Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainians from all walks of life have upended their lives to safeguard distinctly democratic values such as pluralism, tolerance and inclusion. NDI partners BBC Media Action and the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne have launched a documentary series, “Vydymi” (“Visible”), highlighting the work of women and LGBTQI+ Ukrainians in wartime.

In collaboration with Foreign Policy, the National Democratic Institute celebrated the power of youth voices in a Defending Democracy “game changer” event, featuring U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs and U.S. Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues Abby Finkenauer, and three young leaders, Lu Argueta, Eliud Luutsa and Marina Csikós.

Air pollution has reached crisis levels in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek in recent years, with ever-increasing media coverage drawing attention to the problem and citizens’ frustrations justified by a series of scientific studies. A 2022 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report says 12-13% of the deaths in the Kyrgyz Republic each year can be attributed to poor air quality, amounting to as many as 5,000 fatalities.

Nigerian women face great difficulty in the journey to achieve their political aspirations. Most obstacles they encounter are rooted in gender discrimination. They face patriarchal, cultural and religious views and practices that uphold men’s rights to power, as well as legal discrimination. Winning elections and assuming leadership roles are some of the areas in which Nigerian women face the greatest obstacles.