The recent killing of two Polish citizens by missiles that landed in a Polish village near the Ukrainian border brought yet another sleepless night to residents across the country. For nine months, the war in Ukraine has been affecting the lives of Poles, as nearly 8 million Ukrainians have crossed the border since February 24 seeking and finding refuge in multiple Polish cities in Europe’s largest wartime refugee displacement since World War Two.

Ukrainian politicians and political parties have been united in their common mission to defeat Russia and preserve Ukraine’s democracy, independence and sovereignty since the full-scale invasion. This message of unity remains at the forefront as Ukraine enters the ninth month of war. Throughout this period, Ukrainian political parties European Solidarity, Servant of the People and Batkivschyna have continued to invest in developing and maintaining strong internal party infrastructures and prioritizing inclusion, especially for women and youth.

The remarkable achievement of two women—Hon. Kessy Sawang and Hon. Rufina Peter—being elected to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Parliament after an all-male term (2017 - 2022) demonstrates that, despite tremendous barriers, there are openings in the political environment that can be leveraged to consolidate women’s representation in the country’s political institutions.

In many countries, including Mali, the exclusion of women in politics persists despite legal structures that aim to increase their participation. At an exchange session led by NDI and its local partners, Network of African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians of Mali (REFAMP) and the Young Malian Women Political Party Leader’s Network (REJEFPO), women from Malian political parties in the Mopti region discussed obstacles that impede gender equality in politics.

Since 2019, the Disinformation Coordination Hub -- a platform that unites more than 20 Ukrainian organizations and initiatives -- has worked together to fact-check, counter disinformation, improve media literacy, and conduct strategic communications. The Hub has persevered with its work following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February and has continued to facilitate coordination and information exchange among its members, as well as contributing to a “one-voice” policy for countering Russian information attacks.

Oleksandra Shchukina is the head of Smart Media, an NDI-supported civil society organization that helps Ukraine’s citizens understand key reforms. She was raised in a family with civic and patriotic values, values which have given her strength during Russia’s war against Ukraine. “I am inspired by how caring our people are, by their desire to help others. My own patriotism and national identity come from my own family,” Oleksandra says. Her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents devoted their careers to civic life in Kharkiv, working as teachers, professors, and priests.

On August 9, an estimated 22 million Kenyans went to the polls to elect their next president. Despite being one of the most competitive elections in the country’s history, it resulted in a peaceful transition of power and a step forward in Kenya’s democratization process.

Making Democracy Work by Improving Government Communication and Public Engagement in The Gambia

For the first time ever, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteurs for Human Rights Defenders and for the Right to Peaceful Assembly and Association have explicitly recognized election observers, in particular nonpartisan citizen observers, as human rights defenders and called on member states to “enable independent and impartial election observation by all monitors, including from abroad.”