NDI - Nicaragua

NDI E-news: Democracy Day, Libya, Pakistan, African Elections | Sept. 2011

fgalleto — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:15:40 +0000

Sept. 15, 2011

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"Independence!" A woman casts her ballot in the January referendum creating the new country of South Sudan. Photo by Susan Stigant, senior program manager.

Sept. 15 is International Day of Democracy, an annual global celebration of human rights, the rule of law and other principles that unite democracies around the world. The day was designated by the United Nations to reaffirm the universality of democratic values and recognize the aspirations of people around the world to have a say in how they are governed and make free choices about how they live their lives.

Nowhere have those aspirations been more prominent this year than in North Africa, where popular uprisings have ousted dictators in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. In Libya, the Institute has been working closely since April with the National Transitional Council (NTC) as it creates a plan for a constitution, elections, national security and the protection of civil liberties. In a country where political parties have been outlawed and maligned for 40 years, NDI is helping fledgling parties create platforms and attract supporters. Writing in the Washington Post, Les Campbell, NDI regional director for Middle East and North Africa programs, expressed optimism about the prospects of a successful transition and outlined the positive steps the council has taken already. Matyas Eörsi, resident country director in Benghazi, spoke to NPR about the high expectations — globally and in Libya — facing the country's new government.

For more than 25 years, in more than 70 countries, NDI has worked to strengthen new and emerging democracies. This Democracy Day, consider contributing to our work and support people in North Africa and around the world who want a voice in how their countries are governed.

Pakistan to Extend Political Reforms to FATA

President Asif Ali Zardari's recent decision to extend political and legal reforms to Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is the result of a lengthy effort by political parties and other organizations to bring more democratic systems of governance to a region considered a haven for militants and religious extremists. The reforms, supported by NDI, will allow political parties to form and operate in FATA for the first time, and will amend a draconian criminal code first enacted by the British in 1848.

Ensuring Women and Young People Take Part in the Political Process

Women and youth have a significant role to play in new and emerging democracies. In Sudan, caricature art helps engage young people who feel excluded from the political process. In Burkina Faso and Iraq, women are learning the skills they need to run for office and build successful political careers. In Nicaragua, the first class of graduates to earn a certificate in leadership and political management are ready to start their political careers. And in Afghanistan, one young woman is helping others prepare for careers in government by starting an internship program that places students in provincial council offices.

Celebrate Democracy with these Upcoming Events

Save the date! NDI will hold its annual democracy dinner on Nov. 7. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will headline the event, which also includes a panel discussion on the Arab Spring. The dinner and an awards ceremony will recognize those who have spent a lifetime supporting democracy.

On Sept. 23, Alassane Ouattara, president of Côte d'Ivoire, will speak at NDI, where he will discuss his government's efforts to rebuild the country's economy and foster national reconciliation in the wake of violence following last November's election. This event is full, but will be streamed live.

Toward Better Elections in Africa

Across Africa, countries are taking steps to ensure more transparent and accountable elections. A recent referendum in Liberia was monitored by the Elections Coordinating Committee, a civil society coalition that provided a nonpartisan assessment of the process and will monitor upcoming presidential and legislative elections. In Côte d'Ivoire, which recently experienced a violent crisis in the aftermath of its November presidential election, citizen election monitors gathered to discuss their role in mitigating violence in legislative polls scheduled for later this year. And in Zambia and Mauritania, NDI fielded delegations that assessed both countries' preparedness for upcoming elections and suggested improvements.

Coming Together for Common Goals

Democracy can't solve longstanding political or cultural divisions overnight, but it can bring different groups together to discuss issues and arrive at common goals. In Bosnia, eight politicians are reaching across party and ethnic lines to tackle the country's biggest challenges together. And in Honduras, where the effects of a 2009 coup and constitutional crisis are still reverberating, a series of "democracy dialogues" is bringing people together to find common ground.

Public Opinion Research for Better Policy Platforms

Public opinion research helps political parties and governments address the issues their constituents care about most. In Iraq, people want politicians to focus on jobs, the economy, and water and power delivery. In Somalia, focus group research shows that citizens are losing faith in their transitional institutions and are looking for ways to provide ideas to move their country forward. In Belarus, citizens distrust the Lukashenko regime and blame it for current economic problems. But they remain pessimistic about the prospects for opposition parties. And in South Sudan, citizens want to end tribalism above all else, seeing themselves primarily as Southern Sudanese.

NDI's Washington Office is Moving

NDI's new office

Update your address book! As of Sept. 19, NDI's Washington, D.C., headquarters will be located at 455 Massachusetts Ave., NW, on the eighth floor. All telephone numbers will remain the same.

NDI E-news: South Sudan, Burma, Tunisia | July/August 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:51:47 +0000

August 2011

Newly Independent South Sudan Looks To Future, Permanent Constitution

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Children march in the independence day parade in Juba

South Sudan became the world's newest country on July 9 after a January referendum that showed overwhelming support for independence. Richard Nuccio, NDI's senior director in the new country's capital, Juba, was invited to the independence festivities and captured the celebration in photos. "It was an amazing moment and I felt very privileged to be a part of it," he said later during an interview on WPFW's Africa Now!

South Sudan adopted a transitional constitution just before independence and will soon set about crafting a permanent one. NDI will work with a coalition of women's civic groups from throughout the country to submit recommendations for the new document. The coalition wants to be sure that gender quotas for all branches and levels of government are a part of the constitution and that full separation of powers is addressed.

In March and April, NDI conducted the latest in a series of focus groups it has been organizing since 2004. This latest round explored South Sudanese attitudes toward independence and the future of their new country. “What we heard in the past was a focus on separation,” said Traci Cook, researcher and author of the upcoming report. “We found that they are now turning the corner and beginning to look internally.” Participants saw themselves as South Sudanese first and foremost, and want to move past tribal discrimination and corruption in the new government.

NDI President Wollack Reflects on Returning to Burma after 16 Years

In June, NDI President Kenneth Wollack traveled to Burma to meet with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders. Wollack reports that little in the country has changed since his last visit, but that Suu Kyi remains the unflappable and optimistic leader he met in 1995. Read more»

Aswat Community Connects Activists in the Middle East and North Africa

The Arab Spring uprisings have underscored the impact that social media can have on advancing democracy. As early as 2005, NDI recognized social media's potential and launched Aswat, an online community for those in the Middle East and North Africa looking to make governments more responsive, transparent and effective. Now, recognizing the additional responsibilities and challenges facing citizen reporters, Aswat is training them on journalistic ethics and professional standards. Read more»

Civic Group Invites Nicaraguan Citizens to Participate in Election Monitoring

A new website launched by the Nicaraguan group Ethics and Transparency allows citizens to report any electoral problems that might compromise the November national elections. Read more»

New Report: Political Parties in Afghanistan

Based on 90 interviews with party representatives and civil society, this new report explores how Afghan political parties view themselves, what kinds of assistance would serve them best and ways they might work together in the future. Parties see themselves primarily as supporting individual candidates, rather than an ideology, and focus their activities on elections instead of planning party strengthening activities between polls. The review also revealed that Afghan parties are highly interested in modernizing their internal structures and promoting cross-party cooperation. Read more»

Opinion Research Shows Tunisians Concerned About the Future

Six months into their political transition, Tunisians are concerned about high levels of unemployment, according to the latest round of focus group research conducted by NDI. Tunisians are also concerned about personal security, but are more optimistic about gains in freedoms of expression and association. Read more»

New Library Helps Liberian MPs Write Legislation

A new library and research service in the Liberian parliament is helping lawmakers write legislation. Among them is Senator Gloria Musu Scott, who wanted to draft a bill providing domestic partnership benefits for those in common law marriages. So she visited Liberia's new Legislative Information Service (LIS) to find how other countries have handled the issue and conducted an Internet search that turned up similar laws in several U.S. states. This type of information would not have been available until the library opened a few months ago. Read more»

Mauritanian Parliament Seeks Citizen Input for Social Security Reform

Social security is a hotly debated topic in Mauritania. The current system is expensive, and the government is facing choices on whether to raise taxes, cut services or restructure the program. Rather than operating behind closed doors, the parliament has sought citizen input, holding a public meeting and asking leaders from civil society organizations to weigh in with their policy ideas. Read more»

As Mauritanians prepare for parliamentary and municipal elections tentatively scheduled for the fall, keep up with the latest political analysis and developments by subscribing to the Mauritania Elections Bulletin. Subscribe»

First Class of Nicaraguan Leadership School Ready for Political Careers

rrunyan — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:32:09 +0000

The first class of graduates from Nicaragua's Certificate in Leadership and Political Management (CLPM) program are poised to jump into political careers. Already many class members have announced they will run for office in November, and some have been promoted to leadership positions within their parties.

During the strategic planning session, a group of participants from several civil society organizations work together to create a problem tree.

The first class of graduates from Nicaragua's Certificate in Leadership and Political Management (CLPM) program – which NDI reported on late last year –are poised to jump into political careers. Already many class members have announced they will run for office in November, and some have been promoted to leadership positions within their parties.

The five-part training program took place in five locations across the country: two locations in the capital, Managua; Matagalpa in the north; and Bilwi and Bluefields in the Atlantic coast regions, where most of the country’s indigenous and Afro-Caribbean citizens live. The different components focused on leadership, strategic planning, political communication and negotiation, and democracy that delivers results for citizens, including traditionally marginalized groups such as women, indigenous peoples and Afro-decendents.

Nearly 70 percent of Nicaraguans are under the age of 30, but young people in the country remain disengaged from politics and government. They also are increasingly dissatisfied with political parties and government institutions, according to the findings of a recent NDI Democracy Survey.

To bring young people into the political arena and help build the next generation’s confidence in government, a consortium of Nicaraguan and international educational institutions created the CLPM to provide political training opportunities to young women and men. The age of the CLPM’s first class ranged from 16 to 35. The 415 students who received their certificates included 191 women and 224 men – 274 young party officials from 12 different political parties and 141 participants from over 70 civil society organizations.

NDI helped organize the consortium, which includes the American University (Universidad Americana, UAM), the University of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions (Universidad de las Regiones Autónomas de la Costa Caribe Nicaragüense, URACCAN), the Institute for Development and Democracy (Instituto para el Desarrollo y la Democracia, IPADE) and the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM).

NDI and its partners expect that, as participants progress across various fields, they’ll have opportunities to bring democratic values to a wide array of professions, including but not limited to politics.

“The seed to promote a political, economic and social transformation in Nicaragua in the next 20 years has been planted in our classroom,” said one of the students who spoke at the graduation ceremony. “Such a transformation will prove that politicians can respect the law and its institutions, and simultaneously alleviate poverty and guarantee our nation’s well-being.”

To strengthen the ties developed during the workshops, CLPM organizers intend to go beyond coursework and help form a strong alumni network. Both organizers and graduates have pledged to involve this year’s graduates in working with the upcoming CLPM classes and to seize opportunities to collaborate to strengthen the country’s democratic institutions.

“Considering what we’ve learned,” one political party participant said, “I hope we can find equilibrium in which political parties and civil society share common understandings and, furthermore, where we can build together a more democratic Nicaragua.”

The CLPM is an annual program to be carried out over five years with approximately 500 participants per year from civic organizations and all major political forces. The next class will kickoff in January 2012. The program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Related:

Published July 28, 2011.

Civic Group Invites Nicaraguan Citizens to Participate in Election Monitoring

rrunyan — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:03:09 +0000

As Nicaragua prepares for national elections in November, the domestic observation group Ethics and Transparency (ET) is ramping up efforts to engage citizens in election monitoring activities and a demand for free and transparent polls.

Through a new website, www.vivaelvoto.com, launched June 28, the group is bolstering an ongoing campaign asking all Nicaraguans to become citizen observers and report any electoral problems that compromise the process.

Citizens can report rights violations and other abuses through the interactive website. A map of Nicaragua shows the location of different types of irregularities as they are reported and verified.

The citizens’ reports are grouped into five categories: violations of citizens' rights; lack of voter information; electoral campaign irregularities; intimidation, threats and conflicts; and administrative irregularities. To ensure accuracy, reports may be published on the map only after the information has been verified in the field by one of ET’s 240 expert volunteers.

A member of the Ethics and Transparency group fields questions from reporters at the launch event.

In a country where the last elections generated accusations of fraud and electoral authorities have announced plans to limit national and international observer credentials for November’s elections, the website is a way for all Nicaraguans to become active observers and report incidents that violate their right to free and transparent elections. Reporting can be done by phone, mobile text message, email or in person to ET volunteers working in municipalities.

The website is a key component of a broader ET civic education and participation campaign focused on encouraging every Nicaraguan to become an observer and demand fundamental components of a credible election, including access to a national identity card, fair electoral campaigns, universal suffrage, and a transparent process to count votes and publish results.

NDI provided technical assistance to ET to develop the website and produce promotional materials that will strengthen the “Viva el voto, que gane el voto” campaign, which translates to “Long live the vote, let the vote win.”

The Institute has worked in Nicaragua to strengthen democratic institutions and practices since 1990. This year, NDI is supporting nonpartisan election monitoring by local civil society organizations to promote transparency and the integrity of the national elections, monitor the national identification card distribution process, and provide civic education on electoral reforms and the electoral process.

Related:

Nicaraguan press coverage of the website launch in Spanish in La Prensa and El Nuevo Diario
Nicaragua Leadership Program Supports Emerging Leaders »
Egyptian Civic Group Launches Website to Get Out the Vote for November Polls»
Nicaragua 2009 Democracy Survey: Sharp Drop in Confidence in Public Institutions »

Pictured above: The homepage for vivaelvoto.com

Published July 7, 2011.

NDI E-news: Egypt, Kosovo, Sudan | Dec. 2010

fgalleto — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:01:11 +0000

December 2010

Local Partners Work to Bring Accountability to Elections

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Egyptian candidate debate organized by Partners in Change.

Millions of citizens around the world, sometimes at great personal risk, work to safeguard elections in their countries by monitoring, reporting on and helping citizens participate in all aspects of the elections process. NDI regularly supports and works with many of these individuals and organizations as they seek to deter and expose fraud, ensure voters' rights and shine a light on sometimes secretive government procedures. Here are some examples:

In Egypt, which recently held elections for its lower house of parliament, the Institute worked with the Egyptian Association for the Support of Democracy (EASD) to train and deploy 5,000 observers who documented fraud, violence and election law violations. Using text messaging technology, EASD monitors reported real time information from polling stations that was posted to
the organization's website, drawing a local and international audience of more than 30,000 people. Another NDI partner in Egypt, Partners in Change, sponsored debates and street theater performances as part of get-out-the-vote efforts in the run-up to the elections. The events educated voters on the importance of voting and provided forums for voters to hear from individual candidates about their platforms.

Recent
parliamentary elections in Kosovo were generally peaceful, but some irregularities will need to be investigated more fully, according to a
preliminary statement from the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), an international election observation group. ENEMO fielded 12 long-term observers and 188 election day observers from 23 countries, including 37 American observers organized by NDI, who monitored 861 polling stations.

SuNDE observers attend a training session on the voter registration process.

The voter registration process has just ended in Sudan, which is preparing for a referendum that will determine whether the southern part of the country secedes from the north. The Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) and the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE), both nonpartisan coalitions of civil society groups and NDI partners, are monitoring all steps of the referendum, including the registration process. Seven hundred SuNDE and SuGDE observers monitored registration centers in both the north and south and in five of the eight international registration centers. The groups
released a joint statement saying registration "was conducted free from violations
that could significantly impact the integrity of the process, despite some shortcomings."

Before Peru's Dec. 5 run-off elections for department presidents (similar to state governors), NDI's civic partner, Transparencia, organized, recorded and broadcast debates
among the top candidates on radio and television. The debates aimed to help citizens become more informed about the candidates’ election platforms and compare their leadership styles. Now, in the wake of the elections, NDI is collaborating with Cuidadanos al Dia, a government watchdog group, to create a website where citizens can track how well the newly-elected officials live up to their campaign promises.

Nicaragua Leadership Program Supports Emerging Leaders

In Nicaragua, where opionion research shows young people increasingly dissatisfied with political parties and institutions, a consortium of academic institutions has created a new program to help engage the next generation in the political process. Young men and women from 49 civic organizations and 10 of the country's major political parties and movements are earning a Certificate on Leadership and Political Management focusing on democratic values and leadership. By providing this type of training, which will be expanded in the coming years, the certificate aims to empower the part of the population with the greatest potential for political involvement. NDI helped organize the consortium. Read more»

Montenegrin Ministries Changing the Way they Approach Policy Making

Scott Persons, NDI's resident director in Montenegro, discusses the Institute's work with government ministries to improve their internal and external communications. The program has resulted in more community input on how to solve problems facing the country and more efficient operations within the ministries. Read more»

Electoral Reform Needed to Build Public Confidence in Afghan Electoral Process and Political Institutions

As Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission released the final results for the Sept. 18 parliamentary elections, NDI called for a formal and comprehensive review of the country's electoral system that would lead to reforms. Noting systemic flaws and tensions resulting from credible allegations of fraud and other irregularities, the Institute said that without electoral reform, public confidence in Afghan elections and governance will continue to erode. Read more»

Election Commission Chair Pledges Best Effort to Improve Elections in Nigeria in 2011

A legacy of electoral fraud, political violence and stalled democratic development has marred the past decade of civilian rule in Nigeria, which is planning for elections in 2011. Speaking at NDI, Attahiru Jega, the new chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission, said that improving the electoral process is vital to the country's democratic development and noted the growing consensus on the need for credible elections. NDI President Kenneth Wollack noted that with Jega's appointment "hope has replaced pessimism" regarding upcoming polls. Read more»

Women Win, Lead in Jordan and Southern Africa

Jordanian women candidates enjoyed record levels of success in the country's Nov. 9 parliamentary elections. For the first time, a woman candidate from Amman won her seat outside of the country's quota system; six of Jordan's 12 governorates elected the first women from their regions; and, for the first time, a Bedouin woman was elected. Jordan's new election law doubled the number of seats reserved for women from six to 12. The increase, coupled with the additional woman candidate who won outside the quota, will bring to 10.8 percent the number of women in parliament. Read more»

In southern Africa, women's political participation in Zambia and Lesotho lags behind other countries in the region. Women from both countries have participated in an NDI leadership academy where they learn campaign, advocacy and public speaking skills, and practice techniques to build coalitions and raise funds. Participants will use these skills in upcoming local and national elections. Read more»

2011 World Press Freedom Day to be Held in U.S. for the First Time

NDI has joined a number of democracy, human rights and free press organizations in the preparations for World Press Freedom Day, which will be held in Washington, D.C., May 1-3, 2011. The events will focus on media freedom in the digital age. More than 20 organizations working to advance free expression worldwide are collaborating with the U.S. Department of State and UNESCO to plan the program, 21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers. Read more»

Nicaragua Leadership Program Supports Emerging Leaders

rrunyan — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:54:59 +0000

To bring young people into the political arena and help build the next generation’s confidence in government, a consortium of Nicaraguan and international educational institutions has created a new program – the Certificate on Leadership and Political Management (CLPM) – that started in October with 387 participants from Nicaragua’s Pacific/Central regions.

Some 180 women and 207 men representing 49 civic organizations and 10 of the country’s major political parties and movements attended the first course on democratic values and leadership. They covered such topics as political tolerance, gender equity, human rights and separation of powers, as well as skills such as strategic planning, communication, negotiation and coalition building.

By providing political training opportunities to young women and men, the CLPM is aiming to reach the sector that embodies the greatest potential force for political reform. NDI’s 2009 Nicaragua Democracy Survey showed that this group of young citizens was more likely to be politically interested than older generations, and with the proper training and support has the potential to become drivers for change in their parties, organizations and communities.

NDI helped organize the consortium, which includes the American University (Universidad Americana, UAM), the University of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (Universidad de las Regiones Autónomas de la Costa Caribe Nicaragüense, URACCAN), the Institute for Development and Democracy (Instituto para el Desarrollo y la Democracia, IPADE) and the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM).

Marisol Amador of IPADE addresses participants during the second component on strategic planning.

The CLPM program seeks to build a foundation at local Nicaraguan universities and organizations to sustain a program that combines both academic approaches and development of political skills.

A second course on strategic planning completed in November, built on participants’ understanding of the first course’s concepts and prepared them to use planning techniques to respond to changing political environments, design cohesive party strengthening plans and allocate the necessary budgetary resources to activities.

The CLPM is an annual program to be carried out over five years with approximately 500 participants per year from civic organizations and all major political forces. The curriculum will be taught in five components throughout the Pacific/Central and Atlantic regions of Nicaragua. CLPM participants will receive ongoing feedback and assistance in carrying out reform and advocacy projects after they complete the program.

In the Atlantic coast region of Nicaragua, the program kicked off with the first two components earlier this month.

Pictured above: Program participants work in a group exercise during the first course on democratic values and leadership.

Published December 10, 2010

Nicaragua 2009 Democracy Survey: Sharp Drop in Confidence in Public Institutions

rrunyan — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:53:43 +0000

The confidence of Nicaraguan citizens in their public institutions has declined significantly over the past two years, according to a new survey of Nicaraguan public opinion.

The survey found that citizen confidence in key representative institutions, particularly the Supreme Electoral Council (Consejo Supremo Electoral, CSE), the presidency, the National Assembly and political parties, dropped an average of almost 20 points from 2007 to 2009. The survey’s lead analyst, NDI Senior Advisor Dr. Neil Nevitte of the University of Toronto, said the drop was unusual because in most countries citizen support for their institutions is typically quite stable.

The confidence of Nicaraguan citizens in their public institutions has declined significantly over the past two years, according to a new survey of Nicaraguan public opinion.

The survey is the third in a series of post-election surveys conducted by NDI that examine Nicaraguan views on the state of democracy in their country. The first was in 2005 and the second in 2007. Carried out in collaboration with the Institute for Development and Democracy (Instituto para el Desarollo y la Democracia, IPADE), the survey draws on information from a random sample of 1,200 Nicaraguans surveyed March 17 to March 26, 2009.

Nicaraguan analysts attribute the crisis of public confidence to the highly questioned 2008 municipal election process and to the negative influence of the nearly 10-year “pacto” between governing Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) and the Liberal Constitutionalist Party (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, PLC), which has politicized electoral and judicial authorities.

The survey also found that a substantial portion of eligible citizens are prevented from voting because they face institutional barriers, such as the lack of national identification cards. Four out of 10 citizens reported that they did not vote for that reason. The young are disproportionately disenfranchised as a result of this problem; 54 percent of the young citizens who did not vote reported facing this problem.

The survey did find that Nicaraguan support for a “democratic political system” has gradually increased from 34 to 41 percent since 2005. However, citizens holding democratic values, particularly women, are becoming less engaged in politics.

IPADE and NDI presented key findings from the democracy survey to different sectors, including academics, civil society leaders, political party leaders, women and youth representatives, and the media. In discussions about the results, Nicaraguans were most struck by this apparent paradox between increasing support for democratic principles and decreasing citizen participation.

While “Pacto” representatives are discussing constitutional reforms to establish a mixed presidential-parliamentary system and allow consecutive presidential reelection, many Nicaraguan civil society and political party leaders have begun to debate the need for other electoral and political reforms, including depoliticizing the electoral system, in order to restore public confidence. Regional elections are scheduled for 2010 and presidential and legislative elections in 2011.

In light of these new survey results, it is clear that overcoming the loss of public confidence in institutions and re-engaging citizens are equally important challenges to the future integrity of the electoral system in Nicaragua.

Pictured above: A chart from the report shows how public confidence in political institutions has fallen from 2007 to 2009.

–

Published on August 13, 2009

Nicaragua 2009 Democracy Survey

rrunyan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:30:33 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

07/27/2009

Resource Type:

Survey

Language:

English, Spanish

English

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Nicaragua Democracy Survey 2009-English	2.35 MB
Encuesta Sobre Democracia en Nicaragua-Español	2.39 MB

NDI Nicaragua Bulletins 2006

jbowen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:01:43 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

09/30/2006

Resource Type:

Newsletter

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
March 2006	60.02 KB
April 2006	30.4 KB
May 2006	35.09 KB
June 2006	35.59 KB
July 2006	130.9 KB
August 2006	152.72 KB
September 2006	64.15 KB

Verificación Técnica de dos Vías del Padrón Electoral de las Regiones Autónomas de la Costa Caribe Nicaragüense

jbowen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:35:30 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute, Deborah Ullmer, Mauricio Zúniga, Harry Chávez

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/01/2004

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Part 1 (Spanish)	2.12 MB
Part 2 (Spanish)	3.94 MB

Manual Electoral Del Fiscal De Partido, Elecciones Nacionales 2001, Nicaragua

jbowen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:26:51 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/30/2001

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Read the manual (Spanish)	1.12 MB

Félix Ulloa

ggreene — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:05:45 +0000

Félix Ulloa, Ph. D., is NDI's senior resident director in Nicaragua, having previously served as NDI’s senior resident director in Haiti (2000-2008) and Morocco (2008-2009). These programs have addressed the areas of political party-strengthening, poll watcher training, domestic observation, electoral reform, civic education and civil society advocacy. Previous to NDI, Mr. Ulloa served as president of the Salvadoran non-government organization Institute for Juridical Studies and as magistrate of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in his native El Salvador from 1994 to 1999.

He has political party experience as a candidate, campaign manager and member of the political commission of the National Revolutionary Movement (affiliated to the Socialist International) which participated allied with the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front for El Salvador’s first post-civil war general elections.

He has taught at the University of El Salvador and at Central American University "José Simeón Cañas" (Catholic University) in El Salvador and at the post-graduate department of political sciences of the Technological University of El Salvador. Mr. Ulloa has also taught at the Spanish School of Middlebury College in Vermont, and has worked as electoral expert with the Organization of American States, the International Foundation for Election Systems, CAPEL, International IDEA and the United Nations, providing technical assistance for electoral bodies, political parties and civic organizations. He has served as an international consultant on democracy strengthening, electoral observer and conflict mitigation programs in Latin America and Africa.

Mr. Ulloa's publications include: Política, Estado y Sociedad, Pensamiento democrático, El rol de los partidos politicos en la Institucionalidad Centroamericana, Haiti: Two Hundred Years of Elections and Constitutions, El Dinero y la Democracia Un caso de Estudio. He has published numerous articles and studies on democracy strengthening, election processes, civil society and political parties.

Mr. Ulloa earned law degrees from the Complutense University in Madrid, and from the University of El Salvador. He completed his post-graduate studies at UNED, Madrid, Spain; the Institut International d'Administration Publique in Paris, France, and at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Nicaragua

ggreene — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:45:41 +0000

Public confidence in key political institutions has diminished in Nicaragua over recent years, particularly after allegations of irregularities marred the November 2008 municipal elections.
Political polarization has increased. Under the “Pacto” – a decade-old political agreement between President Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) and former President Arnoldo Alemán of the Liberal Constitutionalist Party (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, PLC) – electoral and judicial authorities were divided between the FSLN and the PLC on party lines. In addition, civil society organizations, journalists and government critics have denounced harassment for peaceful and legal activities.

In January 2010, in the absence of agreement by the qualified majority of the legislators required under the constitution to designate permanent replacements, President Ortega issued a presidential decree to extend the mandates of 25 officials whose terms expired, including Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia, CSJ ) and Supreme Electoral Council (Consejo Supremo Electoral, CSE ) magistrates. This measure enabled the continued functioning of these government institutions. However, government opponents consider the decree unconstitutional and have questioned the legitimacy of the CSJ and the CSE.

In 2008, election authorities refused to provide experienced domestic election observation groups credentials to observe the municipal elections and did not invite international observers. National election observation groups characterized these elections as the least transparent and most conflictive in Nicaragua in the past 12 years.

As the 2011 presidential elections approach, tensions have continued over the CSJ decision in October 2009 to permit President Ortega to stand for consecutive reelection, based on a controversial CSJ ruling which opposition parties denounced as a violation of the constitution. President Ortega was officially registered as the party’s presidential candidate in March 2011. Nicaraguan civic leaders have raised concerns that the institutional disputes are eroding the rule of law and that the CSE’s continued decision not to provide accreditation to international and domestic observers for the 2011 elections is contributing to the decline in public confidence in Nicaraguan democratic institutions and processes.

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NDI Activities

NDI is working to strengthen Nicaragua’s democracy by promoting a new political leadership, training political parties in democratic practices and values, and dealing with inclusive and transparent electoral processes.

Toward that end, NDI program in Nicaragua is currently focused on:

Working with a consortium of Nicaraguan universities and civil society organizations, along with an international university, to implement an annual leadership and political management training program for emerging political actors to build necessary skills and knowledge for fostering successful democratic political leadership, including democratic values, strategic planning, effective communication, political negotiation, and coalition building. In the first year of the program, the consortium trained nearly 400 emerging political party and civil society leaders from across the democratic spectrum.
Engaging Nicaragua’s youth and women on best practices and strategies to strengthen political party responsiveness to citizen priorities and local issues through roundtable events and working sessions with political leadership at the municipal level. In November 2010, NDI launched the Win with Women initiative in Nicaragua to promote women’s participation in political parties.
Supporting nonpartisan election monitoring activities by local civil society organizations to promote transparency and the integrity of the electoral process, monitor the national identification card distribution process and provide civic education on electoral reforms and the electoral process.

Past Programs

NDI has worked in Nicaragua to strengthen democratic institutions and practices since 1990. In 1993, NDI convened an unprecedented public forum on civil-military relations with Nicaragua’s key political and military leaders, which led to agreements to reform the country’s military legislation and create a civilian-led ministry of defense.

In 1996, NDI began providing technical assistance to Ethics and Transparency (Ética y Transparencia, ET), Nicaragua’s first nonpartisan domestic election observer organization. In 2006, NDI supported ET’s deployment of 12,000 Nicaraguan election observers for presidential and legislative elections and provided technical support to conduct a parallel vote tabulation or “quick count” which helped to verify the integrity of the electoral process.

Since 2005, NDI has worked to strengthen Nicaragua’s democratic institutions and processes by engaging emerging political leaders in Political Leadership workshops and working with civil society organizations to strengthen advocacy efforts to promote public awareness and debate about electoral reforms.

NDI has provided support to ET and the Institute for Development and Democracy (Instituto para el Desarrollo y la Democracia, IPADE) since 2005 to enhance the capacity of domestic election monitoring organizations to verify the integrity and transparency of the electoral process. In 2008, even without credentials to monitor the voting process from inside the polling stations, NDI’s partners collected information from outside polling stations in 146 municipalities regarding the administration of the election and the behavior of electoral actors. The Institute also assisted efforts by political parties to train their pollwatchers by sharing training materials and methodologies on topics such as the role, rights and responsibilities of pollwatchers in deterring irregularities.

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:

Washington, D.C.
Jessica White, Senior Program Assistant
jwhite@ndi.org

Sara Barker, Senior Program Officer
sbarker@ndi.org

Nicaragua
Felix Ulloa, Resident Director
fulloa@ndi.org

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Nicaraguan Democracy Survey 2007

vrao — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/06/2007

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

Spanish

Attachment	Size
Read the report (Spanish)	2.15 MB

NDI 2005 Annual Report

vrao — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2005

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	6.23 MB

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