NDI - Roma Political Participation Initiative

Slovakia Elects First Roma Representative to Parliament

fgalleto — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:03:28 +0000

Slovakia made history in April when Peter Pollak took his seat in parliament as the country’s first Roma citizen elected to nationwide office. His victory in March’s parliamentary elections is the culmination of a decade-long journey of grassroots organizing, coalition building and setbacks at the ballot box that ultimately, through perseverance and support, paved the way to his breakthrough this year.

After the election, NDI sat down with him to discuss his journey to parliament.

Pollak campaigns in Rudnany Settlement.

In a region where Roma are treated as second-class citizens, with few opportunities to escape poverty and reverse centuries of discrimination and isolation, Pollak’s victory is a testament to his resilience. In Slovakia, Roma, who have been largely excluded from the political arena, make up an estimated 8 to 10 percent of the country’s 5.4 million citizens.

His first campaign attempt was in 2005 regional elections, but his path to politics began several years earlier. In 2001, he participated in NDI’s youth leadership academies, designed to promote political participation by young people, and he became actively involved with the Institute after the launch of its regional Roma political participation program in 2004. Engagement in NDI’s activities equipped Pollak with the knowledge and skills to take the next steps in his political career. Moreover, he was able to connect with like-minded activists in Slovakia and around the region.

During the 2005 campaign he conducted the first ever door-to-door campaign in segregated Roma settlements with a team of more than 70 volunteers.

In 2009, Pollak ran again, unsuccessfully, for the regional government. But his campaign efforts increased his visibility among both Roma and non-Roma communities – an important step in his political future.

His last unsuccessful bid for elective office came in 2010 parliamentary elections, when he was a candidate on the list of a mainstream political party, Most/Hid, which ran on the platform of inclusion and support for minorities.

When the government collapsed last fall, new elections were scheduled for March, and Pollak had another chance. This time, he joined a new political movement – Ordinary People, Independent Personalities (OLaNO) – to take a top-10 spot on its party list. When OLaNO won 16 seats on March 10, Pollack was among them.

After the election, NDI sat down with him to discuss his journey to parliament.

You grew up in a segregated Roma settlement in Levoca (north central Slovakia). Living in this environment, there is little opportunity for education and advancement and limited access to resources. How were you able to overcome these constraints to complete your secondary education and university degree?

My parents, although living in a poor and not very inspiring environment, always led me to value education and hard work. I was lucky to attend elementary school in my town and most of my classmates were non-Roma kids. After finishing high school, I had to work hard manual labor to make a living and support my family – as did many of my peers. But, with the support of my family and education, I was able to overcome limits and attain a university degree.

What was the motivation for your civic and political activism?

Like many other young Roma, I realized that I have limited opportunities because of the fact that I am a Roma. I always wanted to change that. I refused the fate and life path that a racist society would draw for me. I tried various ways to change the situation until I realized that the best means of positive change dwells in political participation and Roma must reach elected offices.

"I tried various ways to change the situation until I realized that the best means of positive change dwells in political participation and Roma must reach elected office."

On March 10, you were elected to the National Council of the Slovak Republic, becoming the first Roma member of parliament in Slovak history. However, this was not your first campaign. You ran for regional office in Kosice in 2005 and 2009, and for national parliament in 2010. What changed in this election campaign that enabled you to win?

This campaign was different because for the first time we had a full-time campaign manager. For the first time, because of our fundraising, we were able to pay this person so he could dedicate all of his time to our campaign. We also improved at identifying our potential voters, which enabled us to target our messages more effectively. This time we mostly focused on the Roma middle class, with the exception of a few settlements where I have a good reputation and solid support, in contrast to our previous campaigns when we targeted Roma from segregated settlements. The main reason for this decision was that the middle-class Roma are not easily manipulated during the elections. They are not targets of vote-buying, thus are more reliable as voters.

We used every opportunity to talk to middle-class Roma. For example, we attended Roma dance balls – February is a popular month for balls. During these events we had a chance to communicate with many Roma who were leaders of their communities, successful entrepreneurs and authorities. In these balls we altered our door-to-door campaign to be a table-to-table campaign and it worked very well.

We also designed campaign strategies to target non-Roma.

"My previous campaigns gave me a strong and supportive team of volunteers who knew what to do and how to do it."

One of the key factors of our success was the support from the Ordinary People, Independent Personalities (OLaNO) party. The president of the party expressed his public support to me and this gesture created strong interest from national and regional media, which gave me a chance to present my messages. This also helped us fundraise more efficiently. For example, we advertised for free in regional advertising magazines that reach 1.5 million households in Slovakia, and enjoyed interviews and free advertising on the radio.

However, without my previous three campaigns I would not have been elected. My previous campaigns gave me a strong and supportive team of volunteers who knew what to do and how to do it. I systematically worked with my team over seven years and built support among my voters.

In this campaign, you ran on the list of a mainstream political party and you received many non-Roma votes. How do you see cooperation of Roma politicians and activists with non-Roma parties and mainstream politics on the local, regional and national level?

Roma are a heterogeneous group with many differences and therefore it is very difficult for a Roma ethnic political party to be successful. A Roma political party can succeed only if it is able to get non-Roma votes. More and more Roma try to find their place in mainstream political parties, but in the past they were not very successful. One of the reasons I was elected to the parliament is the fact that a strong mainstream party – though new and not very traditional – put me in a high position on the electoral list and supported me as a Roma candidate publically.

NDI’s regional Roma political participation program in Central and Eastern Europe is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy. The initiative seeks to increase Roma political participation by equipping Roma civic and political activists with the skills to advocate for policies to improve the lives of marginalized groups, effectively represent their communities, run well-organized campaigns and share their expertise with emerging activists in their country and neighboring states.

Published April 23, 2012

Hans Zimmer Adds Gypsy Flavor to 'Sherlock Holmes' Score | Jan. 6, 2012

fgalleto — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:08:45 +0000

LA Times | Link to story »

As a certain British super-sleuth might observe, there was nothing elementary about the path that Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer took to bring Gypsy folk music into his soundtrack for "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows."

Accompanied by two NDI representatives, Zimmer and his colleagues visited a number of Slovakia's Roma settlements and met with local politicians. "We get to this village and it's like out of the 12th century," Zimmer recalled of one stop. "There is no running water, there's no electricity."

Link to story »

Hans Zimmer's Roma Collaboration for 'Sherlock Holmes' Score | Dec. 8, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:52:59 +0000

Huffington Post | Link to story »

Any time Hans Zimmer begins a project, he panics: no matter how many iconic movie scores he has composed, the Oscar-winner fears he'll be unable to come up with even a single new harmony. But as soon as Zimmer began reading the script for director Guy Richie's second Sherlock Holmes film, he knew exactly what he had to do. It was, if you'll forgive the expression, elementary.

In the end, Zimmer discovered more than he bargained for. Because he set up the trip through former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the nonprofit National Democratic Institute, he saw a side of the Roma that few foreigners ever do.

Link to story »

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Hans Zimmer Collaborates with Roma Musicians on New Film Score

fgalleto — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:52:57 +0000

When Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer set out to write the score for the new Sherlock Holmes film, he knew he wanted to collaborate with Roma musicians. With NDI’s assistance, Zimmer visited Roma towns and settlements, primarily in Eastern Slovakia. Roma, sometimes called Gypsies, are virtually unrepresented in government, and therefore enjoy very few of the benefits other Europeans take for granted.

Hans Zimmer visits with Roma musicians in Zehra, Slovakia.

When Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer set out to write the score for the new Sherlock Holmes film, he knew he wanted to collaborate with Roma musicians. "I went there to find musicians we can work with," Zimmer recently told the Huffington Post. "Not out of a sense of authenticity, partly because of inspiration, and partly because every time I heard a recording from these people, it just sounded different, it sounded like stuff I couldn't do in Hollywood or London."

With NDI’s assistance, Zimmer visited Roma towns and settlements, primarily in Eastern Slovakia. Roma, sometimes called Gypsies, are virtually unrepresented in government, and therefore enjoy very few of the benefits other Europeans take for granted. "If you're a Roma kid and you want to go to school, because your settlement is so far from your school, you have to take the bus, but because there is only unemployment, you can't afford to get the bus," Zimmer explained. "So it's this vicious circle where you can't afford to get an education because you can't afford the bus fare. The housing is beyond anything I've ever seen." Read more»

Related:

Published Dec. 15, 2011

Academy Award Winner Explores Living Conditions of Roma in Visit to Slovakia

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:47:39 +0000

As a boy in Germany, Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer heard about the “romantic music and fairy tales of Gypsy life.” But he wasn’t satisfied with the stories and wanted to learn more about the Roma people and their plight.

An opportunity came last year when Zimmer, a long-time human rights advocate, heard about the deportation of Roma migrants from France and wanted to help. His interest led him to NDI, which has been working for the past decade to empower Roma activists in Central and Eastern Europe.

Hans Zimmer visits with Roma musicians in Zehra, Slovakia.

After producing a YouTube video for NDI in honor of International Day of Roma on April 8, Zimmer felt it was of paramount importance to see, firsthand, the living conditions in Roma settlements and to visit with Roma children who attend segregated schools. He also wanted to explore the traditions and culture of Roma musicians as well as hear their music. So last month, with NDI’s assistance, he did exactly that.

Zimmer visited towns and settlements, primarily in Eastern Slovakia, accompanied by the director of his philanthropic Remote Control foundation, Bonnie Abaunza, and members of his sound and editing crew. His daughter Zoe, a professional photographer and supporter of human rights causes, joined the trip to take pictures for an international exhibit on Roma that will open in Los Angeles this fall.

The six-member delegation spoke with those working to help Roma gain political representation to address the urgent housing, health and educational needs of children. During the four-day visit, Zimmer and the team met with NDI partners and program graduates, including activists, community leaders, municipal councilors, members of parliament, ministry officials, journalists, educators and students.

The group visited ramshackle settlements built over abandoned mines that are now collapsing, as well as newly-constructed public housing that has improved the lives of numerous Roma families.

In the town of Rudnany, in eastern Slovakia they met one of three Roma who were elected to the city council last year – for the first time in the city’s history – and who are learning to govern effectively with assistance from NDI. They talked with Roma in the town of Zehra, where non-Roma residents, who are in the minority, want to formally secede from the municipality.

They also visited with young activists and Romani children at community centers in Spisske Podhradie and Roskovce. The latter is among four municipalities participating in a newly-launched NDI project focusing on multi-ethnic cooperation among youth. In each community, the group delivered toys and school supplies for the children.

Because of Zimmer’s interest in Romani music, they also listened to and recorded local musicians playing traditional Romani songs, hoping to incorporate their sound into a future film soundtrack.

"It was a privilege to meet the Roma people, who were welcoming and opened their homes to us.” Zimmer said. “I enjoyed spending time with such talented musicians and with NDI-trained activists who have committed themselves to advance the interests of their communities through the political process."

Among the highlights was an outdoor concert in Ostrovany by Romani musician and activist Vlado Sendrei. Almost two years ago, the government of Ostrovany funded construction of a wall to separate the Roma, who comprise two thirds of the local population, from the rest of the town.

Before leaving Slovakia, the delegation briefed U.S. Ambassador Theodore Sedgwick on their initial thoughts and findings. The Institute’s programming in Slovakia is funded through the U.S. Department of State and the National Endowment for Democracy.

Related:

Published August 17, 2011

Film Composer Hans Zimmer Has a Heart for the Roma | June 1, 2011

fgalleto — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:37:29 +0000

Take Part | Link to story »

"When Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer heard about the expulsion of the Roma in France and Italy last year, he did not stand idly by. Bonnie Abaunza, the executive in charge of Hans' philanthropy division said, 'He called me and said what are we going to do about this. This is terrible.'

"Bonnie and Hans came together with the National Democratic Institute—a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization that supports democratic institutions and practices—on a PSA titled 'Who Are the Roma?' Hans composed the music with the hopes of bringing greater awareness to the issue."

Link to story »

Roma as Active Citizens: Closing the Gap between Political Elites and Local Communities

fgalleto — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:38:26 +0000

Author:

Catherine Messina Paijic

Publisher:

Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament

Published Date:

05/09/2011

Resource Type:

Article

Language:

English

From the book Roma: A European Minority, the Challenge of Diversity, available for download at http://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu.

English

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NDI E-news: Democracies in Transition, African Elections | March 2011

fgalleto — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:25:16 +0000

March 2011

Emerging Democracies Learn from Transition Experiences of Other Countries

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Sergio Bitar, who helped found the Party for Democracy during Chile's democratic transition, recently returned from Cairo.

Democratic transitions take time and patience. Each country is different, seeking to adapt the principles common to all democracies to its unique character and circumstances.

But there are also lessons to be learned from the experiences of other nations that have made the shift from autocracy to democracy — a process that has just begun in Tunisia and Egypt, where citizens are deciding on new constitutions, leaders, political parties and other elements of their new societies.

In Tunisia, NDI recently brought experts from Bulgaria, Hungary and Portugal to meet with Tunisian political party leaders to share experiences from their countries' democratic transitions. Similarly, in Egypt, transition leaders and experts from Chile, Indonesia, Poland, Romania and Serbia are meeting with civil society and party leaders. They were able to discuss a range of issues including relations with the military, reconciliation processes, coalition building, and electoral and constitutional reform.

Krastyo Petkov, involved in the democratic transition in Bulgaria, with NDI Senior Program Officer Gabriella Borovsky in Tunis.

Against this backdrop, 50 experts from Europe and North America met in Brussels this month as part of an ongoing transatlantic dialogue on democracy support, co-chaired by by Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament; Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. secretary of state and chairman of NDI; Javier Solana, former EU high representative for the common foreign and security policy; and Vin Weber, former U.S. representative and board member of the National Endowment for Democracy. In a statement, the participants expressed their support for democratic reform movements and called on the transatlantic community to emphasize democracy assistance within the transatlantic relationship.

NDI also hosted a roundtable for rising democratic powers, including representatives from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa, on democracy support. These countries have valuable experience in democratic and economic development, but they are often not present in discussions on democracy support because they tend to be neither major donors nor recipients of development assistance.

As part of the two-day roundtable, Indonesia's ambassador to the U.S., Dino Patti Djalal, spoke about his country's transition to democracy and compared it to events unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa. "My advice to many of the countries undergoing democratic transitions is, don't let fear drive you," he said in a talk at NDI.

Youth Academy Empowers Tomorrow's Political Leaders in Rwanda

People under the age of 25 comprise two-thirds of Rwanda's population, but they are largely excluded from political life. NDI's recently expanded Youth Political Leadership Academy helps young leaders acquire practical political skills needed to have a say in their country's future. Read more»

Film Urges Nigerians to "Activate the Power of their Thumb"

As Nigeria prepares for presidential, legislative and gubernatorial elections, a new short film, "My Vote Fit Change Naija," urges Nigerians to vote as a peaceful means to achieve change in their country. Produced by Youngstar Foundation and NDI, the film links voting to potential improvements in jobs, roads, electricity and health care, and stars a number of famous actors from the Nigerian film industry. Read more»

Election Monitors Note Minor Problems as Niger Peacefully Elects New President

Peaceful elections in Niger this month received praise from nonpartisan citizen election observers, despite a number of administrative problems surrounding the voting. NDI's partner, the Nigerien Association for the Defense of Human Rights, trained 2,025 observers who were stationed in all of Niger's eight regions on election day. Read more»

West African Election Observers Promote Credible Elections

In West Africa, some elections have led to successful transfers of power, while others have been marked by widespread fraud. Citizen election observation groups from 11 countries have formed the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON) to help ensure accountability, increase honesty and accuracy, and improve the credibility of elections in the region. Read more»

NDI Reports: Spring 2011

The new issue of NDI's newsletter, NDI Reports, explores how the mapping of election data can identify trends or anomalies in election results, examines recent advances and setbacks in women's political participation, and reports on a new global network for citizen election monitors.

Read the newsletter or browse the archives»

First Parhamovich Fellow Bringing More Young Women into Politics

Two years after her visit to the U.S., Ferdos Majeed, the Institute's first Parhamovich fellow, helped to launch the Young Women's Leadership School in Iraq. Read more»

Tijuana Civic Groups Use Opinion Research to Strengthen Police Reform Proposal

A recent study conducted by NDI's partner, the Citizen Coalition for Public Security, shows that while residents of Tijuana believe security improvements have been made, the perception of municipal police is still largely negative. The coalition is using the data to work with local elected officials on making improvements in public security. Read more»

Policymakers Share Strategies to Help Roma Minorities

A summit meeting held recently in Romania brought together officials from eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe who are responsible for policies to assist Roma minorities. Though there are an estimated 10 million Roma in Europe, they remain largely excluded from the political system due to discrimination, segregation and poverty. Read more»

NDI Celebrates 100th Annual International Women's Day

Hon. Nora Shimming-Chase (right) speaks with a participant at NDI's International Women's Day event in South Africa.

The 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, an annual observance of the achievements of women around the world, was celebrated this year with a recognition of past triumphs and calls to action for promoting women's equality. NDI marked the occasion with events in Colombia, Kosovo, South Africa and Washington, D.C.

At any given time, nearly 75 percent of NDI country programs have a dedicated component addressing women's political participation, a recognition of the words of NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright that "the political participation of women results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and more sustainable peace."

Roma Still Face Challenges Across Europe

fgalleto — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:11:03 +0000

Source:

Huffington Post

Article Link:

Published Date:

04/08/2011

On International Day of the Roma, Catherine Messina Pajic, deputy director of Central and Eastern Europe programs, writes about the continuing discrimination and hardship Romani people face. In this piece in the Huffington Post, Pajic discusses ways that NDI helps the Roma take control of their own political futures.

"NDI is working with Roma at the grassroots level, helping them to make their voices heard. Throughout the region, NDI is expanding the pool of Romani civic and political leaders through workshops and leadership academies; encouraging greater political participation through the ballot box; strengthening the abilities of Romani elected officials to become more effective in their positions; and supporting community projects that help democracy deliver."

NDI Commemorates International Day of Roma with Film from Academy Award Winner Hans Zimmer

rrunyan — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:29:48 +0000

The 10 million Roma living in Europe make up the fastest growing ethnic group on the continent and face disproportionate challenges from poverty to violence. Today NDI celebrated the culture and achievements – and highlighted the plight – of these unique European people, commonly called “gypsies,” in honor of the 40th anniversary of International Roma Day.

The Institute hosted an event in Washington featuring Stanislav Daniel, a Romani activist from Slovakia and NDI trainee, who stressed the importance of using this day to send a message. “We cannot ignore that there are Roma living in Europe today whose daily lives are threatened by violence and harassment,” he said.

The discussion included representatives from the Open Society Institute and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, as well as other Roma activists and policy experts. In addition, NDI used the occasion to debut a short public awareness film, “Who Are the Roma?” with original music by Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer.

The Roma comprise a sizeable and growing percentage of the population in Central and Eastern Europe — up to 10 percent in some countries — but they are largely ostracized from mainstream society and excluded from political decision-making. Despite the political liberalization and economic development of the post-Communist era, Roma have not participated in their countries' democratic institutions to address the economic, social and human rights problems that afflict their communities.

Roma are routinely denied basic human rights and lack access to such vital state services as health care and education. As a result:

Roma have a mortality rate three times higher than the rest of the Central and Eastern European population;
26 percent of the Roma population in Central and Eastern Europe are completely illiterate; and
55 percent of Roma girls in Romania have their first pregnancy before the age of 18.

Slowly, however, young Roma activists are working to change the status quo. With help from groups like NDI, many Roma are now actively raising their voices politically to ensure the protection of their rights.

NDI has been working with Roma throughout central and Eastern Europe since 2003 to help them acquire the skills to compete for elected office and advocate for change at all levels of government. Last fall, a record 29 Roma mayors were elected in Slovakia and a Roma woman now represents Hungary in the European Parliament.

NDI’s work with Roma has been made possible primarily by the support of the National Endowment for Democracy and the Open Society Institute.

Related:

Right click here to download an MP3 version of the music played during the film
Read more about NDI’s work with the Roma»

Pictured Above:Stanislav Daniel (right), a Romani activist, speaks at the event while NDI’s Shari Bryan (left to right) and Catherine Messina Pajic listen.

Published April 8, 2011

Policymakers Share Strategies to Help Roma Minorities

fgalleto — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:50:16 +0000

When a Roma camp in the northern, Serbian part of Kosovo’s divided city of Mitrovica was found to have lead contamination, the government built new houses for those affected in the south of the city. The new housing has gone unoccupied, however, as Roma have balked at moving into a new community without talking with residents in advance about how they would integrate into the area's economy, education system and other aspects of community life.

This is the sort of well-intentioned but less than effective initiative that government agencies tasked with Roma relations are trying to learn from and avoid in the future. A recent summit in Bucharest, Romania, attempted to do just that, convening policymakers from eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe who are responsible for carrying out national strategies for inclusion of Roma minorities, also known as Gypsies. The officials’ job is to overcome deeply entrenched mistrust, segregation and poverty in Roma communities, despite their shoestring budgets with few staff, minimal political capital and little real authority within their governments.

Though there are an estimated 10 million Roma in Europe, they generally live outside mainstream society and are excluded from the political system through discrimination and segregation. Despite an emerging middle class, most Roma communities remain impoverished, plagued by crippling unemployment, high illiteracy rates, poor infrastructure, and lower-than-average life expectancy, conditions that stem from centuries of ethnic persecution, including slavery and genocide.

In a candid exchange at the NDI-sponsored summit, policymakers shared their frustrations and triumphs securing resources, finding accurate Roma demographics and building support for their initiatives, both within their governments and Roma communities. Participants consistently stressed the importance of listening to the communities’ needs to avoid well-intentioned but ineffective projects. The group agreed on eight ways to increase the agencies’ effectiveness, including improving data collection on Roma communities to get a better handle on the need for their programs, and promoting and protecting the political participation of Roma women.

Doru Romulus Costea, Romanian state secretary for foreign affairs, and Ilie Dinca, president of Romania’s National Agency for Roma opened the event, which also featured Istvan Gyarmati, representing Hungary’s newly-formed Lantos Institute. Jan Marinus Wiersma, former member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands and president of the European Roma Grassroots Organizations Network, emphasized European cooperation in his remarks. "It is essential that more information is exchanged about what works and what not," he said. "Good intentions are not enough and many projects have failed because of bad judgements caused by a lack of intimate knowledge about the Roma community."

The idea for the summit stemmed from a 2009 NDI report, Assessment of Barriers to Roma Political Participation in Romania, which found that the country’s National Agency for Roma was plagued by high leadership turnover, a lack of long-range planning, limited financial backing and little influence within the Romanian government. To give it more authority, NDI recommended, among other things, that it partner with civil society and local governments. The Institute concluded that similar actions would benefit Roma agencies throughout the region, which, in many cases, are struggling to improve their outreach to Roma communities.

The Institute will continue to work with leaders of Roma policy agencies as they seek to build collaborative relationships, share best practices, and engage regional institutions, such as the European Union and the Decade of Roma Inclusion, toward their common goals.

The conference was funded by the National Endowment for Democracy with support from the Open Society Institute.

Related:

Pictured above: Gabriela Hrabanova, director of the governmental council for Roma community affairs in the Czech Republic, speaks at the summit.

Published February 28, 2011

Regional Summit of Roma Policymakers

fgalleto — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:21:39 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/19/2011

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

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Questions arise over chances of new Roma political party in Slovakia | Jan. 9, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:35:22 +0000

Romea | Link to story »

"A new political party, the Roma Union Party in Slovakia (Strana Romské unie na Slovensku - SRUS), will enter the political scene next week. This information from party commissioner and Roma Union chair František Tanko raises the issue once again of the political viability of parties based solely on ethnicity.

"Tomáš Hrustič of the National Democratic Institute says Roma parties could play a significant role in local and regional politics. 'However, they must have functional, high-quality structures at local and regional level and a high-quality member base,' Hrustič told the SITA agency."

Link to story »

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Slovak Republic: New Roma Political Party Is Registered In Slovakia »

NDI E-news: In-Country Perspectives, Sudan, El Salvador

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:10:22 +0000

October 2009

NDI Offers an "In-Country Perspective"

More than 1,000 expatriates and local staff work for NDI in nearly 80 countries around the world. Their daily interactions with NDI's partners on the ground give them unique insights into the challenges of supporting and strengthening democratic institutions, sometimes under very difficult circumstances.

A special section on our website, "In-Country Perspectives" at www.ndi.org is devoted to highlighting their stories. Here are a few examples:

NDI senior program officer Michael Rifer's narrative about the impact of NDI's radio distribution and civic education program in the Sudanese village of Leer. Read more»

An interview with NDI's Macedonia Director Chris Henshaw about a code of conduct campaign that NDI supported during spring elections that helped Macedonia largely avoid violence and voting irregularities. Read more»

In Iraq, young activists from different ethnic, religious and regional backgrounds attended a "Youth for Change" camp, sharing ideas and collaborating on solutions to political challenges in their country. Read more»

John Manley, former Canadian deputy prime minister and a member of NDI's delegation to observe the Aug. 20 elections in Afghanistan, reflected on his experience in an op-ed in the Toronto Globe and Mail. Read more»

Perspectives from Mali, Ecuador and Afghanistan are coming soon.

NDI 2.0

We're on Facebook and Twitter! Become a fan of NDI on Facebook and follow @NDI on Twitter. Keep track of new stories, events, publications and political insights from NDI and its staff.

Educating New Voters in Sudan

In preparation for elections in southern Sudan next April, the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE), a network of over 70 Sudanese civic organizations, with NDI support has concluded a successful two-week voter education campaign, conducting 375 events in 37 counties in all 10 states of southern Sudan. The presidential, parliamentary and local elections will be the first nationwide vote since the start of Sudan’s civil war, which began in 1986 and ended in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

In Somalia, Website Helps to Create a Dialogue

The Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), the internationally recognized government of Somalia since 2004, launched its first official website with technical and strategic support from NDI. The government’s website is a major component of the TFG’s initiative to increase dialogue with Somali citizens. It includes an "Ask The Government" section that helps citizens connect with their elected leaders.

Democracy is...

The Democracy Video Challenge, a global project to celebrate democracy through film, has launched its second annual competition. NDI is a partner in the Challenge, which invites citizens from around the world to create video shorts that complete the phrase: "Democracy is..." in an effort to enhance the global dialogue on democracy.

Winners of the inaugural challenge came from Iran, Brazil, Poland, Zambia, Nepal and the Philippines. Watch the winning videos from 2009 or enter your own video to win in 2010.

In Afghan Runoff, NDI Urges Improved Security, Other Measures

With the announcement of a runoff presidential election in Afghanistan on Nov. 7, NDI recommended steps to address problems of the August balloting, such as so-called "ghost" voting. The Institute, which conducted an international observation mission for the Aug. 20 elections, has continued to monitor the process and will field a group of experts for the runoff.

Women Leaders Learn From Each Other in El Salvador

Current and former women leaders from across the political spectrum recently came together in San Salvador to discuss women's issues in the country, and to decide on an agenda to move those issues forward. The women set as their priorities promoting a national budget with a gender focus, advancing a law that guarantees equal opportunity for women and men, and a law against femicide, the killing of a woman based on gender, a crime that is not currently recognized and often goes unpunished.

NDI Releases Reports on Bosnia, Sudan and the Roma

NDI frequently publishes reports, handbooks, manuals and assessments about the state of democracy in many of the countries in which it works. Some recent publications:

NDI's assessment of the political situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina since the Dayton accords identifies challenges to democracy that the young nation continues to face. Read the assessment»
Imagining the Election is the culmination of interviews and focus groups from across Sudan, which analyzes the country's hopes and expectations for the April 2010 presidential and parliamentary elections. Read the report»
The Roma are the largest ethnic minority in central and eastern Europe. A new NDI report analyzes the political progress they've made in the region and the challenges they still face. Read the report»

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.

Roma Making Political Strides in Bulgaria and Slovakia

fgalleto — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:17:48 +0000

The largest ethnic minority in Central and Eastern Europe, Roma continue to face discrimination and marginalization due to poverty, social ills and, in many cases, physical isolation. They are significantly underrepresented in mainstream political parties, hold few elected offices and have been unable to use political channels to solve many economic and social problems that affect their communities. NDI has been working with local candidates and political parties throughout the region in an effort to help Roma secure more equal political representation at all levels of government.

In Bulgaria, political parties are reaching out to the country's Roma communities with the help of the Open Society Institute, the Alumni Club of Romani Parliamentary Interns and NDI.

After a multi-party conference last summer helped raise awareness of Roma issues, about 15 Roma candidates were included on party lists during parliamentary elections in July. One of the candidates, Milena Hristova, a 29-year-old Roma politician from the Evroroma party, won a seat in parliament, becoming the first Roma woman MP in the region.

The conference also prompted some of the parties to sign agreements for cooperation: the incumbent Bulgarian Socialist Party with the ROMA and Evroroma parties and the Blue Coalition with the Shtit party. Citizens for European Bulgaria (GERB), which won the elections, signed a memorandum with 12 Roma NGOs and adopted their recommendations for a new strategy to tackle Roma problems in a holistic manner. Recognizing the complexity of the Roma's problems, the parties are taking steps to reach out to Romani activists and community leaders to find the most comprehensive solutions.

NDI continues to work with Roma activists, providing follow-up monitoring with the political parties and advocacy on Roma issues after the elections. The activists' involvement in two events this fall — the drafting of the new government's four-year program and the drafting of the state budget for 2010 — is particularly important. The promises GERB made on Roma issues during the campaign are not reflected in the four-year plan, so it will be essential to secure funding to ensure the Roma's proposed programs are actually implemented.

In Slovakia, Roma candidates from across the country came together in August to learn from each other and from former Roma candidates as they prepare to run in Nov. 14 regional parliamentary elections. As part of NDI's Roma Regional Initiative, NDI staff held regional election team trainings in August in the districts of Spisska Nova Ves, Poltar and Bardejov. The programs focused on how to build campaign teams on cooperation and communication among the Roma candidates.

Alumni of previous NDI training programs Peter Pollak and Stefan Sarkozy led the training sessions along with Tomas Hrustic, a staff member in NDI's Slovakia office. Pollak, a prominent Roma candidate from Spisska Nova Ves, inspired the other participants with stories from his 2005 campaign in which he fell short of winning a seat in parliament by less than 200 votes.

The trainings corresponded with the outbreak of anti-Roma protests in eastern Slovakia, which participants said made them particularly relevant. Program participants said they thought it was important to demonstrate how Roma candidates can unite in order to represent Roma on the local as well as regional level.

Building on the momentum of the August trainings, the four Slovak Roma candidates and their teams continue to participate in trainings led by NDI, with support from the Roma Public Policy Institute (RPPI). In September, NDI held a seminar for the candidates and select members of their teams on the use of media and graphic design as marketing tools for the campaign. In October, NDI program officers traveled to four districts to work with the candidates and their campaign teams on direct communication with the voters. With their new campaign skills and strategies, the Roma candidates are hoping to win seats in the coming November elections.

Read "Assessment of Barriers to Roma Political Participation in Romania," NDI's report on Roma political participation»

Related: Read NDI's assessment of barriers to Roma political participation in Romania»

Pictured above: Albin Cina talks to his campaign team members and local leaders in Snakov, Slovakia

Published November 2, 2009

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