NDI - Saudi Arabia

Persian Gulf Elections Offer Glimmer of Democracy | Sept. 23, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:38:04 +0000

Some analysts see hope that the elections, while restrictive, are at least a needed first boost. Staci Haag, Gulf regional director for the National Democratic Institute, says the Saudi vote, like other regional polls, is an important stepping-stone to greater democracy.

“The elections are going to be for positions that don’t necessarily hold a lot of power, but once they have the base of public support, a lot of councilors have tended to use that to try and advocate for more power and more say, which moves the ball forward a little bit every time,” said Haag.

Link to story »

Just a small step: Women’s right to vote in Saudi Arabia

ntekeei — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Source:

The Washington Post

Article Link:

Published Date:

09/26/2011

The Washington Post editorial board writes that it is "pleasantly surprised" by Saudi Arabia's decision to expand political rights for women. In 2015, Saudi Arabia's current laws will change to allow women the right to vote and run in municipal council elections.

It's a small step, the board writes, but Saudi women's rights activists are pleased. The editorial board indicates that there is a danger this new initiative is meant to defuse pressure for more extensive reforms. The board also indicates that, while the Obama administration has publicly praised King Abdullah's announcement, it should be telling him to do more.

Saudi Arabia and Its Women

ntekeei — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Source:

The New York Times

Article Link:

Published Date:

09/26/2011

An editorial appearing in The New York Times calls King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia's decision to expand political rights for women "a first step toward moving his country into the modern world but not nearly enough."

The editorial goes on to discuss Saudi Arabia's king and laws, saying, "What possible future can Saudi Arabia have when half the population is not allowed to participate fully in the economy or civic life?"

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

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

February 2011

Now the Hard Work Begins...

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Egyptians celebrate in Tahrir Square. Photo by RamyRaoof.

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

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

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

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

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

African Election Roundup: Nigeria, Sudan, Niger

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NDI President Urges International Support for Belarusian People

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

Colombian Municipal Councilors Hone Good Governance Skills

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

NDI Adds 2010 Afghanistan Elections Data to Mapping Website

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

New NDI Publications

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

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

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

Women’s Leadership Academy Program

jbowen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:56:01 +0000

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Comparative Discussions on Political Modernization in Saudi Arabia

jbowen — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:50:08 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/28/2006

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	151.81 KB

Saudi Arabia

ggreene — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:00:54 +0000

Since 2003, NDI has provided assistance to Saudi municipal councilors, women and journalists. NDI has facilitated local government cooperation and communication among municipal and provincial councils. Institute programs have also helped councilors gain the skills to navigate through the local government system, develop and monitor budgets, communicate with citizens through the media, and organize public forums to help people better understand local priorities. The Institute’s programs are designed to improve the efficiency of local governance, open channels of communication among councilors, and increase collaboration among municipal and provincial councils.

NDI is also assisting a core group of Saudi women journalists, business leaders and other professionals in developing a network for sharing skills and insights on leadership, strategic planning, advocacy, communications and other areas that can facilitate progress in their current professions. This process simultaneously helps to prepare these women for future, expanded political roles, such as supporting other women candidates and leading voter education efforts.

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Political Context

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a country with roughly one-third the land area of the United States, an estimated 27 million inhabitants, and the world’s largest proven oil reserves, remains one of the most closed political systems in the world. Authority and power are in the hands of the male descendants of King Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud, who founded the contemporary kingdom in 1932. However, the late King Fahd issued decrees restructuring the Saudi government system in March 1992. The measures included the establishment of an administrative system that divided the country into 13 separate provinces. In October 2003, the government announced that citizens would directly elect members of municipal councils. The Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs (MOMRA), which oversees all areas of municipal services and is responsible for the administration of municipalities throughout the Kingdom, has jurisdiction over the municipal councils.

In 2005, Saudis went to the polls for the Kingdom’s first elections in more than 40 years to elect half of the members of its 178 local municipal councils; the other half were appointed by the government following those elections. The election was marked by a vibrant campaign period, with candidates erecting huge tents on empty plots where the public and the press asked about their platforms. Political reform, corruption, unemployment, environmental protection and better public services were the main issues candidates addressed. Though women and members of the military were unable to vote or run as candidates, the elections represented an historic opportunity for Saudi citizens to play a greater role in the governing of the country. However, the councils have been impeded by limited and unclear powers that have led to the inefficient provision of services. As a result, initial enthusiasm towards the municipal council is waning and Saudis are expressing frustration at the lack of tangible improvement elected council have brought to their daily lives.

In recent years, women’s rights have progressed slowly in the Kingdom, as the government moves to increase the number of working women due to the pressing economic need to replace expatriates with Saudis. For example, the government allowed women to own businesses and engage in commercial activities independent of male guardianship and began to implement gender equality in the workplace. King Abdullah also appointed a woman as deputy education minister for women’s affairs – the most senior position ever held by a woman in the Saudi government – and appointed 10 women to the board of directors of the only officially-sanctioned National Human Rights Association. Women were not permitted to vote in the 2005 or 2011 municipal elections, but the government has said women will be able to vote in the next elections, anticipated in 2015. The minister of trade and industry has permitted women to vote and run for office on the Chambers of Commerce and Industry boards, and women have been elected to the boards of leading banks and corporations, as well as professional associations and women’s charitable societies. Although 12 women have joined the Shura Council – an advisory board to the King – no women have been appointed to municipal councils or the Shura Council as full voting members. However, the government has also indicated that women will be appointed as full voting members to the Shura Council in 2015.

NDI Programming

Strengthening Municipal Councils

NDI conducts programs designed to foster local government cooperation by encouraging communication among municipal and provincial councils. Activities impart councilors with the skills to navigate through the local government system, develop and monitor budgets, communicate with the citizens through the media and organize public forums to better understand local priorities. The program is designed to improve the efficiency of local governance, open channels of communication among the councilors and increase collaboration among municipal and emirate councils.

Women’s Leadership

In addition, NDI is assisting a core group of Saudi women journalists, business leaders and other professionals to develop a network for gaining skills and insight into leadership, strategic planning, advocacy, communications and other areas that are applicable for progressing in their current professions. At the same time, the process is preparing them for future, expanded political roles, such as supporting other women candidates and leading voter education efforts.

Regional Programs

NDI engages Saudi government officials, elected municipal councilors, women candidates and individuals in regional activities. Saudi leaders have participated in the Congress of Democrats, International Leaders Forum and a regional initiative to foster greater collaboration of Gulf municipalities.

Featured Stories

News article #1 from 1/07 Journalist Study Mission
News article #2 from 1/07 Journalist Study Mission
News article #3 from 1/07 Journalist Study Mission

Contact Information

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

Washington, D.C.
Leigh Catherine Miles, Senior Program Manager
(202) 728-6304

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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
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Comparative Discussions on Political Modernization in Saudi Arabia Conference Report

vrao — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

07/13/2005

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	161.68 KB

NDI - Saudi Arabia

Persian Gulf Elections Offer Glimmer of Democracy | Sept. 23, 2011

Just a small step: Women’s right to vote in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and Its Women

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

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

Women’s Leadership Academy Program

Comparative Discussions on Political Modernization in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

Read More

Political Context

NDI Programming

Strengthening Municipal Councils

Women’s Leadership

Regional Programs

Featured Stories

Contact Information

NDI 2005 Annual Report

Comparative Discussions on Political Modernization in Saudi Arabia Conference Report