image of a compass
NDI

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.

Home

Tunisian Women Worry Gains Made During Revolution May Be Slipping

Two women vote in Sousse. Photo by Alexis Arieff Women of all ages, regions and walks of life took to the streets last year during the uprising that led to the ouster of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. They participated as candidates and campaigners during the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) elections that followed, encouraged by the country’s new electoral law that required a “zipper system” that alternated men and women on candidate lists. As the political transition continues, Tunisian women are playing active roles in civil society and political parties.

Indigenous Woman Becomes Governor in Guatemala

Teresa de Jesús Chocoyo is known to her supporters as “Sacatepéquez’s Woman of Change.” Teresa de Jesús Chocoyo definitely stood out in the crowd when she was sworn in recently as one of 22 departmental governors in Guatemala, where non-indigenous men dominate politics. A petite indigenous woman in colorful, traditional Mayan dress, her long black hair pulled back in a braid, she was the only indigenous woman governor, one of only three women and three indigenous governors.

Citizen-Candidate Dialogues in Mexico Seek to Increase Government Responsiveness

In some of Mexico’s states most affected by violence, voters are getting a rare chance to put questions about citizen security to candidates seeking their support in the country’s July 1 congressional elections. In a country that has been plagued by organized crime and violence, safety issues continue to be a top priority for voters. A poll from September 2011 found that 55 percent of Mexicans want the government to put a high priority on strengthening public security.

NDI Delegation Releases Pre-Election Statement in Georgia

An NDI pre-election delegation to Georgia released its findings on June 29, in advance of parliamentary elections scheduled for October. The delegation assessed the status of electoral preparations, the conduct of political activity by major electoral participants, and the general electoral environment. It met with government officials, parliamentary candidates, political party leaders, election authorities, and representatives of civil society, the media and the international community.

Libyan Political Parties Sign Voluntary Code of Conduct; Call for Peaceful Elections

Women wait to vote in Benghazi municipal elections. Photo by Megan Doherty. On Saturday, Libyans will vote in the first national election since the uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled over the country for more than four decades. Citizens will elect 200 members to serve in a National Public Conference (NPC), which will oversee the drafting of a new constitution and design the institutions of Libya’s democracy. For the first time in the country’s history, political parties are organizing across the country to field candidates for public office.

Pakistani Women and Young People Work on Political Skills

Participants show the power of networks during an exercise at the Training Fellowship program. In Pakistan, where instability, distrust, violence and political rivalries can impede interaction among political parties, women and young people — the majority of the population — often have difficulty making their voices heard. According to some estimates, more than 60 percent of Pakistanis are under the age of 35. Yet women and young people seldom have leadership opportunities or seats on decision making bodies.    

NDI Releases Political Poll Ratings in Georgia

NDI has released results of a public opinion survey designed to measure Georgian voters’ attitudes toward parliamentary elections expected in October. If the elections were held tomorrow, the poll found, 38 percent of likely voters said their first choice would be the United National Movement (UNM); 22 percent said “don’t know”; 18 percent chose Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream Coalition; 16 percent refused to answer; 4 percent said “no party”; and 3 percent said the Christian Democratic Movement (CDM).

NDI Staff Looks to Future at Global Retreat

Alec Ross, senior advisor for innovation at the U.S. State Department, led a discussion on democracy and technology. NDI senior staff members from 58 countries came together for three days last week to discuss trends in democracy support and explore opportunities presented by new technologies and other innovations in program design, implementation and evaluation. In addition to taking advantage of the opportunity to meet with colleagues from across the world, the 133 participants heard from outside experts from the National Endowment for Democracy, the U.S Agency for International Development, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the U.S. State Department.

Empowering Nepal's Future Leaders

This story was originally published in USAID-Nepal's June 2012 e-newsletter. You can read it and others here.

NDI Afghanistan: Building Bridges

As the democratic process gradually gets stronger in Afghanistan, citizens expect more jobs, social services, education opportunities for their children, improved infrastructure and health care. This short documentary film shows how political parties and elected officials are creating policy agendas that speak to citizen's priorities. With support from NDI, political parties in Afghanistan are learning to become more representative of different ethnicities and develop policies reflective of constituent concerns.

Stay Informed

Sign up for email updates
 

Contribute

Our Programs in ...

Select a country:

National Democratic Institute | 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20001-2621 | p: 202.728.5500 | f: 888.875.2887