of monks living in exile, is working to spread the word about conditions in their country.

»Video: Watch Striving for Democracy, a brief NDI-produced documentary on the challenges facing the IBMO and the Global Monk Tour's stop in Jakarta.

Most participants in their “Global Monk Tour” left Burma for their own safety after speaking out against the country’s military government. The regime responded brutally to the Saffron Revolution, a peaceful protest led by Buddhist monks against rising fuel prices and government repression that brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets. Nearly a thousand new political prisoners were arrested and reportedly faced torture and inhumane treatment, and government constraints on dissent remain severe.

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) worked with the IBMO to send a delegation of monks to Indonesia to encourage more open discussion in the region of the Burma situation. The May visit, co-organized by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-parliamentary Myanmar Caucus and a number of Indonesian non-governmental organizations, came in the wake of Cyclone Nargis and the Burmese junta’s delay in allowing foreign aid into the country. The storm and its aftermath underscored the continued urgency of Burma’s economic, social, and political situation.

Each of the visiting monks had a unique story. For example, U Ashin Nayaka described his part in a 1988 peaceful uprising that ended with 3,000 people killed by the junta. Nayaka said he joined the tour “because as a monk trying to help the people of Burma, he saw the poverty and repression of people around him and could not remain silent anymore,” said Stephanie Lynn, NDI’s resident senior program director for Malaysia and Burma.

Another speaker, U Awbata, said he felt a responsibility to stand up for his community. Since Buddhist monks are prohibited from cooking for themselves, Awbata found himself requesting alms from families already struggling to buy their own food. Awbata joined the 2007 protests and eventually became a leader in the Saffron Revolution.

The IBMO chose Indonesia as a destination for the Global Monk Tour because it is a member of the United Nations Security Council and because of its leadership role on Burmese affairs within ASEAN.

The speaker of the Indonesian parliament, Agung Laksono, and the country’s former president, Abdulrahman Wahid, met with the monks and expressed support for their efforts. Representatives of the Burmese government in exile — elected in 1990 along with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi but prevented from taking power by the junta — visited an August session of parliament in Jakarta, the first time the government in exile had attended a session of a parliament within ASEAN.

NDI has also conducted other programs to assist Burmese activists. In June, Institute staff traveled to the Thailand-Burma border region to consult on advocacy, organization, communications, and planning with Burmese groups and activists living in exile.

On the anniversary of the revolution, Sept. 25, the IBMO and its supporters participated in an array of events. In Indonesia, NDI screened a short film about the monks’ visit to the country, and in New York the IBMO took part in a peace walk, while monks who participated in the revolution spoke to audiences about their experiences.

“The situation in Burma is grave and requires more attention,” Lynn said. “The strength and bravery of both those in Burma and those who have to leave is inspiring for democrats around the world. They deserve our support.”

Pictured above: Participants in the Global Monk Tour speak at a panel discussion in Jakarta.

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Published Oct. 23, 2008

Video: Watch Striving for Democracy, a brief NDI-produced documentary on the challenges facing the IBMO and the Global Monk Tour's stop in Jakarta.