NDI - Russia

Citizen Monitors: Russian Election 'Was Not Free and Fair'

fgalleto — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:17:52 +0000

Russia's leading independent election monitoring organization, Golos, said the March 4 presidential election was not free or fair, relative to either international electoral standards or the Russian constitution.

In a preliminary report issued March 5, Golos took note of government responses to new popular demands for reform and clean elections, which included both political liberalization, such as easing registration of new parties and cameras in polling stations. Ultimately, however, Golos said the number of reported violations on March 4 was comparable to that during the December 2011 Duma elections. There were fewer attempts to bar observers from polling places, and cameras and transparent ballot boxes helped to cut some overt fraud. However, Golos observed a major increase in mass coercion of voters, particularly through abuse of absentee voting procedures. In total, Golos concluded that the elections were, like previous Russian elections, characterized by "an insufficient level of competition, government interference with the electoral process and some degree of coercion to vote."

Read Golos' full statement, including analysis of election day and the pre-election period, and results of more than 15,000 citizen reports to Golos' hotline and on-line "map" of electoral violations, here»

Related:

Published March 7, 2012

Preliminary Report of the Russian Presidential Elections

fgalleto — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:06:53 +0000

Author:

Golos

Publisher:

Golos

Published Date:

03/05/2012

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	144.35 KB

The Botched Ballot

ntekeei — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:10:40 +0000

Source:

Foreign Policy

Article Link:

Published Date:

12/16/2011

James Traub's column, which includes a quote from NDI President Ken Wollack, grapples with the concept that "elections don't make a democracy, but they can make a democratic citizenry."

"But yes, elections aren't democracy: An openly contested and fairly decided election is only a precondition to democracy. The political scientist Larry Diamond has distinguished between "electoral authoritarian" states, which stage meaningless ballots; "electoral democracies," which grant power to electoral winners but offer few rights and protections to citizens, and "liberal democracies" like the United States. Despite the current hubbub, Russia may remain in the first category for quite some while, while Egypt will probably pass from the first to the second."

NDI Calls on Russia to Stop Golos Harassment

fgalleto — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:03:33 +0000

NDI urges Russian authorities to put a stop to the harassment now facing Golos, an independent, nonpartisan citizen election monitoring group.

In the run up to Russia's parliamentary elections on Sunday, Dec. 4, Golos activists in the regions have been facing intense pressure from authorities, including threats of lost jobs and violence, to abandon their plans to observe the elections.

NDI urges Russian authorities to put a stop to the harassment now facing Golos, an independent, nonpartisan citizen election monitoring group.

A series of disturbing events in Moscow in recent days — including an administrative fine, the seizure of files, attacks on the Golos website, spurious media reports, and calls from State Duma deputies to close the organization — appear intended to further intimidate Golos' 3,000 activists. These incidents could have the effect of preventing Russian citizens from pursuing their lawful rights to monitor elections, while denying Russian voters valuable information about the elections.

"Citizen election monitoring should be viewed as a resource to governments, not as a threat," said NDI President Kenneth Wollack. "It lends credibility to legitimate procedures and outcomes. It is by now a widely-accepted practice globally."

Citizens who monitor and report on election procedures are exercising human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of association and right to seek, receive and impart information, as well as the right to participate in government and public affairs, that are guaranteed under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, to which Russia is a party. Further, as a participating state of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Russia has committed in the OSCE's Copenhagen Document to allow election observation, both domestic and international.

The Russian government should actively defend the right of Russian citizens, including those from Golos, to monitor on Sunday and at all future elections without further interference.

NDI has proudly partnered with Golos since its founding, along with groups from more than 60 countries in the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM). Golos is a member of GNDEM.

Published Dec. 3, 2011

NDI E-news: North Africa, Liberia, Ecuador | May 2011

fgalleto — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:27:35 +0000

May 2011

Across North Africa, Citizens Find Their Voice

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

On one wall of Tahrir Square in Benghazi, Libya, people leave pictures of those who died during the reign of Muammar Gaddafi, including during the uprising that began in February. Photo by Maroun Sfeir.

With the major changes taking place across North Africa, NDI is expanding its activities in Egypt and Tunisia, where citizen uprisings led to the overthrow of authoritarian rulers and events are unfolding quickly as citizens work to organize new democratic systems.

In Libya, where citizens are fighting for freedom, NDI sent a team to Benghazi earlier this month to assess what Libyans will need for a democratic transition. Les Campbell, NDI director of Middle East and North Africa programs, writes about his experiences in this first-person account. "There is such a hunger for information ... The isolation of this part of Libya was profound and what is going on now is a genuine awakening."

NDI has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Transitional National Council (TNC), outlining ways the Institute can support Libya's transition by working with both the TNC and civil society.

Young people protest against regional discrimination in Le Kef, a city in northwestern Tunisia.

In Tunisia, NDI is beginning a second round of focus group research to learn how political parties are viewed and what issues citizens are most concerned about. As Tunisia prepares for its first democratic elections in more than 20 years, set for July 24, the Institute will share the findings with political parties to help them draft platforms and campaign strategies that address the needs of Tunisians.

In April, NDI brought Polish Solidarity leader and former defense minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz and retired Indonesian general Agus Widjojo to Cairo for a series of consultations with Egyptian political leaders and civic activists on political transitions. Discussions focused on how opposition groups can prepare for elections on an accelerated timetable, overcome internal divisions and navigate a transition to democracy that is being directed by the military with limited public input. Most Egyptian political parties are focused on September's parliamentary elections. NDI has been helping them develop campaign strategies and skills, and work on new campaign techniques, such as door-to-door campaigning, that have traditionally been resisted by Egyptian activists. NDI has also been working with parties to organize candidate debates and with civic groups to discuss electoral reform.

Meanwhile, NDI and the government of Bulgaria signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at sharing that nation's experience in democratic transitions with countries in the Middle East and North Africa. "As a country that has spent the past two decades undergoing a massive and often difficult transformation from dictatorship to democracy, Bulgaria has much to share with those who are now struggling to instill those same changes in their societies," said Nikolay Mladenov, Bulgaria's foreign minister, at a signing ceremony at NDI. Already, Bulgarian political leaders have visited with new political parties in Tunisia to share lessons learned.

Arabic language publications

NDI offers a number of manuals and handbooks designed to help civil society organizations, political parties and governments through democratic transitions. The Institute's most recent manual,
Political Process Monitoring: Activist Tools and Techniques, helps citizen groups monitor electoral campaign conduct as well as scrutinize government performance. The Institute also offers 75 Arabic language publications on topics such as advocacy, women's participation, democratic governance and using technology for more effective communications.

'Small Small' Improvements to Liberian Bill Tracking Improve Transparency

Reporting from Monrovia, Liberia, Program Manager Brittany Danisch explains how small improvements to the legislature's bill tracking system have had a big impact. Listen to the audio or read the transcript»

Sudanese Civic Group Gives Mostly Positive Marks to South Kordofan Polling Process

Elections held in the Sudanese state of Southern Kordofan were generally well conducted despite a number of deficiencies, according to the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE), an NDI partner. SuGDE deployed 90 citizen observers for the gubernatorial and state legislative elections. Read more»

Serbia Debates Electoral Reform as Precursor to EU Membership

Serbia's election system — particularly the manner in which citizens vote for representatives in parliament — is seen as one factor keeping the country from membership in the European Union. NDI brought 80 members of academia, government and civil society together to create recommendations on amending the electoral law. Read more»

Former Congresswoman Emphasizes the Value of Oversight to Russian Duma

Constance Morella, former U.S. representative from Maryland, recently appeared before the Russian Duma to testify on behalf of a bill that would increase congressional oversight in Russia — an important legislative branch check on executive authority. Morella was invited to testify by Just Russia, a party NDI has been working with on issues of democratic governance. Read more»

Democracy is...Tolerance

"Voices from the Middle East: Democracy is Tolerance" is a new video using material submitted online through Democracy is..., a public-private partnership in which NDI is a partner. The program asks young people around the world to complete the phrase "Democracy is..." through videos, tweets and photos submitted online. The video combines entries from across the region with common themes of equality, diversity and tolerance.
Watch»

Join the conversation»

Parliamentarians, Business Leaders Work Together in Mauritania to Improve Economy

In Mauritania, parliamentarians joined forces openly with representatives of the business community for the first time in the country's history this month. The two groups agreed to submit an official report to the Mauritanian National Assembly detailing issues and recommendations, and to establish a commission promoting ongoing collaboration between government and the private sector. Read more»

Cleaner Hospitals is Subject for Legislator Training in Ecuador

The poor hospital hygiene that may have been responsible for a recent string of infant deaths in Ecuador became a case study for a legislative training program organized by NDI. The program simulated ways to seek and incorporate citizen input into legislation that would improve regulation of hospital conditions. Read more»

Macedonian Code of Conduct Asks 'What Mark Will We Leave?'

Macedonian political parties signed a code of conduct ahead of snap parliamentary elections, calling on parties to respect the electoral law and foster a tolerant campaign atmosphere free of violent or intimidating rhetoric, fraud, bribery and proxy voting. The code is the eighth NDI has sponsored, and adherence to the codes has increased over the last eight elections. Read more»

Electoral Fairs Bring Politics Out of the Box in Peru

In the weeks leading up to last month's Peruvian elections, NDI partnered with Transparencia, a leading civic group, to organize a series of candidate debates and electoral fairs that gave citizens from outside the capital the opportunity to interact personally with candidates. Read more»

Marching Ahead: A Profile Book of Women Constituent Assembly Members

The April 2008 elections in Nepal marked a historic and unprecedented step forward for that nation's women, who won one-third of the seats in the Constituent Assembly, the body tasked with drafting the new Nepali constitution. A new book, Marching Ahead: A Profile Book on Women Constituent Assembly Members, profiles 24 of these women, sharing their stories as inspirations and role models for the next generation of women leaders. Read more»

Former Congresswoman Emphasizes the Value of Oversight to Russian Duma

fgalleto — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:07:21 +0000

An unusual witness testified before the Russian Duma recently on a topic — legislative oversight — that is not frequently discussed in the Russian parliament.

She was Constance Morella, former U.S. representative from Maryland, who appeared before the Duma on behalf of a bill that would increase "parliamentary control," or what Americans call congressional oversight — an important legislative branch check on executive authority. In Russia, the president wields considerable power, and the legislative and judicial branches have historically been far weaker than the executive branch at all levels of government.

An unusual witness testified before the Russian Duma recently on a topic — legislative oversight — that is not frequently discussed in the Russian parliament.

Morella was invited to testify by Just Russia, the political party that drafted the bill. NDI has worked with Just Russia for the past two years on issues of democratic governance. Just Russia hoped the hearing, which also included testimony from members of the European parliament and Bulgarian parliaments would draw enough attention to the issue to get the majority party, United Russia, to agree to formally introduce the bill in the Duma. Although United Russia has opposed the bill, there are signs that the presidential administration may be open to its moving forward. Having high-profile witnesses was an important step toward raising awareness of the issue in the Duma and with United Russia.

Morella served in Congress for 16 years and later became U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She is now on the faculty at American University in Washington, DC, and is an active advocate for increasing women’s participation in politics.

Morella shared her experiences with the oversight process gleaned through her years on the House Committee on Government Reform, which has jurisdiction over federal procurement and can hold oversight hearings on virtually everything the government does.

"In the U.S. there is no single constitutional provision or law on legislative oversight," she told the Duma. "Rather, oversight by our Congress today occurs through such practices as the budget/appropriations process and congressional investigations."

She also drew on her experience as ambassador to the OECD, which, during her tenure, had encouraged Russia to join, provided it met the membership standards for oversight and legislative reform. Russia still is not a member.

During her trip, Morella also met with civil society organizations about their efforts to increase government transparency and oversight. She emphasized the need for these groups to communicate with the electorate so citizens can become better advocates for change. "The people don’t know what’s going on," she said upon her return. "They just see that there’s a lot of corruption. I think you have to have voices coming from the people." She recommended that civil society groups reach out to citizens through town meetings, social media and traditional media to educate them on issues so they can have more of an impact on legislation to increase transparency and curb corruption.

Related:

Pictured above: Morella testifies before the Duma seated next to Boris Guseletov, a Just Russia Party official.

Published May 3, 2011

Россия

fgalleto — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:10:05 +0000

С начала 1990-х годов НДИ поддерживает и способствует укреплению демократических институтов в Российской Федерации, содействуя участию граждан в процессе принятия решений и способствуя повышению роли общественных и политических организаций с помощью международного обмена опытом.

Российское Представительство Института находится в Москве и поддерживает партнерские отношения с общественными организациями Санкт-Петербурга, Краснодара, Ярославля, Челябинска, Сыктывкара, Москвы, Астрахани, Калининграда, Нижнего Новгорода и других городов. НДИ старается делиться своим международным опытом с непартийными общественными организациями по наблюдению за выборами, развивать конструктивный диалог по проблемам, представляющим взаимный интерес как для россиян, так и для их зарубежных коллег, способствовать развитию общественных организаций и политических партий через международные обменные программы, а также поддерживать российские инициативы по повышению участия граждан в общественной жизни на региональном уровне.

В регионах России деятельность НДИ направлена на предоставление экспертной поддержки общественным и государственным партнерским организациям, стремящимся к более эффективному взаимодействию с местными сообществами, к развитию своих организационных структур и налаживанию конструктивного диалога между гражданским обществом и властью. Деятельность Института ведется в виде консультаций, практических семинаров и тематических конференций. Представительство некоммерческой корпорации «Национальный демократический институт международных отношений» официально зарегистрировано в Российской Федерации. Представительство НДИ в России не является грантодающей организацией, его мероприятия направлены на оказание помощи организациям и гражданам, работающим над повышением эффективности своей работы в качестве общественников и представителей власти.

Публичные форумы

Представительство НДИ в России способствует проведению различных публичных мероприятий с участием представителей законодательной и исполнительной власти для обсуждения насущных вопросов, влияющих на качество жизни российских граждан. Кроме того, Представительство НДИ в России проводит круглые столы и семинары для некоммерческих организаций с целью обмена опытом по защите и продвижению общественных интересов и повышению гражданского участия в общественно-политической жизни. Такие мероприятия объединяют различных специалистов, людей с активной гражданской позицией, представителей органов власти и позволяют им обмениваться опытом, взглядами, успешными примерами и практиками по решению актуальных для российского общества вопросов.

С 2009 года Представительством НДИ в России был организован ряд семинаров в Ярославле, Санкт-Петербурге, Нижним Новгороде и Сыктывкаре на тематику, связанную с выстраиванием конструктивных взаимоотношений между представителями власти, организациями гражданского общества и населением. В этих мероприятиях приняли участие представители исполнительных и представительных органов власти муниципального и регионального уровня, гражданского общества, академических кругов и малого бизнеса. Более того, Представительством НДИ в России были также проведены последующие открытые обсуждения с участием организаций гражданского общества и городских властей по важным вопросам местного значения, требующим скорейшего разрешения.

Повышение активности молодежи

На местном уровне Представительство НДИ в России помогает молодым российским лидерам повышать свой потенциал для более эффективной деятельности в общественно-политических процессах, а также предоставляет им возможности для обмена опытом и идеями с их зарубежными коллегами.

С 2009 года Представительство НДИ в России реализует программу по обмену опытом с выездом в Бельгию, в ходе которой молодые российские общественные деятели получают возможность сравнивать и изучать различные формы активного участия европейской молодежи в различных общественно-политических процессах. В течение недели российские участники встречаются с представителями различных неправительственных организаций, политических партий и органов власти, работающими на общеевропейском, национальном и местном уровнях. Кроме того, в ходе данной программы молодые лидеры принимают участие в практических мероприятиях, помогающих им закрепить полученные навыки и определить способы применения этого опыта в своей деятельности в России. С помощью этой программы Представительство НДИ в России предоставляет возможность молодым россиянам применять лучший опыт общественно-политической деятельности других стран в ходе реализации собственных социально-ориентированных и образовательных проектов, над которыми они работают у себя на местах.

Представительство НДИ в России также способствовало созданию межрегиональной сети молодежных клубов дебатов, объединяющей такие города, как Псков, Петрозаводск, Великий Новгород, Санкт-Петербург и Архангельск. Дебаты, проводимые в этих городах, являют собой уникальную площадку, на которой в неформальной обстановке обсуждаются различные общественно-политические темы, вызывающие живой интерес среди молодежи. Следует отметить, что участие в дебатах, организованных в этих регионах, принимали представители самых разных политических и общественных организаций, идеологий и взглядов.

Обменные программы для государственных служащих

НДИ проводит обменные программы для депутатов представительных органов власти, политических и общественных лидеров России для обсуждения со своими коллегами в США различных вопросов, представляющих взаимный интерес. Подобные визиты помогают участникам с обеих сторон получить дополнительную информацию по вопросам их компетенции и повысить качество собственных подходов к решению ключевых проблем внутренней политики. В 2009 и 2010 годах НДИ в партнерстве с российским фондом «Институт демократии и сотрудничества» организовал ознакомительные визиты в США для российских представителей региональных органов власти и СМИ. В 2009 году также состоялась поездка в США представителей органов местного самоуправления Ленинградской области и г.Санкт-Петербурга для обмена опытом в области градостроительства, землепользования и регионального экономического развития со своими коллегами из штата Мериленд. НДИ также выступил организатором трехстороннего диалога в Вашингтоне между членами Европейского парламента, Государственной Думы РФ и депутатами Конгресса США по вопросам экономики, безопасности и государственного управления.

Наблюдение за выборами

Начиная с 2000 года, НДИ сотрудничает с Ассоциацией «ГОЛОС», российской независимой непартийной общественной организацией, работающей в более 40 российских регионах. НДИ проводит периодические консультации и тренинги для региональных активистов организации, где делится международным опытом в этой области. НДИ открыт для сотрудничества со всеми российскими общественными организациями, разделяющими принципы свободных и честных выборов, а также беспристрастного и объективного наблюдения за выборами на основе международно-признанных стандартов.

О НДИ

fgalleto — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:58:41 +0000

Национальный демократический институт международных отношений (НДИ)— некоммерческая, внепартийная, негосударственная организация, деятельность которой направлена на усиление гражданского участия, повышение уровня открытости и конкуренции политических систем, развитие эффективности и ответственности власти во всем мире.

С момента своего основания в 1983 году НДИ работает совместно с региональными партнерами, чтобы создавать и развивать демократические институты, укрепляя политические и общественные организации, осуществляя наблюдения за выборами, содействуя участию граждан в процессе принятия решений и способствуя повышению открытости и ответственности власти. С помощью сотрудников и политических деятелей из более 100 государств, участвующих в деятельности Института на добровольной основе, НДИ помогает гражданам и организациям из разных стран делиться своими идеями, знаниями и опытом в этих областях. НДИ предоставляет местным партнерам доступ к лучшим практикам в сфере международного демократического развития, которые они могут адаптировать к потребностям своих стран. Многонациональный подход, который исповедует НДИ, подкрепляет наше следующее убеждение: несмотря на то, что универсальной модели демократии не существует, все демократические государства следуют одним и тем же ключевым принципам.

Деятельность Института опирается на положения, закрепленные во Всеобщей декларации прав человека. НДИ также способствует развитию официальных каналов коммуникаций между гражданами, политическими институтами и представительными органами власти и расширяет их способности по улучшению качество жизни всех жителей их стран.

«Демократия никогда не является конечной целью. Это призыв к неустанной работе».
— Джон Ф. Кеннеди

Reid Nelson

fgalleto — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:48:20 +0000

Reid Nelson brings a wealth of political and legal experience to his work as NDI’s country director in Russia. A licensed attorney, Mr. Nelson cut his political teeth in Indiana politics working on numerous campaigns, his first as a young volunteer for Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential bid in 1968. Since then he has managed and consulted on local, statewide, congressional and senate races for both Democrats and Republicans, and worked internationally.

After graduation from law school, Mr. Nelson clerked for the Indiana Supreme Court and then entered private practice in Indianapolis, working primarily in litigation. During this time, he lent his political expertise to a number of candidates for local races, helping them craft winning campaign strategies and plans with strong grass roots components.

He opened one of the first public relations/public affairs offices in a former Soviet Union state in Ukraine as vice-president for the Washington-based Robinson Lake Sawyer Miller. He later joined the firm of KSRH and worked in Bogotá for the president of Colombia, shaping the communications strategy for the successful effort to remove decertification status for Colombia in the anti-drug war.

Mr. Nelson has also headed up a number of successful, broad-based grass roots, ballot access and ballot initiative efforts. In Texas, he put together a 100-county organization that garnered over 175,000 signatures to put an independent candidate on the ballot. In California, he helped manage a ballot initiative drive that collected over 2.5 million signatures in just over seven weeks. His international political work includes designing plans for political party building in Ghana and Nicaragua, and as senior political strategist for an independent campaign in Panama.

Mr. Nelson was graduated cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law and holds a B.A. with highest distinction in anthropology from Indiana University.

Albright Reaffirms Need to Work at Preserving 'Gift of Freedom'

fgalleto — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:38:42 +0000

The fragility of freedom and how to preserve it was one of the themes explored at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies (CoD), a global coalition of democratic countries, meeting July 2-4 in Krakow, Poland.

NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright, who as U.S. secretary of state was an initiator of the organization along with the late Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, returned to Poland for the gathering. In 2000 in Warsaw, ministerial delegations from 106 countries signed a declaration, "Toward the Community of Democracies," with the aim of demonstrating methods of support to countries striving for democracy and freedom.

The Krakow meeting was attended by 80 official delegations from around the world, including 40 at the ministerial level, as well as 200 civil society activists from Burma, Zimbabwe, China, Russia and Cuba, among other places. Also attending were parliamentarians from Europe, Africa and North America who are participants in the community's Parliamentary Forum, which was launched last March at the initiative of Lithuania, which currently holds the CoD chairmanship.

New Technologies Create Opportunities, Risks in Democracy Support

In the decade since the founding of the Community of Democracies, a major change has been the explosion of technology and the tools it has created, both for those supporting the free flow of ideas and other democratic values and for authoritarian states interested in the opposite, curtailing information and suppressing human rights. Speaking on a panel in Krakow, NDI's chief technology officer, Chris Spence, explored the role of technology in democratic development and the risks its use poses in closed societies.

"Our view is that technologies are clearly a net positive for democracy...because of the important role [they] can play in consolidating democracy in fragile and transitional democratic states," he said.

The Krakow meeting focused on challenges to democracy and, specifically, how to overcome obstacles in the path of building civil society in the contemporary world. The CoD is developing a global democracy work plan focusing on such areas as civil society protections; gender equality and women's rights; poverty, development and democracy; promoting democracy and responding to national and transnational threats; and regional cooperation.

Albright attributed the success of the first gathering in 2000 to Geremek, who died in 2008 and for whom a democracy award has now been named. "In his welcoming remarks," she said, "he declared that 'the emergence of democracy was the most important development of the 20th century.' But he also reminded us that the gift of freedom was never fully safe – because from one direction or another, the principles of freedom will always be opposed. He argued, therefore, that 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."

Albright presented the Geremek Award to Father José Conrado Rodriguez of Cuba, a minister in the impoverished city of Santiago de Cuba. Father José, she said, "reminds us that democracy – at its best – is more than just another system of government... Democracy is grounded in a belief that the legitimate power of governance comes not from the barrel of a gun, or from the means to arrest and to brutalize prisoners, or from the capacity to punish those who dare to voice their discontent. Power, to be legitimate, must come from the people."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who delivered a keynote address, noted "three essential elements of a free nation – representative government, a well-functioning market and civil society – that work like three legs of a stool." But "walls are closing in" on civic organizations in an increasing number of countries, she said, citing Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Russia, China and Egypt. "Over the last six years, 50 governments have issued new restrictions against NGOs, and the list of countries where civil society faces resistance is growing longer."

"An attack on civic activism and civil society is an attack on democracy," she said. "...it doesn't matter whether the goal is better laws or lower crime or cleaner air or social justice or consumer protection or entrepreneurship and innovation, societies move forward when the citizens that make up these groups are empowered to transform common interests into common actions that serve the common good."

The next ministerial level meeting will take place in 2011 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Related:

Pictured above: Lech Walesa and Madeleine Albright greet each other at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies. Photo courtesy of Pavol Demes.

Published on July 16, 2010

Russian Journalists Look at American Media in U.S. Study Tour

rrunyan — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:20:03 +0000

Journalists in Russia have their own set of challenges at home, but for a week in November a group of them focused on the many obstacles confronting the American media.

A study mission organized by NDI brought 14 print reporters and editors from Russian regional media to Washington, DC, and Chicago to meet with media experts, interact with practicing journalists and see some of the institutions that make up and support the U.S. media industry. While economic pressures play a role in any media market, the situation in the United States is more acute than in some other countries, including Russia, where many media organizations are effectively financed by the state.

One objective of the visit was to expose the Russian journalists to different financial models found in the U.S. media industry and the freedoms and limitations of each. The visitors met with journalists from traditional print model publications – The Washington Post and Chicago Tribune – and from those that use newer approaches – Politico and the Chicago Current, a news initiative launched by a Chicago journalist just a few weeks before the Russians arrived.

The group was also interested in the relationship between media and politics in the United States and heard different – and sometimes opposing – viewpoints on that relationship in meetings with congressional correspondents and press secretaries in Washington and Chicago.

Professors at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism spoke to the delegation about legal protections that exist for U.S. journalists and how some news organizations scrutinize their own coverage through the use of public editors or ombudsmen who look after readers’ interests.

One of the participants – a radio host from the rural province of Yaroslavl – said she learned a great deal and would return to Russia without a lot of stereotypes she had previously held about media in America.

The 14 participants were chosen by NDI and the Institute for Democracy and Cooperation (IDC), a Russian NGO based in New York. NDI shared the costs of the trip with the IDC through funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Pictured above:The members of the Russian journalist delegation discuss politics and journalism with Steve Roberts, a professor, columnist, TV and radio analyst and best-selling author.

Published January 15, 2010

Young Russian Leaders Visit Brussels | July 15, 2009

rrunyan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:05:10 +0000

EU-Russia Centre | Link to story »

Twelve young Russian leaders visited Brussles from June 29 to July 3 as part of a study visit organized by the EU-Russia Centre and NDI’s Moscow office. The pariticipants, ranging from 21 to 27 years old, came from the Pskov and Karelia regions of Russia and represented a variety of organizations including political parties, youth groups and a number of NGOs.

The study visit focused on introducing Russians to their European counterparts and demonstrating how European youth participates in civil society, political life and government. The program introduced the Russians to the different ways in which young people can and do engage in public life to make their communities better and gave them new ideas for activities in their regions in Russia. The Russian participants, in their turn, brought insight of their work in Russia to their European counterparts.

Link to story »

NDI Expert Explores “Semi-Presidentialism” in Central and Eastern Europe

ggreene — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27:42 +0000

As co-editor of the recently published book Semi-Presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe, Sophia Moestrup, NDI senior program manager for Central and West Africa, examines the effects of “semi-presidentialism,” on democratization in the region since 1990. “Semi-presidentialism” – a regime situation where there is a directly elected president as well as a prime minister responsible to the legislature – exists in more than half of all Central and Eastern European countries.

With a collection of essays on Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine, Moestrup and co-editor Robert Elgie of Dublin City University explore whether some forms of semi-presidentialism are more conducive to democratization than others. They conclude that this form of governance has not had a positive impact on democratization in Central and Eastern Europe, due largely to friction between presidents and prime ministers as well as the democratic requirements for European Union membership that dictate any and all democratic reforms in the region.

Learn more: Read about Semi-Presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe at the publisher's web site| Visit site »

NDI Supports OSCE/ODIHR Decision to Decline Invitation to Observe Russian Duma Elections Because of Restrictions

jbowen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:42:48 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/20/2007

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

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Russia

ywrausmann — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:38:18 +0000

РУС

NDI has been working to support and strengthen democratic institutions in the Russian Federation since the early 1990s by stimulating greater citizen participation in decision-making processes and strengthening civic organizations and political parties through international exchanges of experience.

Through its Moscow based office, NDI Russia has partnered with civic organizations in St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Yaroslavl, Chelyabinsk, Syktyvkar, Moscow, Astrakhan, Kaliningrad and Nizhniy Novgorod, among other regions. The Institute seeks to share its internationally recognized expertise with non-partisan election observation groups, promote constructive dialogue on issues of mutual interest to Russians and their international counterparts, strengthen civic organizations and political parties through international exchange programs and support of Russian initiatives for citizen engagement in politics at the regional level.

NDI’s regional work aims to assist political, civic and government partners interested in community outreach, organizational capacity development, and constructive dialogue between civil society and government to achieve community well-being. The Institute works through consultations, workshops and issues conferences. NDI Russia is an officially registered representative office of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. It is not a grant-making organization and its activities are directed toward facilitating organizations and individuals in their efforts to improve their effectiveness as civic actors and government officials.

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Public Forums

NDI Russia facilitates discussions on important issues affecting citizens’ daily lives, via forums with elected officials and policymakers, roundtables for NGOs sharing common concerns, and advocacy and citizen participation workshops. The events bring together a diverse group of experts, activists and officials to share experiences, perspectives and best practices on issues of interest to Russian audiences.

Since 2009, NDI has held a series of workshops in Yaroslavl, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Syktyvkar for representatives of regional and local governments, NGOs, universities and small businesses on methods of building positive and constructive relations between local government, citizens and civil society. As a follow up to these workshops, NDI has held open forums for civil society participants to discuss important issues with their colleagues and local government aimed at resolving community problems.

Promoting Youth Engagement

NDI Russia helps young Russian community leaders develop greater capacity to effectively engage in civic and political processes and provides opportunities for them to compare experiences and share ideas with their international peers.

Since 2009 NDI has organized study programs to Brussels, which allow Russian youth to compare Russian and European political processes and explore how European youth participate in public life. During the one-week study programs, participants meet with representatives of nongovernmental organizations, political parties and government agencies at the European, national and local levels, and take part in practical workshops designed to help them apply European experience to their work in Russia. The Institute assists participants in applying lessons learned in local civic activism to help them organize social and educational projects to benefit their home communities in Russia.

Also, NDI has supported a network of youth debate clubs in Pskov, Karelia, Veliky Novgorod, St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk. The debates offer unique venues for public discussion of youth-related issues in an informal setting. Debate leaders and participants represent a diverse cross section of youth society in each region, including a broad spectrum of political and civic groups.

Legislative Exchanges

NDI conducts an exchange program for Russian legislators and political and civic leaders to discuss policy issues with their counterparts in the U.S. The aim of the visits is to help policymakers on both sides broaden their perspectives and better design their own approaches to key domestic policy issues. In 2009 and 2010, NDI arranged a study mission to the U.S. for Russian regional government officials and media professionals in partnership with the Russian NGO Institute for Democracy and Development, and also organized a trip for local government officials from Leningrad Oblast and St. Petersburg to share experiences in urban planning and regional economic development with their counterparts in Maryland. NDI also organized a trilateral dialogue in Washington, D.C., between members of the European Parliament, State Duma deputies, and members of Congress on issues related to economics, security and governance.

Election Observation

Since 2000, NDI has worked with GOLOS, an independent, nonpartisan, Russian election observation network covering over 40 regions. NDI provides ongoing consultation and training for the organization’s regional partners, sharing its international election observation expertise. NDI is open to cooperating with all domestic groups that believe in free and fair elections, impartial and objective election observation and internationally accepted election observation standards.

Contact Information

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

Washington, D.C.
Laura Jewett, Regional Director

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Albright Reaffirms Need to Work at Preserving 'Gift of Freedom'

New Technologies Create Opportunities, Risks in Democracy Support

Russian Journalists Look at American Media in U.S. Study Tour

Young Russian Leaders Visit Brussels | July 15, 2009

NDI Expert Explores “Semi-Presidentialism” in Central and Eastern Europe

NDI Supports OSCE/ODIHR Decision to Decline Invitation to Observe Russian Duma Elections Because of Restrictions

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