NDI - Democracy Updates

Mexican Men and Women Work Together to Elect More Women to Office

fgalleto — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:03:29 +0000

"Why women, why now?" was the question posed to over 300 participants, both male and female, participating in a week-long series of training sessions across Mexico aimed at giving women candidates the skills and tools they need to get elected to office.

The answers — that democracy works best when women have an equal voice in the process and that upcoming local elections are a great opportunity to elect more women — were emphasized throughout the events as the women learned about message development, targeting women and young voters, and recruiting and keeping campaign volunteers.

Though gender quotas have led to an increase in the number of women running for and elected to office in Mexico in recent years, women hold only 5 percent of municipal and state elected positions. They frequently receive ballot placement that lessens their chances of winning, and they receive less public financing and fewer opportunities for training.

In collaboration with the Fox Center and Mexico's three major political parties — the National Action Party (PAN), the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) — NDI is working to help women gain campaign skills that are already familiar to their male counterparts.

The training kicked off at the Fox Center in San Francisco del Rincón on April 15 with a speech by former President Vicente Fox. Fox offered words of encouragement to the participants, saying that women in Mexico today have risen to the challenge of being more active in politics, the economy and social organizations.

"I believe Mexico has been changing rapidly on this issue. The 2000 election changed many things that had been limited or prohibited before, particularly for women," said Fox, whose victory in that election broke the country's tradition of one-party rule. "I believe that nowadays women have taken the challenge. Women are active in politics, in the economy, civil organizations, but they need programs like this to keep opening doors."

Trainers emphasized strategic aspects of running a campaign, such as message development, targeting messages to specific demographics, scheduling and time management. They also addressed some of the "soft" skills, often familiar to male candidates, such as projecting confidence through voice and presence, negotiating and debating with opponents, and tips for surviving a campaign.

"After these workshops you're aware that you are not alone. You belong to a broad network of women around the world struggling to hold decision-making positions in politics," Cathy Allen, CEO of the Seattle-based Connections Group, told the participants.

The trainers who came from outside Mexico included Allen and Roula Attar of NDI's Jordan office. They joined Julian Quibell, Keila Gonzalez and Rocio Alvarez from NDI's office in Mexico.

This year, 15 states in Mexico will hold elections for governors, local legislators and mayors. Many attendees were women who are either already running for office or strongly considering it.

Pictured above: Vicente Fox meets participants

Published May 7, 2010

In Burkina Faso, Legislators Emphasize Mining Oversight

fgalleto — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:02:48 +0000

Burkina Faso, one of the world’s poorest countries, has turned to gold exports as a way to boost its economy. It doubled gold production from 2009 to 2010 and launched two more mining projects late last year. These developments have created new jobs and other financial benefits, but have also raised some of the concerns that have plagued mining operations in other countries, such as environmental degradation or exploitation of workers.

As mining becomes central to the Burkinabe economy, oversight by the nation’s parliament is a crucial tool in avoiding these problems. To that end, a delegation of members of parliament (MPs) recently visited the Mana gold mine, one of seven industrial mines in Burkina Faso, located 125 miles west of the capital, Ouagadougou. The visiting MPs were members of the Network of Burkinabe Parliamentarians in the Fight Against Corruption (Burkindi), an informal, multiparty network of lawmakers that has been working since 2008 to prevent corruption. They were accompanied by representatives from government ministries and journalists. The site visit was organized by NDI.

Members of Burkindi visit the Mana gold mine.

The delegation visited the open-pit mine, as well as an exploration site, where miners are searching for new gold deposits; the mine laboratory, which tests samples to determine the quality of the gold; and the site where mine waste, such as used water and gold residue, is dumped. The mine director said that measures are taken to preserve the environment, including regular tests of the wastewater and the local water supply to limit pollution and monitor contamination. MPs interviewed mine officials about the impact of the open-air dump on the health of citizens and discussed concerns about the social impact of the mine, including its ability to create jobs for young people.

The delegation also met with citizens of Bana, the surrounding town. Residents hailed the jobs created by the mine, which has employed 564 people — 167 of them local — since its opening in 2008. But they also shared grievances, saying that the mine is not hiring as many young people as residents had hoped. Citizens also said that since the mine was built on what had been viable farmland, the nearby village of Somona was suffering from a shortage of arable land and needed the mine to create more jobs to help village residents. MPs took note of these complaints and will investigate them further.

The coordinator of Burkindi, Maurice Dieudonné Bonanet, said the MPs will provide recommendations to the mining company and the government based on what they learned from the site visit. The MPs will continue to monitor the situation as the mining company works to address the grievances voiced by citizens, according to Alfred Sanou, an MP from the ruling party in Houet province.

NDI has worked with governments throughout Africa since 2008 to improve transparency and government oversight of extractive industries. In 2008 the Institute published Transparency and Accountability in Africa’s Extractive Industries: The Role of the Legislature and followed by The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency in 2009 to help African lawmakers as they work to curb corruption and increase transparency in the mining industry.

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Published May 8, 2012

NDI's Les Campbell on Yemen's Tribal Islamists

fgalleto — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:56:57 +0000

A new book, The Islamists Are Coming, is the first to survey the rise of Islamist groups in the wake of the Arab Spring. There are more than 50 Islamist parties across the region with millions of followers. Though they are often lumped together, the parties have diverse political ideologies, goals and constituencies. With chapters covering Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Syria, the Palestinian territories, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen and Turkey, the book takes an in-depth look at the diversity of parties emerging across the region.

A new book, The Islamists Are Coming: Who They Really Are, is the first to survey the rise of Islamist groups in the wake of the Arab Spring. There are more than 50 Islamist parties across the region with millions of followers. Though they are often lumped together, the parties have diverse political ideologies, goals and constituencies. With chapters covering Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Syria, the Palestinian territories, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen and Turkey, the book takes an in-depth look at the diversity of parties emerging across the region. The book was edited by journalist and foreign policy analyst Robin Wright and published by the United States Institute for Peace Press.

Les Campbell, NDI senior associate and regional director for Middle East and North Africa programs, authored the books' chapter on Yemen. "Yemen: The Tribal Islamists" follows the history of Islah, the country's Islamist party, and surveys some of its policy positions. In Yemen, where tribe is still the core around which politics is organized, Islah has been a blend of tribal forces and Islamic influences since its founding in 1990. The party has been more pragmatic and less dogmatic in its approach than other Islamist parties in the region, maintaining a focus on individual liberty, freedom of choice and democracy, as well as reforms based on Islam.

The wide array of constituencies within the party, including tribal leaders from rural areas, Salafi sheikhs and the Muslim Brotherhood, have resulted in internal tensions within the party, and with the party aligning itself with the ruling party and the opposition over the course of its history. It is now a key player in Yemen's transition and negotiated with President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. "The party sometimes appears to be a modernizing force but at other times looks more like a conservative tribal coalition determined to protect the status quo," writes Campbell. How this contradiction is solved will determine the future of the party and its role in the transition.

Read the chapter»

Published May 6, 2012

Manikas Testifies in Senate on Burma’s Democratic Progress

fgalleto — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:59:28 +0000

After decades of military rule and economic stagnation, Burma is beginning to institute political and economic reforms, but these are only beginning, Peter Manikas, NDI senior associate and regional director for Asia programs, said in Senate testimony April 26 before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs. The outcome is not assured, he said. The political situation is fragile and much more needs to be done to help ensure that the democratization process continues.

Drawing on his two recent trips to Burma – in January with a small NDI team to assess the political environment and again as part of a two-member U.S. delegation sent to witness the April 1 by-elections – Manikas discussed the areas the Burmese people and parliament will need to reform to carry on the democratic momentum, including constitutional development, establishing the rule of law, addressing ethnic conflicts and human rights abuses and developing a telecommunications network. “The challenge confronting the international community is in how to calibrate a response to the changes that are occurring,” said Manikas. “That response needs to support the reforms that are taking place and encourage further democratization, while also recognizing that the transition process is a work in progress and that the reforms to date must be expanded and sustained.”

Read the testimony»

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Published April 30, 2012

NDI Chairman Albright To Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

fgalleto — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:36:36 +0000

NDI Chairman and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will be awarded the 2012 Predential Medal of Freedom, President Barack Obama announced. The Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, is presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. Albright is one of the 13 people selected to receive the medal this year. The awards will be presented at the White House in late spring.

Madeleine K. Albright. Photo by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.

Read the press release»

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Published April 27, 2012

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

Fomunyoh Testifies to Senate on Entrenched African Leadership

fgalleto — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:25:47 +0000

Entrenched and often autocratic one-man rule is causing a “democracy deficit” and impeding political development in many African countries, Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa at NDI, said in congressional testimony April 18. But, speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Fomunyoh said that significant political change has occurred in Africa in the last two decades through better elections and peaceful transfers of power. He was joined at the hearing, "U.S. policy response to entrenched African leadership," by Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary of state for African affairs; Earl Gast, assistant administrator for Africa at the U.S. Agency for International Development; and Mo Ibrahim, founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

“Denying leadership opportunities to a whole generation of African youth and emerging leaders deprives Africa and the rest of the world of the tremendous talent, exuberance and energy that the continent is capable of contributing to a better world in the 21st century," Fomunyoh said. While optimistic about the democratic process in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Fomunyoh warned that backsliding through constitutional change or restricting civil society must be closely guarded against. Using recent elections in Senegal and Cameroon as examples of both extremes, Fomunyoh explained how a vibrant civil society can protect electoral processes and hold leadership accountable. In Senegal, "thanks in large measure to effective grassroots mobilization by Senegalese civil society, the media, youth movements and political parties, the electoral process was safeguarded and the country experienced a credible transition of power," he said.

Read his full statement»

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Published April 20, 2012

Political Parties in Sierra Leone Pledge Open, Safe, Inclusive Elections

fgalleto — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:14:05 +0000

All of Sierra Leone’s eight registered political parties have signed an “Open and Safe Elections Pledge” to promote an electoral atmosphere free of violence and intimidation and to encourage women to participate in the election process. The country is slated to have presidential, parliamentary and local elections on Nov. 17.

The pledge is in part a response to interparty violence, which had begun to cast a shadow on the Nov. 17 polls. Last September, youth from the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) threw stones at the presidential candidate of a major opposition party, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). SLPP youth responded by torching APC party offices. The violence spread to include an assault on a local APC chairwoman, and young supporters of both parties attacked each other during a January by-election. Tensions between the parties remain high.

Sulaiman Bai Sesay, secretary general of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), signs the pledge. UDM is one of eight signatories to the pledge.

The fear that violence will escalate during the campaign season has kept some citizens, particularly women, from running for office. But parties hope to change that with the pledge, which was developed by a coalition of civil society organizations with input from the political parties and support from NDI.

Alhaji Mohamed Warisay, the national coordinator of Democracy Sierra Leone, one of the groups in the coalition that drafted the pledge, applauded the political party representatives for signing the pledge and urged them to include women, youth and persons with disabilities in candidate lists and as full partners in the political process.

Candidates are usually chosen by party leaders, and women are often passed over. Though they make up 52 percent of the population, women serve in less than 20 percent of elected posts. They have a hard time competing in politics because of poor access to campaign funding, traditional thinking that women should not hold public office, and harassment and intimidation by male opponents. Young people and the disabled face similar barriers. By signing the pledge, the parties agree to “empower our party’s women, youth and disabled candidates for parliament and local council with campaign, transportation and financial assistance.”

Patrick Taylor, president of the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues, lauded the pledge, which commits parties to pass within a year a policy promoting the political participation of people with disabilities. He urged the parties to create a disability wing to work toward the full participation of people with disabilities in parties and politics.

The pledge has provided a code of conduct that civil society groups can use as they monitor how political parties have performed regarding women, youth and the disabled during the campaign period. The coalition members will meet with party leaders periodically to assess adherence to the pledge and recommend ways to improve compliance.

To spread awareness of the pledge among the general public, coalition members have been discussing it on national radio, and they presented each party with a laminated copy of the pledge to hang in their offices.

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Published April 12, 2012

Modest Steps Can Increase Transparency of Algerian Elections, NDI Delegation Finds

ntekeei — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:57:38 +0000

With elections just five weeks away, Algerian electoral authorities and other political actors still have time to implement measures that can enhance the transparency of the country’s May 10 parliamentary elections, according to a report released today by an international pre-election assessment delegation organized by NDI.

The pre-election delegation speaks at a press conference about their findings. Photo: Karima Kassi

The delegation, which began its evaluation on March 31 and concluded today, is part of an international election observation mission organized by NDI at the invitation of the Algerian government.

The delegation’s objectives were to express the international community’s support for democratic governance and competitive multiparty elections in Algeria, and to provide Algerians with an impartial and accurate report on the electoral process.

The delegation recognized numerous positive aspects of the pre-electoral environment. New supervisory institutions, invitations for international observers, and quotas for women’s representation “can be seen as indicators of increased political will to organize more open and competitive elections,” said delegation member Sarah Johnson of the Carter Center.

At the same time, the delegation’s statement noted several challenges at this stage in the electoral process. “A number of regulations and procedures remain vague or undetermined,” said delegation member Anis Ghodbane of the Association Tunisienne pour l’Eveil Démocratique. Individuals with whom the delegation met raised a number of complaints about irregularities in the voter registry, the role and responsibilities of newly established supervisory commissions, and complications in candidate registration.

In addition, Mr. Ghodbane noted, “Despite invitations to international observers, no provisions currently exist for accreditation of nonpartisan domestic observers from Algerian civil society, despite their requests.” The vote tabulation process is a particular area where citizen observation could lend considerable credibility to the electoral process, the delegation noted.

In the wake of the Arab Spring and a new reform process, “Algerians desire genuine change,” said delegation member Carole James, member of the legislative assembly of British Columbia in Canada. Yet, she noted, citizens seem skeptical that new legal provisions alone will increase the transparency of the contest or produce a more credible parliament capable of significantly influencing the reform process. But, delegation member Irena Hadziabdic, president of the European Association of Election Officials, noted that steps can be taken today to “increase public faith in these elections and in Algeria’s political process more broadly."

In its report, the delegation recommended a number of steps to increase transparency and encourage public confidence in the elections, including:

Authorities should open the entire vote tabulation process to all types of observers, including domestic observers, political party agents, and international observers, to dissuade broad concerns that this step of the process is susceptible to manipulation.
Electoral authorities should permit Algerian civil society to organize observation initiatives, should clarify the accreditation process, and should disseminate the information widely and in a timely manner.
Political parties and citizens should take advantage of opportunities to maximize transparency, for example by attending the counting of ballots and the publication of results at polling stations.
Outstanding regulations should be published and procedural ambiguities clarified as quickly as possible by the election authorities, in open partnership with the National Commissions for Election Supervision and Election Monitoring.
Election authorities should clarify how the allocation of seats will be made for women in order to ensure that the proportional results intended by the law are achieved in an equitable manner.
Political parties should strive to earn the trust of voters through responsive platforms and voter outreach efforts, and maximize participation of youth and women in campaigns.

The delegation included: Carole James of Canada, member of the legislative assembly of British Columbia; Irena Hadziabdic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, president of the European Association of Election Officials; Anis Ghodbane of Tunisia, vice president of communications for l’Association Tunisienne pour l’Eveil Démocratique; Sarah Johnson of the U.S., assistant director of the democracy program at The Carter Center; and Jeffrey England of the U.S., NDI resident director in Morocco.

In Algiers, the delegates met with political party representatives and independent candidates; electoral authorities; the National Commissions for Electoral Supervision and Monitoring; civil society leaders; academics; the media; and representatives of the international community. Delegation members also traveled to the provinces of Chlef and Tizi Ouzou to meet with political party leaders, candidates, members of the election supervision commission, and other activists.

NDI’s pre-election mission will be followed by the deployment of long-term observers, who will remain in Algeria through election day and the immediate post-election period.

All elements of the mission are conducted in accordance with Algerian law and international standards for election observation established in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.

On behalf of NDI, Mr. England thanked the Algerian government and the Algerian people for their invitation to observe these elections. He noted that, “All recommendations are offered in the spirit of international cooperation, and in the hope of supporting and strengthening Algeria’s democratic processes and institutions.”

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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

IRI and NDI to Witness Burmese Elections

rrunyan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:14:20 +0000

NDI and the International Republican Institute (IRI) are pleased to accept an invitation from the United States Government to designate representatives to witness the April 1 by-elections in Burma (Myanmar). The invitation was issued in response to a request by the government of Myanmar. One representative from each institute plans to visit the country from March 28 to April 3 to study the conduct and significance of the polls. They will be Peter Manikas, NDI’s regional director for Asia; and Johanna Kao, an IRI program director in Asia.

IRI and NDI will not conduct a traditional election observation of the by-elections, since such a mission would require adherence to the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which was launched at the United Nations in 2005. The Declaration is now endorsed by 39 leading intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations in the field, including NDI and IRI, and was recognized with appreciation by the United Nations General Assembly. It sets forth fundamental standards for conducting international observation missions, including the need to observe the process in the months leading up to an election, and to deploy a significant number of observers to assess an election nationwide. The present effort cannot meet the principles set forth in the Declaration, and, as a consequence, IRI and NDI do not intend to issue election observation statements.

Both institutes look forward to being present during the brief period around the elections and to continue their engagement there following the polls. NDI and IRI will be particularly interested in how the experience of the elections can contribute to the conduct of national polls in 2015 and to broader reforms in the country.

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Published 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

Rep. Wasserman Schultz Says Women’s Voices Are Crucial to Democracy at NDI’s Madeleine K. Albright Awards Luncheon

rrunyan — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:51:52 +0000

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) delivered the keynote address at a March 22 luncheon honoring the Women’s Discussion Club of Kyrgyzstan, the 2012 recipient of the Madeleine K. Albright Grant awarded by NDI.

In her address, Wasserman Schultz challenged women to take the lead. “Too often, women don’t speak up,” Wasserman Schultz said. “But women's voices are crucial to democracy.”

The luncheon, hosted by NDI Chairman Albright, at the Ritz Carlton also featured remarks from Melanne Verveer, the State Department’s ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues.

“When women are discriminated against in the political arena, their experiences, talents and perspectives are shut out of policy decisions,” Verveer said. “Our democracies are worse off for it and the prospects for a better world are certainly short changed.”

Verveer presented the Albright grant to Dinara Aitkulova, chair of the Women’s Discussion Club of Kyrgyzstan, and introduced a short documentary detailing the work of the club.

The Discussion Club, launched with NDI support in 2006, was one of the first groups in Kyrgyzstan to bring together women from diverse backgrounds and political parties to defend the rights and interests of women nationwide. The women will use the award’s $25,000 grant to form a coalition of political party women’s wings to advocate on behalf of women’s rights within the legislature and their respective parties.

Watch the video from the luncheon

“The Women’s Discussion Group from Kyrgyzstan is precisely the kind of innovative and grassroots organization that can help to make real democracy possible,” Albright said. “When women have the power to make their own economic and social choices – the cycle of poverty can be broken, environmental awareness increases, rates of sexually-transmitted disease decline, and constructive values are more likely to be passed on to the young.”

The award luncheon was preceded by a panel discussion on women in politics featuring Albright; Winnie Byanyima, director of the gender team at the United Nations Development Programme; Donald Steinberg, deputy administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development; and Anders B. Johnsson, secretary general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. NDI Vice-President Shari Bryan moderated the panel.

The panelists shared their experiences that have demonstrated both the progress women have gained in politics and the room for growth. They agreed that political parties can be a vehicle for equal participation as long as the parties are internally democratic.

"We were talking to women, telling them to work harder, bang on more doors,” said Byanyima, a former member of parliament in Uganda who led its women’s caucus. “Now we're asking parties to open those doors."

At the event, NDI and the UNDP released a joint publication entitled "Empowering Women for Stronger Political Parties." The guide provides strategies for those who work in and with political parties to increase women's political participation as candidates, party members, leaders and office holders.

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