Author:
Nicole Rowsell, Ian T. Woodward
Publisher:
National Democratic Institute
Published Date:
07/14/2011
Resource Type:
Focus Group Report
Language:
English, Arabic
Protesters march on a highway leading to downtown Tunis. Banner reads "We will not return from the Ministry of Youth without a job."
Nearly six months after Tunisia’s street-inspired uprising led to the overthrow of its longtime ruler, a gradual political transition is taking root. But as political leaders in Tunis negotiate the contours of the transition and debate the country’s new identity, citizens face everyday challenges ranging from unemployment to lack of security. These hardships are compounded by uncertainty and the threat of instability posed by the persistent conflict in neighboring Libya.
A hotly-debated topic in Mauritania these days is social security, described as "the foundation for social justice in a modern state" by Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Guelaye, president of the Mauritanian Parliamentary Commission on Public Welfare and Health and author of a recent report on social security reform. "It is an expression of national solidarity: the wealthy pay for the poor, the healthy help the sick and are helped in turn when they fall ill," he said.
Source:
The New York Times
Article Link:
Read More
Published Date:
07/01/2011
After a recent trip to Africa, Nicholas Kristof chronicles the encouraging changes taking place and the continuing challenges facing the continent. While Africa's economy is booming, widespread problems such as malnutrition and disease still persist, although humanitarian aid programs from the United States have made significant impact. Kristof also notes the increasing presence of democracy on the continent. "Morocco is a window into one of the most striking trends in Africa: democratization.
Last year’s presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire ended in a violent standoff between the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, and the internationally recognized winner of the vote, Alassane Ouattara. During the five-month crisis, which ended with Gbagbo’s arrest and Ouattara’s inauguration, more than 3,000 Ivorians died. We spoke with Charles Djrekpo, NDI resident director, about NDI efforts to help the reconciliation process, and how women and youth leaders are the key to a more a peaceful future for Côte d’Ivoire.
In Turkey, both policymakers and civil society groups are striving to give citizens more say in how public policy is made, but it is rare for the two groups to actually come together.
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"When Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer heard about the expulsion of the Roma in France and Italy last year, he did not stand idly by. Bonnie Abaunza, the executive in charge of Hans' philanthropy division said, 'He called me and said what are we going to do about this. This is terrible.'
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By Raúl Arce-Contreras and Juliana Ferreira
Following a string of recent premature infant deaths in Ecuador that appeared to result from poor hospital hygiene, there was widespread agreement that authorities needed to act.
In early May, NDI sent a team to Benghazi, to meet with Libyans and assess what they will need for a successful democratic transition. Les Campbell, NDI director for Middle East and North Africa programs, writes about his experiences.
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