NDI - Guatemala

Guatemalan Quick Count Aided Public Confidence In Presidential Runoff Results

ntekeei — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:10:43 +0000

Election observation efforts by Guatemalan citizen groups, including NDI’s partner Citizen Action (Acción Ciudadana), helped increase public confidence in the integrity of last month’s presidential runoff election and head off a repeat of problems associated with the first round of voting.

A Citizen Action data entry volunteer enters data from an observer into a database.

Election observation efforts by Guatemalan citizen groups, including NDI’s partner Citizen Action (Acción Ciudadana, AC), helped increase public confidence in the integrity of last month’s presidential runoff election and head off a repeat of problems associated with the first round of voting.

During that initial September poll, candidates and parties raised concerns about delays in the release of results, which were also blamed for several incidents of violence, including the burning of election materials.

For the Nov. 6 runoff, AC, the Guatemalan chapter of Transparency International, released projected results that confirmed the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (Tribunal Supremo Electoral, TSE) results. AC’s quick count tally, based on its observations at a statistically representative sample of polling places, differed by only 0.22 percentage points, well within the count’s 1 percent margin of error.

For both elections, AC dispatched approximately 3,500 observers to the country’s 333 municipalities, working as a member of Election Watch (Mirador Electoral), a coalition of citizen groups that organized observation activities for both rounds. Observers noted that during the second round Guatemalans were able to vote without problems at 93 percent of the observed polling stations, a 20 percent increase from the first round. During the runoff, 97 percent of observed polling stations had party poll watchers from two parties. Observers help parties independently verify the impartiality of poll workers and whether there are irregularities in the election process.

The runoff pitted former army general Otto Perez Molina of the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota) against businessman Manuel Baldizón of the Renewed Democratic Freedom Party (Libertad Democrática Renovada). Despite expectations of a tight race, Perez Molina won 54 percent to Baldizón’s 46 percent.

With NDI assistance, Guatemalan election observation groups, including Election Watch, will draw on their election reports to help develop and advocate for electoral reforms to improve future elections. Campaign spending is one area expected to receive attention; both participants in the runoff far surpassed the campaign spending limit set by electoral law and regulated by the TSE.

From the May 2 start of the campaign period through the end of the second round on Nov. 6, AC’s Anti-Corruption Legal Assistance Office (Centro de Asistencia Legal Anticorrupción) received over 500 complaints related to the electoral process. During the first round, reports included illegally transporting voters for one municipality to another, vote buying, voter intimidation and campaigning outside of the permitted campaign period. There were fewer reports during the second round.

Nearly half of all problems reported involved voters whose names were missing from the voter registry, and almost one-third involved ballot shortages. In the first and runoff rounds, some 17 percent and 7 percent of voters, respectively, experienced problems related to identification cards—such as the fact that some were damaged and therefore not accepted. As Guatemala transitions to new voter cards, both old and new ID cards were accepted, adding a complicating element to the voting process.

Prior to the election, approximately 1.3 million voters were added to the voter rolls — particularly women, youth and indigenous people. This meant that for the first time women represented the majority of the seven million registered Guatemalan voters. According to electoral authorities, turnout among registered voters was approximately 69 percent during the first round and 61 percent during the second round —considerably greater than the 2007 elections, when turnout in the two rounds was 60 percent and 48 percent, respectively.

Mirador Electoral Members

Citizen Action (Acción Ciudadana, AC)
Association for Development, Organization, Services and Sociocultural Studies (Asociación para el Desarrollo, la Organización, Servicios y Estudios Socioculturales, DOSES)
Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO)
Central American Institute for Political Studies (Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Políticos, INCEP)
More Women, Better Politics (Más Mujeres, Mejor Política, MMMP)
National Network of Mayan Youth Organizations (Red Nacional de Organizaciones de Jóvenes Mayas, RENOJ)

Related:

Published Dec. 9, 2011

Guatemalan Civic Groups Preparing to Observe Nov. 6 Presidential Runoff

ntekeei — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:43:18 +0000

While Guatemala prepares for its Nov. 6 presidential run-off election, citizen groups are working to safeguard the credibility of the election process as they did in the first round of voting on Sept. 11. This election pits Otto Perez Molina of the Patriotic Party against Manuel Baldizón of the Renewed Democratic Freedom Party.

NDI trainers assist preparing data entry volunteers in the quick count data processing center, or cueva, on Sept. 11, 2011.

Citizen Action (Acción Ciudadana, AC), the Guatemalan chapter of Transparency International, will conduct a “quick count,” an advanced observation technique to accurately characterize the quality of voting and counting and project results based on actual votes cast at a statistical, random sample of polling sites observed.

AC is part of a coalition of citizen groups known as Mirador Electoral (Election Watch) that has organized observation activities, including campaign expense tracking, the participation of women and the indigenous population, and the reporting of results on election night.

On the day after the first round election, AC released quick count projections that confirmed the results announced by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (Tribunal Supremo Electoral, TSE) within a 1 percent margin of error. These results were widely covered in the media, which helped to increase public confidence in the integrity of the election process, particularly in light of delays in the release of official results on election night. Similar checks will be provided for the race between Molina, who received 36 percent of the first-round vote, and Baldizón, who tallied 23 percent.

For the Sept. 11 election, AC dispatched approximately 3,500 observers to all of the country’s 333 municipalities. By midday, AC reported that nearly 99 percent of polling stations had the necessary electoral materials, including the registry of voters, tally books, complaint forms, indelible ink, ballot boxes and stamps and seals. Ninety percent of polling places had more than two observers from political parties. With observers at the polls, parties can independently verify that poll workers were impartial and voting and vote-counting was free of fraud. This increases confidence in the electoral results and reduces the chances that any single party will question the outcome.

AC also analyzed gender representation among poll workers, finding that 44 percent of polling station presidents were women. The observers said that Guatemalans were able to vote without problems in 73 percent of the observed polling places. In stations where problems did occur, nearly half involved voters who did not appear in the voter registry, while almost a third involved a lack of sufficient ballots. Some 17 percent of voters experienced problems related to identification cards, which was less than expected since Guatemala is transitioning to new voter cards and both the old and new forms of identification were accepted.

Between Sept. 10 and the poll closing on Sept. 11, AC’s Anti-Corruption Legal Assistance Office (Centro de Asistencia Legal Anticorrupción) received 165 complaints related to the electoral process. These included reports of transporting voters for one municipality to another, vote-buying, voter intimidation and campaigning outside of the permitted period.

Prior to the election, some 1.3 million voters were added to the voter rolls—particularly women, youth and indigenous citizens. As a result, women for the first time represented the majority of the seven million Guatemalans registered to vote. In addition, Guatemala will have its first woman vice president since both run-off contenders have women running mates.

Despite these advances, women were elected to only 5 percent of 491 congressional and municipal positions. Women won 19 of 158 congressional seats and seven of 333 mayoralties. Of those municipalities, 110 will be led by indigenous mayors. This represents just 33 percent for an indigenous community that makes up nearly 50 percent of the population and a decline from the 2007 elections, which saw indigenous leaders win 123 of the country’s mayoralties.

Looking toward the run-off, Mirador Electoral has pointed out that both finalists have surpassed the ceiling for campaign spending set by electoral law and regulated by the TSE. Mirador is advocating that the candidates publically release information on the source of their campaign contributions. While Mirador expressed confidence in the TSE’s independence, the coalition has encouraged analysis of why the reporting of the official results was delayed on election night.

Mirador Electoral Members

Citizen Action (Acción Ciudadana, AC)
Association for Development, Organization, Services and Sociocultural Studies (Asociación para el Desarrollo, la Organización, Servicios y Estudios Socioculturales, DOSES)
Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO)
Central American Institute for Political Studies (Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Políticos, INCEP)
More Women, Better Politics (Más Mujeres, Mejor Política, MMMP)
National Network of Mayan Youth Organizations (Red Nacional de Organizaciones de Jóvenes Mayas, RENOJ)

Related:

Published Oct. 31, 2011

Informes de Mirador Electoral 2011 (Guatemala)

rrunyan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:47:29 +0000

Author:

Mirador Electoral

Publisher:

Mirador Electoral

Published Date:

09/11/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Comunicado de Prensa No. 1	298.65 KB
Comunicado de Prensa No. 2	447.6 KB
Comunicado de Prensa No. 3	206.03 KB
Comunicado de Prensa de la Segunda Vuelta No. 1	259.66 KB
Comunicado de Prensa de la Segunda Vuelta No. 2	275.22 KB

NDI E-news: The Middle East, African Elections, Belarus | Jan./Feb. 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:10:35 +0000

February 2011

Now the Hard Work Begins...

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

Egyptians celebrate in Tahrir Square. Photo by RamyRaoof.

Following weeks of protests in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain, thousands in Libya are now advocating for political freedoms long denied by the country's regime. The government has responded with beatings, shootings and arrests. NDI condemned this government-backed violence and joined calls for the immediate cessation of attacks against Libyans who are exercising their right to peaceful assembly, and for a democratic transition.

As democracy advocates raise their voices throughout the Middle East, analysts and commentators have turned to NDI seeking insights into the implications of the ongoing changes for the future of democracy in the region. In The New York Times,
The Washington Post, on CNN and elsewhere, NDI leaders and staff have offered commentary and interpretation as the historic changes have unfolded.

The Institute has a long history in the region. Its first office, for the West Bank and Gaza, opened in 1994. Since then, NDI staff have also been based in Egypt,
Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
Mauritania, Morocco and Yemen. Institute programming also encompasses Algeria, Bahrain,
Kuwait,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia
and Tunisia.

In all of these countries, NDI has established partnerships with political parties, civic groups, parliamentarians and others seeking to promote peaceful reform and have a voice in how they are governed. The Institute works to share organizational skills, comparative experiences and tools to connect democratic activists within and between countries.

In response to the developments in Egypt, for example, NDI is putting Egyptian activists in touch with political leaders from Chile, Poland and elsewhere so they can take advantage of lessons learned during other democratic transitions. It's similar to work the Institute has done in many other places and times, such as when it brought opposing Northern Ireland factions together in South Africa in 1997 to learn from Nelson Mandela and others how to negotiate peace and reconciliation.

African Election Roundup: Nigeria, Sudan, Niger

In Nigeria, NDI is conducting an international observation mission to analyze the electoral process before, during and after presidential, legislative and local elections scheduled for April. Regular updates can be found in Nigeria Election Watch, which is based on reports from NDI's long-term observers, who began assessing election activities throughout the country from January and will continue through May. Subscribe»

In Sudan, NDI's civil society partners, the southern-based Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) and the northern-based Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE), observed
all stages of the recent referendum
in which Southern Sudan voted to secede from the north. The groups concluded
that "the Southern Sudan referendum allowed the free expression of the will of the people for self-determination."
Read more»

Before presidential and legislative elections in Niger, 36 political parties and two independent candidates signed a code of conduct that encouraged parties and their supporters to campaign honestly and respect the outcome of the Jan. 31 vote and the runoff election set for March 12. Read more»

Women in Afghanistan, Guatemala, Ukraine Overcoming Obstacles to Elected Office

Among the 249 members of Afghanistan's lower house of parliament are Farida Hamidi and Frishta Amini, two women who make up the entire delegation from Nimroz province. Despite the risks faced by female candidates, both women ran strong campaigns and garnered more votes than their male opponents. Read more»

In Guatemala, where indigenous women are 20 percent of the population and hold only one of the nation's 333 mayoralties, Isabel Francisco discusses her campaign for mayor of Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango. "This is my third time as a candidate," she said. "The first time I finished in fifth place. The second time I finished in third place. This time I'm hopeful I'll win!" Read more»

Zinayida Galchynska promised herself that if she survived breast cancer she would run for local office and make a real difference in her community. She kept that promise and is now a councilor in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine — thanks in part to the skills she learned at an NDI campaign school and a campaign based on going door-to-door to meet voters. Read more»

NDI President Urges International Support for Belarusian People

NDI President Kenneth Wollack outlined ways the international community can provide moral support and practical assistance to political and civic leaders, media and ordinary citizens in Belarus, where government forces engaged in a brutal crackdown following failed elections Dec. 19. Wollack was speaking at a Jan. 27 hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs. Read more»

Colombian Municipal Councilors Hone Good Governance Skills

In Colombia, newly-elected municipal councilors generally are expected to learn on the job. To help them gather the skills they need, an NDI program focused on how to identify the needs of their constituents, develop policies to address those needs, and engage with citizens and the media. Read more»

NDI Adds 2010 Afghanistan Elections Data to Mapping Website

Complete data from Afghanistan's 2010 parliamentary elections have been added to
afghanistanelectiondata.org, the Institute's innovative mapping website
. The site now includes data from Afghan elections beginning in 2004, as well as demographic, ethnographic, topographic, security and other information. Visitors can create visual analyses of voting patterns and other assessments, or segment and envisage data and maps in a variety of ways.
Read more»

New NDI Publications

NDI, one of the world's largest publishers of Arabic-language resources and references on democracy support, has just released its latest catalogue. It includes a listing of publications and information on how to order them. Read it in Arabic | English»

Drawing on its 25 years of experience in the women's political participation field, NDI has published a new guide for democracy practitioners to help them develop and carry out effective programs to bring more women into government and politics. Democracy and the Challenge of Change: A Guide to Increasing Women’s Political Participation, helps the user develop, carry out, monitor and evaluate women’s political participation programs. The guide provides a rationale for focusing on increasing women’s participation and includes examples of best practices, case studies and practical strategies.

The new guide, Political-Process Monitoring: Activist Tools and Techniques, explores the work that the Institute and its partner groups have done for legislative, budget-related and campaign-related monitoring, shadow reporting and monitoring government follow-through.

Indigenous Guatemalan Woman Seeks Mayoral Seat with ‘Message of Hope and Opportunity’

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:26:51 +0000

Indigenous women in Guatemala are working to become more active in political life. To help them, NDI designed and carried out a six month leadership academy in 2009 and a three-course training program for potential candidates last year. These are among programs the Institute carries out in many countries to encourage better representation of excluded populations. One of the participants candidate in the training program, Izabel Francisco, sat down for an interview to discuss her experiences as an indigenous woman preparing to run for mayor in the upcoming September 2011 general elections.

Despite their 20 percent share of the population, Mayan women in Guatemala have limited political and economic power. They have the country’s highest rates of poverty and illiteracy, and, according to an NDI-supported study, are far less likely to vote than any other sector of the population. Only four of 158 deputies in Congress are Mayan women and only one of 333 mayors. Efforts to change that status are hampered by most of the women’s lack of campaign and other political skills since few were included on candidate lists for the last election in 2007.

Still, indigenous women in Guatemala are working to become more active in political life. To help them, NDI designed and carried out a six month leadership academy in 2009 and a three-course training program for potential candidates last year. These are among programs the Institute carries out in many countries to encourage better representation of excluded populations. One of the participants in the candidate training program, Izabel Francisco, sat down for an interview to discuss her experiences as an indigenous woman preparing to run for mayor in the upcoming September 2011 general elections.

Why do you want to run for office? Was there one moment you made the decision?

First, because it’s my right to participate and these rights are guaranteed in the laws of my country. Second, because as a woman I believe that I can support other women, not only by including them in the political process, but also by creating programs that would specifically support them. At the moment I made the decision to run, I did it without hesitation.

It is my desire to collaborate with, contribute to and support my community. Throughout my life, I have worked as a volunteer in my community and with a women’s association that I helped form. This experience allows me to understand the reality that the people and women of my community are living.

There is disappointment and a lack of trust in politics, so part of my decision to run was to show that there is no need to be afraid of politics. Politics is good, but sometimes the people that engage in politics do not do a good job. So if I can contribute to improving trust and convincing people that politics can be good and that people can make good decisions, then this is what I want to do with all my heart.

Why did you decide to run for mayor in your municipality in Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango, as opposed to being a candidate for the Guatemalan National Congress?

Francisco presents on the results of a group exercise during a candidate training workshop.

Many people told me that I should run for congress, but I realized that if I wanted to do something for my community it would be better to run for mayor. I will use this as a learning experience. The mayor is an executive position and I would rather be in that position than be a legislator. I can better advocate for change as a mayor.

Do you have previous experience within political parties or movements? If so, what has your experience been?

I am part of the political movement Jolom Konob. It means leader of the people (Cabeza del Pueblo) in the indigenous language of Q'anjob'al. This is my third time as a candidate for mayor. The first time I finished in fifth place. The second time I finished in third place. This time I’m hopeful I’ll win!

Why did you decide to participate in the NDI training programs? What skills did you gain and how will they help you to be a more successful candidate?

It seemed to be a great opportunity to strengthen my skills and to gain the tools that would allow me to share my knowledge with my colleagues in my civic group. The most important tools I gained were how to design a campaign strategy, identify the key people and organizations that can influence an election and communicate a clear strategy. I believe that these tools will allow me to be a more successful candidate.

What will your policy priorities be as a candidate for public office?

Our key policy priorities will be divided into five areas: social, economic, environmental, cultural and political. Social policy includes education, health, housing and infrastructure needs of the municipality. We will focus on coordination and communication with the municipal institutions that are responsible for these areas. We must also focus on economic development within the municipality, for example creating opportunities for immigrants to invest their remittances in municipal projects. Our environmental policy priority will be trash management and conservation of rivers. Cultural policy will not only include indigenous identity and spirituality, but also values that are important to the entire community. The final priority will be a political policy that does not just focus on electoral politics but encourages people to participate and advocate for the needs of their community. We want people to learn to be involved in politics, represent their communities and participate in decision-making.

How important is it that women are elected to public office in Guatemala? What about indigenous women?

According to the statistics, 54 percent of the Guatemalan population is female. More than half are indigenous women. Indigenous women have been the most excluded, marginalized and discriminated sector of the population. I see my role as bridging and closing this gap.

"Indigenous women have been the most excluded, marginalized and discriminated sector of the population. I see my role as bridging and closing this gap."

I want to lead by example and demonstrate that indigenous women can lead and can participate. This reality needs to be changed and if we don’t act, we can’t change it. We can’t wait for change; we need to start the change. If we don’t participate and we don’t demand to be included and we don’t make our voices heard, then we will never be taken into consideration.

What do you think is the best way to get more women and indigenous people involved in political life in Guatemala?

Women need to unite and have a unified message. While this can be difficult, it is important, because if we don’t support each other nothing will change.

How do you feel about proposed reforms to Article 212 of the Law on Elections and Political Parties that would require parties to include women on party lists?

Support this reform. It is necessary that political parties be required to take women into consideration. It would help us because we have realized that we can’t achieve change just by talking. It must actually be put into law. We need a greater balance between men and women. This balance should not only be in political parties and elected office, but also within public institutions and appointed positions.

How do you think your community views your interest in running for public office? What kind of inspiration do you think you provide for other indigenous women?

I think my community realizes that I can apply my experience in providing an education for my children and managing my household to running a city hall. As women, we are responsible for administering our resources and taking care of families so people see that I would be able to do a good job in doing the same for the entire community as mayor. I believe that as a candidate I do show women that it is possible to run for office. In fact, there is another woman in my city on my party list that will be a candidate for city council.

I’ve realized that my campaign gives a message of hope and opportunity to other women. Education is fundamental. I want to show that we need to continue with our education and training so that we can become more active in our communities. Anything is possible when we are passionate about what we do.

Pictured above: Izabel Francisco, mayoral candidate in Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango.

Lea este artículo en español»

Published February 4, 2011

NDI E-news: Election Prep in Bosnia, Egypt, Afghanistan | Oct. 2010

fgalleto — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:52:34 +0000

October 2010

Preparing for Election Day - Debating, Educating Assessing

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

Candidates greet the moderators before debating in Bosnia.

Though the voting part of an election usually takes just a day, months and sometimes years of preparation go into making it a success. There's the preparatory work by election commissions, organizing by political parties, choosing candidates, the campaign itself, training observers, educating and motivating the electorate to participate, and creating an atmosphere in which voters feel safe enough to go to the polls. In many countries where NDI works, the Institute and its partners are involved in one or more of these aspects of election day preparation. Here are some examples:

Leading up to the Oct. 3 general elections in Bosnia, NDI partnered with two major public television stations to present a series of candidate debates.
These events, along with a series of regional town-hall style meetings, were unique for focusing on issues, and the parties' stances on those issues, rather than personal or ethnic attacks and accusations.

As Egypt prepares for legislative elections in November, a new website, www.vote4egypt.com, conveys the importance of voting. It features promotional get out the vote videos, posters and message boards, where users can discuss topics such as how to get voter identification cards and where to vote on election day. The site is part of a larger civic participation effort by the nonpartisan Bridge Center for Dialogue and Development, an NDI partner organization.

A trainer gives a presentation about her political party in Kyrgyzstan.

Before Kyrgyzstan's Oct. 10 parliamentary elections, NDI worked with women candidates and party members seeking to learn new skills needed to be effective candidates, and for gaining leadership roles within their parties.

In preparation for Afghanistan's Sept. 18 parliamentary elections, NDI conducted orientation sessions for more than 1,700 candidates (68 percent of the total), organized training for political parties, ran campaign schools for more than 240 women candidates (62 percent of the total) and provided technical assistance to FEFA, the country's largest domestic election monitoring organization. It also trained more than 36,000 candidate agents across the country to report on election day activities.

In addition to its work with local partners, NDI takes part in pre-election assessments. Recently in Jordan,
Ukraine and Nigeria, the Institute has fielded high-level delegations that have met with election officials, ruling and opposition political figures, civil society groups, journalists and others to assess the electoral environment and recommend short- and long-term improvements in the electoral process.

In Haiti, Citizens Voice Ideas and Concerns about Rebuilding

Haiti's Action Plan for National Recovery and Development is a blueprint aimed at helping Haitians rebuild and overcome the challenges posed by last January's earthquake. To ensure that citizens and local government officials have an opportunity to contribute their own ideas, initiative committees across Haiti are holding meetings to solicit advice from citizens. Read more»

Despite Violence, Voters in Afghanistan Show Commitment to Democratic Process

Although violence marred the electoral process in many parts of the country, millions of Afghans turned out to vote in legislative elections Sept. 18, showing courage and resolve to move their nation toward a more democratic future. NDI's observers released a preliminary statement lauding Afghans for their commitment to democracy while drawing attention to a number of problems with the electoral process. Read more»

New Publications Encourage Women's Political Participation

In many countries, women who want to get involved in politics lack the role models and resources to help them pursue their goals. Two new publications seek to meet those needs and encourage more women to get involved in the political process.

Aimed at young women from the Middle East and North Africa region, Confidence, Capacity, Connections: A Young Woman's Guide to Leadership is a workbook that combines ideas, strategies and advice from experts on pursuing a political career. Read more»

In Bangladesh, Who's Who: Women Leaders at a Glance profiles 134 Bangladeshi women and is designed to provide inspiration and role models to other women aspiring to leadership roles. Read more»

Iraqi National Youth Caucus Works to Turn Youth Priority Issues into Policy Changes

As Iraqis work to create a new government, a group of young people is working to perfect the civic advocacy skills they need to influence how policy is made. Members of Iraq's National Youth Caucus (NYC) came together recently to discuss their strategies for ongoing advocacy campaigns for improving high school and college education and combating the high rate of youth unemployment. Read more»

Central American Leaders See Transparency as Key to Public Security

In El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, more than three quarters of the population thinks public safety is the greatest problem facing the region. Recently, leaders from government, political parties, business, academia and civil society came together to discuss the link between transparency and security in Central America. At the NDI-supported event, the 150 participants identified and agreed on concrete actions to fight corruption and increase transparency. Read more»

New Partnerships Strive for More Inclusive, Stronger Parliaments

NDI recently signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU) that seek to strengthen parliaments and make them more accountable and inclusive.

In Kenya, NDI and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association signed an MoU to collaborate on efforts to enhance representative government around the world. The association is a group of national and subnational legislatures of the Commonwealth, representing some two billion citizens from all faiths and ethnicities from six continents. Read more»

The MoU signed by NDI and the Guatemalan Congress will allow the two to create initiatives to improve the representation of indigenous people and women in Guatemala's government and to reform laws governing elections and political parties. Read more»

Democracy Updates | Partner Spotlights | In-Country Perspectives |

Democracy Dialogue | Publications | Employment

NDI E-news: Community of Democracies, Burma, Iraq | August 2010

fgalleto — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:14:59 +0000

August 2010

New and Established Democracies Celebrate Past Successes and Look to the Future of Democracy Support

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

Former Polish President Lech Walesa and Madeleine Albright at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies

Community of Democracies Celebrates 10 Years

Representatives
from many of the world's established and new democracies came together
in Krakow, Poland, last month to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the
Community of Democracies, a global coalition
focusing today on meeting challenges to democracy and strengthening the
role of civil society.

NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright, who as U.S. secretary of state was an initiator of the organization, spoke at the gathering,
saying "those who are blessed to live in a democracy have an obligation
to repay that blessing by upholding free institutions and by teaching,
protecting, and cherishing democratic values." Read more»

Transatlantic Democracy Dialogue Begins

To
encourage stronger transatlantic ties on democracy support, senior U.S.
and European policymakers came together in Washington, D.C., for the
start of a two-year dialogue to discuss ways to fortify cooperation on
democracy and human rights. The dialogue is chaired by Albright; Jerzy Buzek,
president of the European Parliament; Javier Solana, former European
Union high representative for the common foreign security policy; and Vin
Weber, former congressman and former chairman of the National Endowment
for Democracy (NED). It is organized by NDI with primary
support from the European Commission and the NED. The
dialogue will, through a series of conferences and working papers,
produce actionable recommendations for improving democracy support
programs. Read more»

Commemorating the Frost-Solomon Task Force

Frost (left) and Rep. David Price (center) speak to Ibrahim Samadi, a participant in the parliamentary research service institute from Afghanistan.

The
benefits of transatlantic cooperation were celebrated in early June at a
commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Frost-Solomon Task Force,
which provided assistance from the U.S. Congress to new parliaments in
Central and Eastern Europe emerging from communist rule. Its programs
were based on the principle that successful democratic transitions in
the former communist countries depended on the establishment of
effective democratic legislatures. Former Rep. Martin Frost, for whom the task force was named along with the late Rep. Gerald Solomon, attended the commemoration in Warsaw, Poland, along with
representatives from 10 of the former Soviet bloc countries. Read more »

Toward Better Parliamentary Research Services

Many
of the representatives from the original Frost-Solomon countries stayed
in Warsaw to share their experiences during a week-long parliamentary
institute organized by the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), a
successor to the task force. Representatives from 11 parliaments on
four continents, all HDP partner parliaments, took part in the institute
that focused on developing and strengthening parliamentary research
services. "Where democratic governance has taken root...commissions such
as ours can provide an added boost by sharing our own experiences, good
and bad," said Rep. David Price, chairman of HDP. Read more »

NDI Analysis: Burma's Electoral Framework is Fundamentally Undemocratic

A
new NDI report found that Burma's new election laws and constitution
have created a framework that is fundamentally undemocratic for the
first national elections to be held in the country since 1990. Based on
a legal and human rights analysis, NDI concluded that the election
process will not be a step forward and risks being yet another setback
in a country that has been governed by the military for almost half a
century. The process "is clearly designed to guarantee a pre-determined
outcome and, therefore, does not meet even the minimum of international
standards," the report said.

Read the full report »

New Technologies Create Opportunities, Risks in Democracy Support

Speaking at a panel at the Krakow Community of Democracies meeting, NDI Chief Technology Officer Chris Spence explored the role of technology in democratic development and the challenges and opportunities it poses in closed societies. Spence also addressed the importance of using technologies in new and emerging democracies using examples from Afghanistan and Uganda.

He noted that while technology can provide useful tools, to be most effective they must be used to support well-organized "off-line" activities by civil society groups.

Read Spence's remarks »

In Angola, Radio Program Connects 'Parliament and Me'

"Parliament
and Me," a new radio talk show in Angola, is working to establish a
connection between elected representatives and their constituents as the
country rebuilds after a 27-year civil war. NDI partnered with Radio
Ecclesia, a capital city radio station with a wide audience, to create
the weekly program, which educates citizens about the role of
parliament.

The
program also explores historical, political and legal issues that many
Angolans may not be familiar with, such as the origins of the Angolan
parliament, the laws it has passed and the impact of women parliamentarians.

In Macedonia, New Legislative Research Institute to Aid Lawmakers

Macedonia is working to establish a professional parliamentary research service that will
enhance the ability of its legislature to advance democratic
governance in the country. The parliament is undertaking a
three-year project to create such a service, which will help lawmakers obtain
the necessary information to generate and amend legislation, oversee
public expenditures and monitor how laws are carried out.

The
research service is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation and implemented by NDI and its Macedonian partner, the
Institute for Parliamentary Democracy.

Iraqis Discouraged by Post-Election Government Negotiations

Iraqis
are becoming increasingly frustrated about the delay in the formation
of a new government and a majority of them believe that the country is
headed in the wrong direction, according to a recent public opinion poll
conducted by NDI.

Among
the survey's other findings, 42 percent of those polled thought Ayad
Allawi, representing the Iraqiyya coalition, which got the most votes in
the March 7 elections, should become the next prime minister, compared
to 14 percent who supported current Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki. The most
important problem facing average Iraqis, they said, is delivery of basic
services.

Increasing Women's Political Participation Around the Globe

Part of NDI's core mission is working with women around the world to help them gain leadership skills and access to power:

Afghan Women Seek Major Role in Peace-building:
Women from 33 of the country's 34 provinces attended a symposium in
Kabul, Afghanistan, to find ways to ensure that women's rights are integrated into the government-initiated peace and reconciliation process. They listed 13 recommendations for the Afghan government to
follow to address women's needs.

Coalition Boosts Effort to Implement Gender Quota Law in Burkina Faso:
Last year the legislature in Burkina Faso passed a law requiring that
30 percent of candidates on political party lists be women. Now, a
coalition is suggesting ways to fully implement the law.

Middle Eastern Women Gain Political Inspiration in Wisconsin: A
group of young women from across the Middle East who aspire to
political careers spent two weeks at a leadership retreat in Madison,
Wisc., the culmination of a year-long Young Women Leaders Academy.
There, they learned from elected women leaders about public service and
political campaigns.

Mayan Women Train One Another to Increase Their Political Voice:
To help overcome the political and economic challenges facing Mayan
women in Guatemala, NDI has published a series of training guides to
help equip the women with the concrete skills they need to pursue
political leadership opportunities.

Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors Launches

In
more than 90 countries, millions of citizens have joined nonpartisan
election monitoring efforts to safeguard electoral integrity, hold
government accountable, mitigate politically motivated violence and
promote the right of citizens to participate in public life.

For the first time, those groups have joined together to form the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors, which launched a website
this month that compiles thousands of documents, manuals and best
practices. As the site continues to evolve, domestic election monitors
around the world will be able to exchange information, form
relationships and continue to learn from each other.

Multimedia Not To Miss

Be sure to check out:

Pop star Bobi Wine performs his song, "A Serious Matter," to help promote peaceful elections and the use of an NDI-supported election hotline in Uganda.

A short video
highlights the interaction between citizens and members of parliament
in Cambodia as part of a NDI's constituency dialogue program.

Democracy Updates | Partner Spotlights | In-Country Perspectives |

Democracy Dialogue | Publications | Employment

Central American Leaders See Transparency as Key to Public Security

rrunyan — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:46:04 +0000

Public security is the number one issue for Central American countries, especially those in what is known as the Northern Triangle, which includes El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. More than three quarters of the population in Central America believes that insecurity is the greatest problem facing the region, according to a recent United Nations report.

At a recent forum, leaders from government, political parties, business, academia and civil society in the region gathered in El Salvador to get to the root of the problem by highlighting the link between security and transparency.

“States with high levels of corruption and impunity are particularly susceptible to the infiltration of groups linked to organized crime,” said Eduardo Nuñez, NDI’s resident director in Guatemala and director of NDI’s regional program to promote civil society participation in public security issues. “These groups undermine the states’ ability to form policies that effectively address the issues of insecurity and the spread of violence.”

The 150 forum participants identified and agreed to implement concrete actions to fight corruption and increase transparency. They included strengthening collaboration between civil society and government to root out corruption in state security agencies; creating violence prevention plans, especially at the municipal level; and improving oversight of political contributions to prevent the infiltration of drug money in democratic politics.

A declaration was signed by the participants that reaffirmed the commitment to address the epidemic of violence in the region. In writing the declaration, forum participants examined and built on past regional and international agreements that set out plans to stem corruption and violence.

One mechanism for getting more results may be to establish a regional impunity commission, like the U.N.-backed Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (Comisión Internacional contra la Impunidad en Guatemala, CICIG). CICIG works with the Guatemalan government to investigate and dismantle criminal organizations believed to be responsible for the high level of crime and weak judicial system. It is credited with resolving several high profile cases. Central American leaders, including Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes, have encouraged discussion on whether a similar regional body could help governments in the sub-region tackle the challenges of transnational crime.

“There is wide interest in understanding the role of this commission, its mandate, its mechanisms, its results, its limits,” Nuñez said. “The extraordinary growth of organized crime in the region warrants extraordinary measures to contain it, and among them the CICIG model deserves to at least be considered.”

The CICIG commissioner Francisco Dall´Anese, along with Nuñez, attended the two-day forum supported by NDI and co-sponsored by the Salvadoran Government, the Central American Integration System (Sistema de Integración Centroamericana, SICA), the National Foundation for Development (Fundación Nacional para el Desarrollo, FUNDE) and Transparency International. The declaration and policy proposals of the forum will be assessed in a year when a similar forum convenes in Costa Rica.

Pictured Above: Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes (far left) provides opening remarks at the forum on transparency and public security in San Salvador, El Salvador held Sept. 28-29.

Published October 8, 2010

NDI and Guatemalan Congress Agree to Work on Making Government More Inclusive

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:44:13 +0000

Programs to improve the representation of indigenous people and women in Guatemala’s government and to reform laws governing elections and political parties are expected to be among the benefits of a memorandum of understanding signed Sept. 24 by NDI and the Guatemalan Congress.

Programs to improve the representation of indigenous people and women in Guatemala’s government and to reform laws governing elections and political parties are expected to be among the benefits of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed Sept. 24 by NDI and the Guatemalan Congress.

The agreement was signed by Roberto Alejos, president of the Guatemalan Congress, and Eduardo Núñez, NDI’s resident director in Guatemala. Addendums were signed by four chairs of congressional committees that will be working on the targeted areas.

The agreement is a result of a new interagency affairs office that is helping the congress coordinate with international organizations, such as NDI, Alejos said. One of the initiatives that NDI will support as a result of the MOU is the design of a new legislative studies institute.

“Guatemala lacks a research unit [in congress] and the idea is that this institute will fill that void,” Núñez said. This commitment comes from the basic premise that the stability of democracy depends on the ability of institutions to respond to the needs of citizens, and guarantee the basic rights of all groups, especially those that have the lowest levels of representation, he said at the ceremony.

The congressional organizations that are involved are the committee on indigenous peoples, the women’s committee, the technical assistance committee, the electoral affairs committee and the inter-institutional working group.

In working with the committee on indigenous people, for example, NDI will help the committee define and advance an indigenous legislative agenda. Among the first activities will be a training session on political negotiation skills.

The Institute will support women’s committee efforts to reform the election law to require gender parity on candidate lists and in public office, among other initiatives. NDI will also work on election and political party law reform with the electoral affairs committee.

Leer más»>

Pictured Above: Otilia Lux (l to r), member of the committee on women and the committee on indigenous peoples; Gudy Rivera, chair of the technical assistance committee; Roberto Alejos, president of congress; Eduardo Núñez, NDI’s resident director in Guatemala; and Ovidio Monzón, chair of the congressional modernization committee at the signing ceremony (Photo courtesy of the Guatemalan Congress)

Published October 1, 2010

Mayan Women Train One Another to Increase their Political Voice

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:14:16 +0000

Despite their 20 percent share of the population, Mayan women in Guatemala have limited political and economic power. They have the country’s highest rates of poverty and illiteracy, and, according to an NDI-supported study, are far less likely to vote than any other sector of the population. Only four of 158 deputies in Congress are Mayan women and only one of 333 mayors. And despite their interest in increased political clout, few of the women have tested campaigning and political skills, adding to the challenges to being included on candidate lists in the most recent election in 2007.

To help overcome these challenges, NDI has published a series of training guides to help Mayan women acquire the concrete skills needed to pursue political leadership opportunities. The guides are based on the topics presented during a 2009 academy that NDI organized with the Political Association of Mayan Women (Asociación Política de Mujeres Maya, MOLOJ), the Central American Institute for Political Studies (Instituto Centroamericano para Estudios Políticos, INCEP) and the Kondrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS). One hundred and eleven women participated in the original academy, and the goal is for those women to use the manuals to teach other women to build the skills needed to lead political parties, national-level civic groups and local organizations, empowering an ever-widening circle of Mayan women.

Topics of the manuals include multiculturalism, democracy, citizenship, political parties, organizing and leadership. The guides take a practical approach, giving real-life examples and suggesting self-guided activities. The series also includes tips and tools for leading effective training sessions.

In November 2009, at workshops designed to provide them the skills to replicate the guides, the original academy participants discussed how best to use the guides to hold sessions on women’s leadership in their own parties, civic organizations and communities. “The trainings increased my knowledge of political participation and advocacy and provided me with the tools to replicate the trainings for women in my community who have not had the opportunity to attend these types of activities,” said one participant from a Mayan women’s civic organization.

To launch the guides and raise awareness about Mayan women’s exclusion from politics, NDI held two events in April – one in the indigenous-majority department of Quetzaltenango and the other in Guatemala City. The events focused on the importance of political training for indigenous women so they could gain leadership roles and advocate for issues of importance to their communities. The guides were also released to the public at the time.

At the events in April, representatives from MOLOJ, the Organization for the Defense of Indigenous Women (Defensoría de la Mujer Indígena, DEMI), and NDI as well as academy graduates discussed why indigenous women should become politically involved, challenges to political participation in Guatemala and steps to increase women’s participation. The representative from the DEMI emphasized the need for greater gender equity among candidates running for office. NDI, in collaboration with MOLOJ, is coordinating internships for 10 academy alumnae with congressional committees, the election commission and the agency that manages the national civil registry and issues citizen identification cards. The purpose of the internships is to provide the women the opportunity to put their skills into practice as they advocate for greater inclusion of indigenous women in Guatemala's political arena.

Haga clic aquí para acceder a las guías de la serie Mujeres y Participación Política

Pictured above: An academy alumnae and civil society representative speaks to local media about the need to increase the political participation and representation of indigenous women in Guatemala.

Published July 21, 2010

NDI E-news: Afghanistan, Kosovo, Tunisia | Dec. 2009

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:21:34 +0000

December 2009

NDI and its Partners Observe, Assess and Report on Elections in Afghanistan, Honduras, Kosovo and Tunisia

In recent weeks, NDI and its local partner organizations were on the ground to observe, assess and report on elections in Honduras, Kosovo and Tunisia, and the cancelled presidential runoff election in Afghanistan.

NDI was preparing to observe the Nov. 7 runoff when the Afghan Independent Election Commission cancelled the vote and declared Hamid Karzai the winner. In the days before the runoff, NDI issued a series of recommendations suggesting ways to improve security and prevent the massive fraud that marred the Aug. 20 general election.
The Institute's election analysts prepared several reports looking ahead to procedures for the runoff and analyzing the results of a fraud audit of the Aug. 20 polls conducted by election authorities.
After the election was cancelled, NDI noted that the questions of fraud surrounding the August vote had not been fully addressed and called for a high-level commission to conduct an inquiry into the problems. An op-ed piece on the Huffington Post by NDI's regional director for Asia, Peter Manikas, pointed out the importance of the inquiry as a credible first step in the new government's anti-corruption campaign, as a means to enact meaningful reforms before legislative elections scheduled for next year.

In Honduras, NDI conducted an international election assessment mission for the Nov. 29 general elections. In a statement after the vote, the Institute noted the special challenges presented by the sharp divisions within the country and between Honduras and the international community after the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya on June 28. NDI's assessment mission did not take a position on these larger political issues; rather, it sought to provide an impartial assessment of the conduct of the electoral process. NDI also worked closely with its local partner,
Hagamos Democracia, a nonpartisan domestic election monitoring organization. Hagamos dispatched more than 1,000 observers to all 18 departments and 283 of the 298 municipal districts and released three election bulletins. Its "parallel vote tabulation" accurately projected the results of the presidential race.

Kosovo's municipal elections on Nov. 15 were the first polls conducted there since the nation became independent last year. NDI was on the ground before the election and released a pre-election assessment with recommendations for the vote, as well as how to improve the system in the future.

In Tunisia, political parties united to observe voting around the country for the first time since the country began holding multiparty elections a decade ago. After months of preparation, and with assistance from NDI, senior members of the Ettajdid (Renewal) Movement and the Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties (FDTL) deployed 400 party agents to polling stations on election day, Oct. 25. The two parties then analyzed their results to identify common problems surrounding the administration of the election. Read more»

iKNOW Politics Celebrates Arabic Launch

iKNOW Politics, an online network dedicated to the advancement of women in politics, launched a new Arabic language version in Amman, Jordan, in October opening it up to potentially millions of new users in a region where women are underrepresented politically.

The site had 23,000 visitors last month and 6,100 are registered members who contribute to online discussions and share resources.

About 150 women leaders, political candidates, activists and representatives of women’s organizations primarily from the Middle East and North Africa attended the two-day launch event, which focused on the impact of media and information technology on the number and effectiveness of women in politics in the region.

NDI is one of five partner organizations in the project, along with International IDEA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, UNDP and UNIFEM.

In Liberia, Radio Station Brings Representatives Closer to their Constituents

In Liberia, NDI is working to help connect lawmakers with their constituents and foster open and substantive public policy debates. To aid that effort, the Institute has partnered with STAR radio to launch a weekly program, The Legislative Spotlight. The roundtable discussion features different topics and legislators each week, and has helped lawmakers to address key public policy issues with constituents who call in to the program.

NDI Organizes Parallel Vote Tabulation Academy

Parallel vote tabulations (PVTs), a powerful citizens' tool to analyze the integrity of voting and counting processes as well as the accuracy of official election results, were the subject of a "PVT Academy" held at NDI's Washington office Nov. 17-20. Some 23 participants from 17 countries, all experienced in conducting PVTs, came together to share expertise and harmonize best practices.

The participants — from Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East — included leaders from citizen groups who have joined NDI in conducting PVTs, NDI staff and consultants who are PVT experts. They came together to share lessons learned and explore nuances in PVTs, which demand precision in training, communications, analysis and reporting.

In Iraq, Women's Platform Becomes Focus of Campaigns

Though Iraqi women are slowly increasing their involvement in government, political parties and civil society organizations, they are still largely absent from decision-making positions within those bodies. To improve that situation, more than 200 women and men from a range of parties, regions and occupations came together in Erbil, Iraq, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 to develop a unified vision for a National Platform for Women in advance of parliamentary elections scheduled for next March.

Conference participants chose four issues to be the major components of the platform: healthcare, education, employment and political participation. Proponents hope the platform will be at the center of the debate between parties and candidates in the upcoming elections.

Indigenous Women in Guatemala Enhance Their Leadership Skills

To address a pattern of historic exclusion and marginal-ization among Mayan women in Guatemala, NDI has partnered with the Political Association of Mayan Women (Asociación Política de Mujeres Maya) to organize an indigenous women's political leadership academy. Its goal is to provide the women with the skills needed to participate in political life in Guatemala at all levels, including obtaining leadership roles in political parties, participating in local advisory councils and promoting women's issues in civil society organizations.

Afghan Provincial Councilors Adapt to Growing Role

Afghanistan's
provincial councilors (PCs), the only elected officials who interact with citizens at the local level, have seen their roles change and expand since their offices were created four years ago. Many of them had little political experience, so they’ve had to learn on the job. NDI has played a significant role in that learning process.

Devin O’Shaughnessy, NDI’s resident senior program manager in Kabul, recently explained how NDI has worked to support PCs through their first four years in office and discussed the challenges that await the newly-elected and returning PCs who won seats in Afghanistan’s Aug. 20 elections.

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide by promoting citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Series on Women's Political Participation (Guatemala)

fgalleto — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:39:40 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/01/2010

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

Spanish

Media Type:

PDF

2010

Mujeres y Cultura

Objetivo: Conocer la riqueza que proviene de la diversidad cultural que existe en Guatemala, pero también cómo se encuentra desaprovechada debido a la discriminación y al racismo.
Mujeres y Cultura Política
Objetivo: Exponer el concepto de "cultura política" en la democracia y profundizar en los factores que pueden mantenerla y fortalecerla desde la perspectiva de la mujeres.
Mujeres y Democracia
Objetivo: Ofrecer un espacio de reflexión y análisis del tema "democracia" y de los valores comunes de la ciudadanía democrática en el contexto nacional.
Mujeres y Ciudadanía
Objetivo: Fortalecer capacidades y habilidades ciudadanas, para participar en la sociedad de un modo específico, como mujeres comprometidas con proyectos sociales o políticos.
Mujeres y Partidos Políticos
Objetivo: Constatar la falta de participación y escasa representación que las mujeres guatemaltecas tienen en el sistema político partidario nacional, y algunos mecanismos que se proponen para revertir esa situación.
Mujeres y Organización Política
Objetivo: Conocer y definir la organización como un espacio para la acción e incidencia, así como establecer propuestas que faciliten el trabajo de las mujeres dentro de las organizaciones.
Mujeres y Liderazgo
Objetivo: Ofrecer conceptos de liderazgo y aplicar herramientas para ejercerlo de manera democrática.
Mujeres y Facilitación
Objetivo: Ofrecer herramientas que permitan planificar, ejecutar y evaluar actividades de capacitación y formación, siguiendo el camino de la facilitación.
Guía Metodológica
Objetivo: Ofrecer a las participantes orientaciones metodológicas, técnicas didácticas y herramientas que enriquezcan la planificación, ejecución y evaluación del proceso educativo basado en talleres de la serie de cuadernos “Mujeres y Participación Política”.

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Cuaderno 1: Mujeres y Cultura	2.39 MB
Cuaderno 3: Mujeres y Democracia	4.34 MB
Cuaderno 4: Mujeres y Ciudadanía	2.89 MB
Cuaderno 5: Mujeres y Partidos Políticos	2.2 MB
Cuaderno 6: Mujeres y Organización Política	2.18 MB
Cuaderno 7: Mujeres y Liderazgo	1.61 MB
Cuaderno 8: Mujeres y Facilitación	2.77 MB
Cuaderno 9: Guía Metodológica	5 MB

Seven Keys to Change: A Technical, Political and Legal Analysis of the 2007 Electoral Process

fgalleto — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:13:38 +0000

Author:

Eduardo Núñez Vargas

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/01/2008

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

2007

The report constitutes a natural extension of the concerted efforts by international and domestic actors to ensure the honesty and legitimacy of the 2007 elections in Guatemala. These were the first elections organized under the new standards established by reforms to the Law on Elections and Political Parties in 2004 and 2006, which affected the electoral model as well as the basic rules for the political party system.

The political objectives that give rise to electoral reform are transformed to a greater or lesser extent in the practical application of the reforms, and the desired results are not always achieved. There is no linear or unequivocal relationship between the two sides of the equation. For that reason, an analysis of the impact and results of certain legal reforms on key institutions such as the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and political parties is important for understanding lessons learned and ensuring a continuous effort toward the perfection of electoral democracy.

English

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Siete Claves para el Cambio (SPA)	1.64 MB
Excerpt: Seven Keys to Change (ENG)	312.11 KB

Indigenous Women Strengthen Leadership Skills at Guatemalan Academy

fgalleto — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:00:12 +0000

Mayan women in Guatemala, who are estimated to be 20 percent of the population, are substantially underrepresented in Guatemalan politics. Despite 1996 UN-sponsored peace accords that called for increasing political involvement of the indigenous population, indigenous women were rarely included on candidate lists in the most recent election in 2007, and only two of the 158 deputies in Congress and one of 333 mayors across the country are Mayan women.

In addition, a 2007 NDI-supported study of the indigenous population's participation in politics showed that 50 percent of indigenous women did not plan to vote in that year's election, a significantly higher rate than other Guatemalans.

To address this pattern of exclusion and marginalization, NDI has partnered with the Political Association of Mayan Women (Asociación Política de Mujeres Maya, MOLOJ) to organize an indigenous women's political leadership academy. Its goal is to provide the women with the skills needed to participate in political life in Guatemala at all levels, including obtaining leadership roles in political parties, participating in local advisory councils and promoting women's issues in civil society organizations.

From November 2008 through August 2009, the Indigenous Women's Political Academy conducted seven trainings for 111 women from multiple political parties and civil society organizations. Topics included leadership skills, political culture, democracy, political parties and forms of organization that are unique to indigenous communities. The trainings took place in Quetzaltenango, which is a predominantly indigenous department outside the capital city.

Each training included discussions of the concepts being presented as well as group activities to reinforce new skills. The participants discussed why women and indigenous people are excluded from political parties and the political system, and methods for becoming more involved in politics. Group exercises identified different organizational and leadership styles and methods for effective democratic leadership.

NDI and partner organizations also hosted panel discussions with indigenous women leaders that provided academy participants with practical advice and concrete examples of how women can have political careers and actively participate in their communities.

Participants gained a greater understanding of the political process in Guatemala, as well as how to analyze and understand political events. "This process helped me gain a better understanding of the political reality and how to be a strong leader. I now have a base from which to work in my community and with people in my party. These trainings opened my eyes and gave me new ideas and strategies," wrote one of the participants when evaluating the impact of the academy.

The women plan to use their new skills to become more involved in their communities and to pass on these skills to other women. NDI is exploring opportunities for academy participants to undertake internships with national and local organizations to put their skills into practice as they advocate for greater inclusion of indigenous women in Guatemala's political arena.

Looking forward, NDI hopes to inspire the creation of additional academies in Guatemala by publishing the training materials as a series of guides. Additionally, NDI plans to hold "train the trainers" sessions in the next year for academy alumnae to help them teach their new skills to other women in their parties, civic groups and communities.

Pictured above: Participants take part in a participatory exercise about community organization during the session on Forms of Indigenous Organization.

Published November 16, 2009

Video Conference Offers Opportunity for Latin American Legislative Staff to Exchange Ideas

ggreene — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:39:07 +0000

Congressional staff members from Colombia, Guatemala and Peru had a valuable opportunity to exchange information during a recent video conference program on legislative strengthening put on by NDI and the World Bank Institute (WBI). The video conference series—the second in two years involving NDI and the WBI—brought the participants together to explore good practices in the areas of lawmaking, effective committees, and oversight and transparency.

With funding and support from WBI, the video conference series provided an opportunity for legislative staff to explore common challenges in modernizing their legislatures. Colombia, Guatemala and Peru are all trying to bring more stability to their legislative and committee staffs, which have struggled with high turnover. During the video conference, the staff members shared strategies for keeping staff longer so they could gain policy expertise in areas under the committee’s jurisdiction. Participants also discussed their challenges and successes in other areas, such as carrying out effective public hearings.

The video conferences also drew on emerging international standards for democratic legislatures, an effort on which NDI has worked closely with other organizations, including WBI, the United Nations Development Programme and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. In partnership with WBI, NDI is working with the three countries that participated in the video conference to compare their existing norms and practices against these international norms. In each of these countries, NDI is collecting information from members of Congress, congressional staff and members of civil society organizations about congressional practices. The survey instrument has been designed to identify gaps between formal powers and informal practices, as well as to analyze differences in perceptions about the legislature among legislators, staff and civil society.

–

Published on June 24, 2009

NDI - Guatemala

Guatemalan Quick Count Aided Public Confidence In Presidential Runoff Results

Guatemalan Civic Groups Preparing to Observe Nov. 6 Presidential Runoff

Informes de Mirador Electoral 2011 (Guatemala)

NDI E-news: The Middle East, African Elections, Belarus | Jan./Feb. 2011

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

Indigenous Guatemalan Woman Seeks Mayoral Seat with ‘Message of Hope and Opportunity’

NDI E-news: Election Prep in Bosnia, Egypt, Afghanistan | Oct. 2010

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

NDI E-news: Community of Democracies, Burma, Iraq | August 2010

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

Community of Democracies Celebrates 10 Years

Transatlantic Democracy Dialogue Begins

Commemorating the Frost-Solomon Task Force

Toward Better Parliamentary Research Services

READ MORE

Central American Leaders See Transparency as Key to Public Security

NDI and Guatemalan Congress Agree to Work on Making Government More Inclusive

Mayan Women Train One Another to Increase their Political Voice

NDI E-news: Afghanistan, Kosovo, Tunisia | Dec. 2009

December 2009

NDI and its Partners Observe, Assess and Report on Elections in Afghanistan, Honduras, Kosovo and Tunisia

Series on Women's Political Participation (Guatemala)

Seven Keys to Change: A Technical, Political and Legal Analysis of the 2007 Electoral Process

Indigenous Women Strengthen Leadership Skills at Guatemalan Academy

Video Conference Offers Opportunity for Latin American Legislative Staff to Exchange Ideas