Since 2021, NDI has championed young people’s civic and political participation through the Speak Youth to Power campaign. Under this campaign, NDI is working to increase young people’s impact, influence and leadership in decision-making spaces and engage a more diverse cohort of young leaders. Also, in 2021, President Biden hosted the first Summit for Democracy, which was an opportunity to shine a light on the barriers preventing young people in all their diversity from accessing and influencing decision-making spaces.

This story is part of a series highlighting the work done through the Equal Rights in Action (ERA) Fund. Through the ERA Fund, NDI supports local activist organizations all over the world, strengthening democracy and defending the human rights of marginalized communities. LGBTQI+ communities, people with disabilities (PWD) and other marginalized communities face discrimination and unfair treatment at the individual and systemic levels, operating with limited resources and overcoming tumultuous circumstances.

The rise of political tensions in Senegal, primarily due to the trial between opposition leader Ousmane Sonko and Ms. Adji Sarr and his defamation trial from the Minister of Tourism Mame Mbaye Niang, has prompted widespread fears among Senegalese citizens. As a result, many observers worry that the country will plunge into intense political violence between supporters and opponents of power.

The benefits of high levels of interpersonal trust, community engagement, government responsiveness and acceptance of all groups are almost too many to list. Democracy is more successful in societies with these attributes. To promote greater citizen engagement at the local level in Ecuador, NDI and local partners strengthened cooperation between local governments and civil society to address the needs and rights of marginalized groups and promote stronger and more interconnected communities in the country.

Ukraine’s youth have shown incredible bravery and resilience amid Russia’s brutal and unjustified war. Across the country and abroad, young people came together to support each other and their fellow citizens. One example is the Ukrainian members of the European Democracy Youth Network (EDYN), a platform supported by USAID, the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). EDYN brings together young leaders in Europe and Eurasia who are committed to advancing democracy and civic engagement in their countries, including Ukraine.

Reflecting the global democratic decline, observer rights are under threat around the world and across Africa. In many countries, political space is closing, and restrictive laws and regulations are being used to undermine the ability of citizen organizations to observe electoral processes. The development of independent, non-partisan citizen observer organizations in every region of the world is one of the most important democratic achievements of the past 40 years.

In recent years, media stories in Kyrgyzstan have been dominated by scandals and tales of political gain, with policy discussion rarely capturing the public’s attention. It was, therefore, remarkable that in October, the video of a parliamentary hearing on a proposed bill on public education went viral on social media, garnering 357,000 views and over 2,600 comments on Instagram and catapulting local teachers into the national spotlight.