NDI - Citizen Participation

In Jordan, Al-Hayat Addresses Youth Apathy in Political Process

fgalleto — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:24:40 +0000

To encourage young Jordanians to participate in politics, the Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development has launched a campaign focused on engaging and registering young voters for Nov. 9 parliamentary elections. The campaign is based in part on the findings of a survey conducted by Al-Hayat, in partnership with NDI, designed to uncover young people's attitudes toward political involvement and specifically their experiences in the previous election in 2007.

More than 65 percent of Jordanians are under the age of 30, and 43 percent of potential voters are 18 to 25. Those demographics carry the potential for accelerated political reform, provided the country's young people, who have historically been excluded from the political process, decide to make their voices heard.

The survey sampled 2,100 Jordanians between the ages of 18 and 30 from the country's 12 governorates. The participants also represented a cross section of education levels, marital statuses, professional sectors and sexes. The survey asked questions about difficulties encountered at polling stations, efficacy of campaign literature and advertisements, and respondents' overall confidence in the role of parliament. It also asked the young people to estimate their anticipated level of participation in the upcoming elections.

jordanelection.com

The results of Al-Hayat's survey are available publicly through a user-friendly website, www.jordanelection.com, where activists, researchers, candidates and policymakers can track trends in specific youth subgroups, particularly first-time voters. For instance, the survey showed that young people strongly support domestic election monitoring, which is useful information for activists pressing the government to allow civil society organizations to observe the election process.

To help visualize results and make better connections across regions, the findings are displayed on a colorful interactive map divided into national, regional and governorate levels. The data can also be explored by gender, age and education level, giving the user detailed demographic information. The website's simple design combined with its in-depth presentation of the survey data is a powerful tool for designing a variety of election-related youth programs.

The results revealed a number of concerns over previous elections and how future polls will be conducted. For example, participants said that during the 2007 elections they faced overcrowded polling centers and witnessed vote-buying and other violations. For this year's elections, respondents expressed a continued lack of confidence in parliament and said they do not have information on how Jordan's recently-amended electoral law might affect procedures for the November polls.

Using the survey results, Al-Hayat tailored its campaign to address those issues of particular concern in hopes that it would encourage young people to participate. In cooperation with local authorities and civil society organizations Al-Hayat has been holding roundtables where its staff and volunteers engage directly with young Jordanians, answering questions about registration and the new electoral law and encouraging youth to participate in the political process. More than 800 young people have participated in these events so far, and Al-Hayat will hold them throughout the summer.

Al-Hayat has also created a series of posters and videos promoting the importance of youth participation, and encouraging young voters to register and research candidate platforms before voting. These videos are listed as "most viewed" on the increasingly popular Jordanian website 3alarasi, which carries short videos and caricatures on current social and political matters.

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Pictured above: One of three posters produced for Al-Hayat's voter participation campaign. The Arabic reads: "'Shall I participate... Shall I not participate...' Building a prosperous future does not depend on luck; build your own future and participate in the parliamentary elections. Participate."

Published on August 19, 2010

With Elections in Sight, Libyans Concerned about Security, Country's Direction

fgalleto — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:49:36 +0000

As the political transition proceeds in Libya, leaders continue to struggle to meet public expectations on key issues such as security, political reform and standard of living, according to a new public opinion study by NDI.

From April 10-20, the Institute examined citizens’ opinions through 12 focus groups in six cities across Libya. The research took place two months before anticipated elections for a national public congress (NPC), which will be tasked with overseeing the drafting of a new constitution. Libyans view the approaching elections with great enthusiasm.

Young Libyans in Benghazi celebrate Liberation Day. Photo by Megan Doherty.

NDI’s research was designed to capture citizen sentiments about the political landscape and expectations for the next phase of Libya’s transition. Here are some key findings:

In general, Libyans are concerned that the goals of the 2011 revolution have not yet been realized and that progress is too slow. The most commonly cited areas of apprehension relate to security and the complicated, opaque political environment. Some respondents cite reasons for optimism, such as the flourishing of civil society, new freedoms and small improvements in local security.
Libyans are enthusiastic to participate in elections for the first time, seeing voting as a fundamental right and a vital act of self-expression. Awareness of the upcoming elections, however, is low, and may, with other barriers such as security, dampen voter turnout. Citizens want more information about the electoral process and political contestants.
Opinions about political parties have improved considerably compared to a prior study conducted by NDI in November 2011. Though still hampered by decades of negative propaganda during the reign of ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi, political parties are beginning to convince citizens of their positive contributions to the transition.
Support remains consistent for moderate Islamic principles in the political sphere; most Libyans want and expect Islam to play a role in political life. They struggle to define a cohesive picture of moderate Islam, but often point to tolerance over extremism as a core principle.
Citizens expect to play a role in the constitution-drafting process, which will be led by the elected NPC. Expectations of the NPC are inflated, in part due to misunderstanding of the body’s projected roles and functions. Some respondents anticipate that the NPC will address issues like security, infrastructure and health, while in fact its mandate may be limited to overseeing constitution-drafting.
Widespread criticism of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and transitional national government (TNG) reflect the challenges these institutions face in addressing the public’s expectations and communicating with citizens. Libyans harbor concerns about the transitional government’s ineffectiveness, lack of transparency and susceptibility to corruption.

NDI relies on these findings to provide Libyan decision makers—in political parties, civil society organizations and the transitional government—with timely, relevant information on public opinion that can inform policies and make them more responsive to citizens’ interests and needs. The results of this study can be evaluated in comparison with the November 2011 qualitative public opinion research conducted by NDI in Libya.

Production of this report was made possible through funding from the State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).

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Published May 22, 2012

Building a New Libya: Citizen Views on Libya's Electoral and Political Processes

fgalleto — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:32:17 +0000

Author:

Megan Doherty

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/22/2012

Resource Type:

Focus Group Report

Language:

English

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For The First Time, Libyan Citizen Network Will Observe Elections

fgalleto — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:35:58 +0000

A coalition of civil society organizations from across Libya has launched the Shahed Network for election observation, the first citizen election monitoring effort ever attempted in the country.

At an April 23 press conference, the network announced its plans to recruit and train observers to monitor all aspects of the June 19 polls for a constituent assembly known as the National Public Conference. The group is working to deploy observers for voter registration in early May. Its goal is to recruit and train observers who will be present in 1,500 polling stations across Libya, for both voter registration and on election day.

A coalition of civil society organizations from across Libya has launched the Shahed Network for election observation, the first citizen election monitoring effort ever attempted in the country.

“Our witnessing of this process will provide citizens with confidence in their democratic elections,” said Abdul Karim Mahamed, chairman of the Shahed Network. “We look forward to the full cooperation of electoral bodies, political entities, candidates, security forces, civil society and the international community in the pursuit of peaceful and credible elections.”

Civil society groups have proliferated during the political transition underway in Libya since the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in October. Many of them were created during last year's conflict to provide humanitarian assistance, and they are now hoping to contribute to a fair and transparent election process. In March, NDI convened 32 of these groups representing eight cities across the country for a conference on citizen election observation. Many of the network's leaders attended the conference.

Published April 26, 2012

Congolese Want Leaders to “Reach Out To Us,” Opinion Research Finds

fgalleto — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:53:30 +0000

New focus group research from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) finds an overwhelming majority of participants believe the country can become a full-fledged democracy, provided it has better leadership and unity among the people. Those surveyed were also especially concerned with the corrosive power of corruption in the country, and they want political parties and elected leaders to be more responsive to citizens.

Survey participants said elected leaders and political parties have failed when it comes to listening to their constituents and advocating for their needs. These leaders are perceived to follow a pattern: get elected and then hide from your constituents. “I would tell these politicians to leave their air-conditioned offices because it’s difficult to know or to be familiar with issues that the people face when you stay in an office,” said one participant from Kinshasa. This sentiment came up repeatedly as participants said their leaders do not have the interests of the people at heart and lack the political will to help the DRC improve.

The series of 12 focus groups, conducted in October by NDI, examined perceptions of the DRC’s most pressing economic, social and political issues; expectations of political parties and elected leaders; attitudes toward democracy; and expectations about the future of the country. Focus group participants had at least a high school education and included men and women 25-35 years old. This participant profile gives insight into the views of Congolese who, as adults, experienced the country’s first democratic elections in 2006 but whose overall quality of life depends on the country’s future development.

According to the April 26 report, Reach Out To Us: Findings from Focus Groups with Young Men and Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than half the participants listed unemployment or security as their primary concern. They believe that many of the social ills that Congolese face are a result of poverty caused by unemployment. “Employment is the foundation of everything; if someone works, he earns a salary to provide for his family and can even afford to have an education,” said one participant from Kinshasa. Congolese would like to see their government take steps to curb unemployment and insecurity in the country.

The findings are being shared with Congolese political parties and elected leaders and can serve as a starting point for political party leaders to identify and build consensus on steps needed to tackle the country’s most pressing issues. The emphasis on responsive leadership may prompt some elected leaders and political parties to increase outreach and communication with the constituents they represent.

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Published April 26, 2012

Reach Out To Us: Findings from Focus Groups with Young Men and Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

fgalleto — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:47:12 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Feeley, Driss Choukri

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/26/2012

Resource Type:

Focus Group Report

Language:

English, French

English

French

Attachment	Size
Read the report (English)	1.13 MB
Read the report (francais)	1.2 MB

Nigerian Film Challenges Young Citizens to Engage with Elected Leaders

ntekeei — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:48:20 +0000

A civic education film recently released in Nigeria asks the question, in Nigerian pidgin, “Aftercount, I Vote Wetin?” or “I Voted, Now What?” It was made by the Youngstars Foundation, a Nigerian nonprofit organization, with the goal of encouraging younger Nigerians to stay involved in the political process between elections. The group is run primarily by young people and has reached tens of thousands of youths in rural and urban Nigeria.

Cast and crew prepare to film a scene on the set of “Aftercount, I Vote Wetin?”

Approximately one-third of Nigeria’s 170 million people are between the age of 10 and 24, according to the United Nations. The foundation seeks to inspire this large youth population to become community leaders.

The film tells the story of a young man named Jairo and his journey from citizen to activist as he attempts to bring water to his village after his sister is injured carrying water home across a dangerous intersection. With help from a local civic group, Jairo lobbies his state representative to address water access problems. In the process, he gains a better understanding of cooperation and about the power of citizens to bring about positive change.

Watch the film

Produced with technical and financial assistance from NDI, the film stars two popular Nigerian actors, Ali Nuhu and Lilian Esoro, and Nigerian musician Jeremiah Gyang, who donated their time to the film. Esoro said she joined the project because she wanted young Nigerians “to learn that it’s actually easy to communicate with the people they voted into power because their votes actually count.”

Youngstars released an accompanying handbook to help aid discussions about political engagement at viewing parties across the country. To further promote the film, the movie’s theme song will be released to radio stations across Nigeria.

“I Vote Wetin?” is the second film collaboration between NDI and the Youngstars Foundation. The first film, “My Vote Can Change Nigeria,” (“My Vote Fit Change Naija”) highlighted the importance of voting. The film reached an estimated 45 million Nigerians around the country and abroad through social networking sites, television broadcasts and youth-initiated viewing parties.

NDI has been actively supporting Nigeria throughout its recent election cycles, which have seen significant improvements over previous polls. NDI fielded a long-term international observation mission for the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2011. The Institute also provided financial and technical assistance to two coalitions of Nigerian civil society organizations that deployed more than 30,000 Nigerian domestic election monitors. NDI’s partnership with one coalition, Project Swift Count, included the use of a statistical observation method known as a parallel vote tabulation (PVT), or “swift count,” which the group used to verify the accuracy of the official results for the presidential and 11 gubernatorial elections that took place in 2011 and 2012.

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Published April 12, 2012

Youth Conflict Resolution Program Yields Results in Yemen

ntekeei — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:13:27 +0000

This week NDI successfully completed a two-year Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) funded program that encouraged young Yemeni citizens to engage their district councils and tribal leaders to advocate for local youth issues; provide conflict prevention training to school students; and serve as conflict mediators among their peers. The active participation of young people in resolving community disputes is critical to Yemen’s current democratic transition.

Conclusion of Student Peer Mediation Training by the Marib Youth Council, Marib governorate. Photo: NDI

NDI recently completed a two-year Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) funded program that encouraged young Yemeni citizens to engage their district councils and tribal leaders to advocate for local youth issues; provide conflict prevention training to school students; and serve as conflict mediators among their peers. The active participation of young people in resolving community disputes is critical to Yemen’s current democratic transition.

The Cross Tribal Youth Council Program, which began in May 2010, targeted young men and women in the conflict-prevalent districts of Juba in Marib governorate and Ain in Shabwa governorate.

Youth Councils Project Achievements

Established peer mediation teams in 20 schools resulting in a reduction in reported conflicts in Marib schools by over 300%.
Raised more than $7,000 from locally cultivated resources to support conflict mitigation activities.
Developed a preacher’s manual and trained mosque preachers in Marib who delivered 26 sermons on conflict prevention.
Assisted or led the resolution of 12 broader tribal conflicts.
Approximately 500 students and parents trained in conflict prevention and mitigation techniques.
Reached over 2,000 students and parents in awareness campaigns to counter conflict in education.
Held formal public meetings with local councils for the first time in each district’s history and worked jointly to implement conflict prevention awareness campaigns.
Half of the youth council members are women including the Chair of the Marib Youth Council.

In July 2010, NDI established the first youth council in Juba followed by a second youth council in Ain in April 2011. Each group participated in extensive training in conflict resolution, advocacy, fundraising, peer mediation, and team building, with the training backed by conflict simulations to reinforce concepts learned.

In February 2012 the Marib youth council members conducted visits to 15 schools and met with principals, teachers and over 200 students to discuss specific factors and causes of student disputes and how to mitigate such conflict in the schools. In late March 2012, the Shabwah youth council selected 60 students from six schools to serve as peer mediators and conducted training for those teams to develop their practical skills in conflict resolution.

As a result of this successful USAID program, youth in Marib and Shabwah governorates are now a valuable local resource to support conflict mitigation and mediation in their schools and communities.

This article originally appeared in the April 2, 2012 Yemen Mission Director's USAID Weekly Report.

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Published April 9, 2012

Project Swift Count Observes Five Gubernatorial Races in Nigeria

ntekeei — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:56:46 +0000

In recent gubernatorial elections in Nigeria, election officials adhered to correct voting procedures and handled ballots according to the law, but the polls were marked by increased voter intimidation and low turnout. These were the findings of Project Swift Count (PSC), a domestic election observation coalition that undertook a parallel vote tabulation (PVT) for five gubernatorial races that took place since December.

A poll official displays a ballot during Nigeria's April 2011 presidential elections.

As part of a PVT, observers gather data on every stage of an election process, from the opening of polling units to the counting of ballots to the posting of results.

The PSC’s accredited, nonpartisan observers deployed to a representative sample of polling stations and used text messaging to rapidly transmit their observations and the official results announced by election officers to a central information center, where they are compiled. This independent verification of results can lend credibility to the polls.

PSC, which is supported by NDI, also shares its findings and recommendations on the process with the goal of helping improve future elections.

Since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999, the country had seen a progressive decline in the quality of its elections. However, that changed last year when the presidential and parliamentary elections were seen as some of the most credible that Nigeria has held, despite such challenges as ballot box stuffing, vote buying and voter intimidation. There was also significant violence in the aftermath of the presidential election that led to more than 800 reported deaths, according to the Human Rights Watch.

For the most recent gubernatorial elections -- in Kogi state in December and in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Sokoto and Cross River states in February – PSC successfully mobilized observers to perform PVTs in each location. As a result, PSC independently verified the accuracy of the official results announced by Independent National Election Commission (INEC) in all five states.

INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega said, “Through independent assessment by [Project] Swift Count, we have been able to gain access to some important things about all the elections we have so far conducted.”

Despite many logistical and procedural challenges, PSC observers noted that election officials correctly followed procedures in handling ballots. In more than 95 percent of polling units in all five states, ballots were properly stamped, sorted and counted, which largely prevented fraud at the polling station level. However, PSC noted a downward trend in the timely arrival of election officials and materials. With the exception of the Sokoto poll, 60 percent or less of polling units opened on time, a decline from 76 percent in the presidential elections held in April 2011.

PSC also observed a rise in the number of incidents of intimidation and harassment in two of the states. While such incidents were seen at only 6 percent of polling units during presidential voting, PSC observers saw them in 16 percent of stations in Adamawa and 14 percent in Sokoto. The other states had rates of harassment on par with the April poll.

PSC cited the low voter turnout in all of the gubernatorial elections, except Bayelsa state, which had a 71.4 percent turnout rate. That unusually high turnout could be attributable to numerous factors, including inaccuracies in the voter roll or multiple voting, PSC said. Bayelsa, which had a 91 percent turnout in the presidential election, is the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan, which could account for increased voter interest. While turnout for the other states in the presidential election was roughly 54 percent, turnout for gubernatorial elections dropped to near or below one-third of registered voters.

In its press statement after the Sokoto election, PSC said “more efforts should be made by INEC and civil society organizations to educate voters on the importance of participating in the electoral process.”

PSC is a Nigerian coalition launched to help ensure free, fair and peaceful elections and to enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process. With technical assistance from NDI, PSC successfully conducted Nigeria’s first-ever PVTs during the April presidential poll, establishing a nationwide system to collect and analyze information from more than 30,000 observers at a representative sample of polling units in every local government area in the country. Given the estimated 170 million people living in Nigeria and the sheer size of the electorate, PSC’s ability to successfully use the PVT method is considered a major achievement for the Nigerian electoral process.

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Published March 30, 2012

Persistence by Rights Group in Macedonia Leads to a Significant Win for Citizens with Disabilities

rrunyan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:59:49 +0000

It took many years, but disabled citizens in Macedonia now legally have the right to equal treatment under the law.

The change came late last year when the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia ratified the U.N. Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a set of government commitments to give full rights to disabled persons rather than treating them as objects of charity and institutionalization. Macedonia’s ratification of the convention resulted from a long-term advocacy campaign led by a disability rights group that overcame considerable political and institutional obstacles to see its goal realized.

Poraka members visit Assembly Speaker Trajko Veljanoski to urge ratification of the U.N. Convention.

It took many years, but disabled citizens in Macedonia now legally have the right to equal treatment under the law.

Historically, Macedonia’s approach to disability emphasized segregation for disabled children, menial employment for disabled adults, and carried few if any policy tools to integrate disabled people into mainstream society. Left with few options and often confronting social stigma, many families institutionalized disabled relatives. Ratification of the U.N. convention means, in broad terms, a start to correcting past wrongs and to the meaningful integration of disabled citizens into the country’s social and economic life.

Heading the effort for ratification was the Republic Center for the Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability, or Poraka, a nationwide, nongovernmental organization representing the rights and interests of more than 20,000 Macedonian citizens with intellectual disabilities. It engaged members of parliament and the public in a wide-reaching campaign that included lobbying party leaders, publishing opinion pieces and organizing international conferences to garner the parliamentary support needed to ratify the convention, which the government had signed in 2007.

That effort began in earnest in 2009, when Poraka decided it needed help navigating the political and legislative process in Macedonia and approached NDI for assistance. The Institute was involved in a multi-year program funded by the National Endowment for Democracy to support legislative advocacy efforts by Macedonian civic groups. With NDI training on public outreach, media relations, and policy assessments, Poraka developed a legislative strategy and public awareness campaign that eventually led to ratification. Along the way, the group built an advocacy model that could be used by other civic activists in the country.

“This campaign was a long time coming and we are so delighted that our hard work paid off,” said Vasilka Dimovska, program manager at Poraka. “The experience really transformed the way we as an organization think about legislative advocacy and our role in the democratic process. We will apply the lessons learned as we begin to monitor how the convention is carried out.”

Poraka’s campaign began with an opinion column in one of the biggest dailies, Dnevnik, arguing for immediate ratification. At the same time, Poraka designed and produced campaign materials, posters, leaflets and an informational brochure under the banner: “So that Rights Become a Reality!”

Poraka leaders went on the road to brief chapters around the country on the initiative and to strategize on how to lobby members of parliament in their home districts. Poraka representatives met with MPs across the country in 20 constituency offices that NDI had helped to develop five years ago. They even lobbied Assembly Speaker Trajko Veljanoski during a tour of the legislature.

Despite Poraka’s best efforts, politicians missed promised deadlines for ratification, including the 2010 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

A signed pledge by a political party, promising ratification within the first 100 days of the new parliament

But disappointment bred determination to put more pressure on the government. A political crisis last year that led to early elections in June gave Poraka another opportunity--this time in the heat of the election campaign.

Assisted by NDI, Poraka designed an election strategy that involved gathering written pledges from leaders of the main political parties to ratify the U.N. Convention within 100 days of the new parliament convening. In two weeks, Poraka secured pledges from 10 parties. The campaign was widely covered by the national press; Poraka representatives appeared on TV, radio and in national newspapers almost every day during the campaign.

While success did not come within 100 days, parliament did ratify the convention, by unanimous vote, this past December – in time to mark the 2011 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Ten days later, PORAKA and NDI organized a roundtable on the ratification and the related obligations for the Macedonia government. The event gathered more than 60 participants from organizations and groups active in the disability equality movement, and was opened by the Minister for Labor and Social Policy.

At the celebratory gathering, the discussion turned to the challenge of ensuring that words on paper in 2011 lead to real improvements in people’s lives in 2012.

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Published on March 27, 2012

Jobs Remain Top Issue as Georgian Elections Approach, NDI Survey Finds

fgalleto — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:10:02 +0000

A survey of public opinion in Georgia released by NDI shows that jobs, territorial integrity and affordable healthcare are the top three priority issues for Georgian citizens, while concern about rising prices and inflation has dropped. In the survey, 63 percent mentioned jobs, 36 percent mentioned territorial integrity and 31 percent mentioned affordable healthcare as among their top three priority issues.

Speaking at a press briefing, Luis Navarro, NDI’s country director in Georgia, said, "Georgians are optimistic about the direction of the country and the government is seen as being able to make changes that matter to citizens."

Sixty-four percent of respondents indicated they are likely to vote if parliamentary elections, anticipated for October 2012, were held tomorrow. This represents a 13 percent increase since NDI’s last poll in September 2011.

Eighty-seven percent of respondents were aware that Bidzina Ivanishvili had been stripped of his Georgian citizenship and 70 percent believe his citizenship should be reinstated compared with 8 percent who do not.

While 70 percent of Georgians support the goal of joining NATO, 88 percent disapprove of Georgia’s current relationship with Russia.

Asked whether Georgia is a democracy now, 49 percent of respondents said yes compared to 34 percent who said no. These figures represent a slight increase from NDI’s September survey when 45 percent said yes and 39 percent said no.

The results reflect data collected Feb. 22 – March 5 in face-to-face interviews with a nationwide representative sample of 3,161 Georgians. The survey looks at issues of public importance, perceptions of democracy and attitudes toward reforms, as well as various domestic and foreign policy issues.

NDI’s survey work is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and carried out by the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC).

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Published March 26, 2012

South Sudanese Want Fair and Inclusive Government, NDI Study Finds

ntekeei — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:44:09 +0000

Tribal violence in South Sudan’s Jonglei state has displaced an estimated 120,000 people and left up to 3,000 dead. Meanwhile, the South Sudanese government has halted oil production due to unresolved wealth-sharing issues with Sudan and announced austerity measures to compensate for revenue losses and inflation. The increased violence and volatile economic situation represent a contrast with the bright future envisioned last year when South Sudan became the world’s newest country. It has also produced a growing pessimism among South Sudan citizens about the direction of their new country, according to the findings of NDI’s latest public opinion study in South Sudan, which were released in a March XX report. Participants cite increasing tribal violence and the tenuous economic situation, which has produced a significant rise in the cost of living, as well as lack of development as the key sources of their concerns that the country is on the wrong track.

Citizens of South Sudan gather in a show of support for their new country.

It has also produced a growing pessimism among South Sudan citizens about the direction of their new country, according to the findings of NDI’s latest public opinion study in South Sudan, which were released in a March 22 report. Participants cite increasing tribal violence and the tenuous economic situation, which has produced a significant rise in the cost of living, as well as lack of development as the key sources of their concerns that the country is on the wrong track.

They also identified as crucial to their future questions of how to govern and unite a country with such immense ethnic diversity and a troubled history of ethnic conflict.

The focus group report – NDI’s 13th study in Sudan and South Sudan since 2004 – cites findings from 44 focus group discussions held in all 10 states in November-December 2011 in which 545 participants share their thoughts on creating an inclusive and fair government. Participants also suggest ways in which the government can increase the public’s confidence in its ability to deliver a better life for all, regardless of tribal affiliation.

Participants said the most effective strategies for making everyone feel included were to deliver basic services equitably and ensure tribal balance in government. They also want the South Sudanese government to support measures to include women, youth and opposition political parties in government.

President Salva Kiir’s decision to fulfill, and even exceed, the mandated quota of 25 percent for women’s representation in his national cabinet was widely endorsed by participants.

Exceeding the quota “is a very good idea to encourage women to improve,” said two young men from Central Equatoria. “Women have been neglected in the country for too long; that’s a beautiful idea.”

In South Sudan, where 70 percent of the population is under 30, the focus group participants also highlighted youth political participation as important.

“Youth should be involved in the government because they are the key foundation of government,” said an older [any other way to characterize? Older means different things to different people] man from Western Bahr el Ghazal.

Participants also said that convincing citizens that government is committed to development progress requires concentration on key areas, such as education, health care and roads; public consultation on development; and communication about plans and accomplishments.

But announcing development plans without specifying locations and failing to demonstrate progress creates more negative than positive views of government, further widening the gap between what citizens expect and what the government can provide, according to the participants.

Other key findings from the report:

Most participants said it was important for a political party that wins an election to include other political parties in the government, though they also said there should be criteria to define which parties are eligible to participate;
Participants said South Sudanese abhor tribalism but engage in it because of unfair government employment practices and inequitable service distribution; and
Most believe it is South Sudan’s duty to help resolve the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile conflicts, but there are mixed views on whether the country’s assistance should focus on dialogue, humanitarian relief and/or military aid.

Participant responses led NDI to suggest steps the government of South Sudan could take to promote more inclusive government and engage average citizens, particularly women and youth. NDI’s specific recommendations included:

Promoting inclusiveness by addressing the public’s concern about tribal balance in government, demonstrating equitable treatment in development, and consulting citizens about government plans and decisions;
Managing development expectations by communicating government accomplishments and specific plans for future development and increasing public confidence through regular consultation with citizens on whether development is being equitably distributed;
Increasing citizen participation in the development of a permanent constitution;
Demonstrating concern for citizens and a vision for the future by responding to citizen expectations, such as providing emergency hunger relief, increasing the flow of goods into the country to reduce prices and expressing a vision for how to increase South Sudan’s self-sufficiency.

The public opinion study, entitled Governing South Sudan: Opinions of South Sudanese on a Government That Can Meet Citizen Expectations, was researched and written by Traci Cook, senior advisor and regional director for focus group research at NDI, and Dr. Leben Nelson Moro, acting director of the Directorate of External Relations at the University of Juba.

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Published March 26, 2012

Governing South Sudan: Opinions of South Sudanese on a Government That Can Meet Citizen Expectations

ntekeei — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:38:20 +0000

Author:

Traci D. Cook, Dr. Leben Nelson Moro

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/22/2012

Resource Type:

Focus Group

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the focus group report	1.47 MB

Public Attitudes in Georgia: Results of a February 2012 Survey

fgalleto — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:19:37 +0000

Author:

Luis Navarro, Ian T. Woodward

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/21/2012

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

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Read the report	2.53 MB

Jobs Remain Top Issue as Elections Approach, NDI Survey Finds

fgalleto — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:11:29 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/21/2012

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

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