NDI - South Africa

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Women's League of Burma to Be Honored at NDI Democracy Luncheon Dec. 15

fgalleto — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:19:04 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/19/2008

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

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Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Women's League of Burma to be Honored at NDI Luncheon Dec. 15

fgalleto — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:14:20 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/12/2008

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

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Read the release	136.69 KB

NDI Honors Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Women's League of Burma; Focus on Struggle for Democracy in Burma

fgalleto — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:09:18 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/16/2008

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	141.78 KB

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."

Call for a Women's Political Party at International Women's Day Gala Dinner (South Africa)

rrunyan — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:09:29 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute and Commission for Gender Equality

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute and Commission for Gender Equality

Published Date:

03/08/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	38.79 KB

NDI Hosts Democracy Support Roundtable with Emerging Powers

rrunyan — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:09:33 +0000

A group of politicians, civil society leaders and academics from the transatlantic community and emerging powers – including Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa – convened recently in Washington to discuss the potential for greater cooperation on democracy support.

The Washington roundtable gave participants the opportunity to share perspectives and experiences on how emerging powers support democratic development beyond their borders. It also explored the challenges to greater engagement by emerging powers in democracy support and ways that the traditional donor community could better support these efforts.

The number of people living collectively in the democracies of Brazil, India and Indonesia is double the number living in the United States and European Union combined. However, even though many emerging powers have the most relevant democratic and economic development models, they are often not present in policy discussions on democracy support because they tend to be neither major donors nor recipients of development assistance. The roundtable was intended to examine opportunities for deepening partnerships between the transatlantic community and emerging democratic powers on democracy support.

Indonesia’s Transition Provides Key Lessons for Democracy Supporters

Against a backdrop of unfolding events in Egypt, Indonesia’s ambassador to the U.S., Dino Patti Djalal, recalled his country’s transition to democracy and the skepticism it engendered along the way. Djalal, who has worked in the Indonesian government for more than 20 years, remembered those who doubted whether his country had a democratic future as it began the transition in 2001.

People would say, “It’s never going to work. Democracy is not right for Indonesia,” he told an audience at NDI. “When you hear that enough, you tend to be affected by it,” he said. “You fear the uncertainty.”

The Washington roundtable, hosted by NDI, gave participants the opportunity to share perspectives and experiences on how emerging powers support democratic development beyond their borders. It also explored the challenges to greater engagement by emerging powers in democracy support and ways that the traditional donor community could better support these efforts. The discussion also explored mechanisms, including multilateral and nongovernmental channels, for deepening cooperation between the transatlantic community and emerging democratic powers on democracy support.

The roundtable, held Feb. 6 to 8, was made possible through the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with additional support from the Mexican and Indonesian embassies. The discussions will inform a working paper that will provide recommendations to a transatlantic dialogue on democracy support. The two-year dialogue first met in Washington last June. The second conference will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels, March 13-15.

The dialogue is co-chaired by Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. secretary of state; Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament; Javier Solana, former EU high representative for the common foreign security policy; and former U.S. Representative Vin Weber. NDI is hosting the dialogue with support from the European Commission, the National Endowment for Democracy, the German Marshall Fund, the European Partnership for Democracy and the Office for the Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy of the European Parliament.

Pictured Above: NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright speaks at the opening of the roundtable.

Published February 28, 2011

NDI Partners with Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to Strengthen Parliaments

fgalleto — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:42:06 +0000

NDI and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) have signed an agreement to collaborate on efforts to enhance representative government around the world. The association is a group of national and subnational legislatures of the Commonwealth, representing some two billion citizens from all faiths and ethnicities from six continents.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in Nairobi Sept. 8 by the secretary-general of the CPA, William F. Shija, and the president of NDI, Kenneth Wollack.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in Nairobi Sept. 8 by the secretary-general of the CPA, William F. Shija, and the president of NDI, Kenneth Wollack. Shija attended the signing ceremony in advance of the 56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference hosted by the Kenyan Parliament. Wollack was in Nairobi attending NDI's first board meeting held outside the United States. NDI Board member Tom Daschle, former U.S. Senate majority leader, also participated in the ceremony.

NDI and CPA will continue to work together to develop and promote the use of the CPA's "Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures," a guide to good parliamentary practice developed in 2006 by a CPA Study Group that drew on a number of technical inputs, including an NDI discussion document. The CPA benchmarks are being used around the world to help parliaments self-assess their procedures and processes to identify areas where democratic governance can be improved.

Wollack and Daschle noted NDI's past successful cooperation with the CPA and looked forward to additional partnership at the global level and in Commonwealth parliaments where NDI has a parliamentary strengthening program. For his part, Shija welcomed the formal partnership as a vehicle for the 175 national and subnational legislatures of the Commonwealth to work with NDI to strengthen developing parliaments.

NDI and the CPA also collaborate with other international organizations on parliamentary strengthening, including the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank Institute.

Related:

Pictured above: Kenneth Wollack (left) and William F. Shija at the signing ceremony in Nairobi

Published September 21, 2010

Congress Looks to Women as Agents of Change

fgalleto — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:57:09 +0000

In places as diverse as Timor-Leste, Croatia, Morocco, Rwanda and South Africa, increasing numbers of women are being elected to political office. In each case, more women has meant more legislation related to anti-discrimination, domestic violence, family codes, inheritance, and child support and protection.

"Women's political participation results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and more sustainable peace," said NDI President Kenneth Wollack in testimony at a June 9 House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on "Women as Agents of Change: Advancing the Role of Women in Politics and Civil Society."

Wollack and other panelists discussed the concrete ways in which women help democracy deliver benefits to all citizens. Panelists also stressed the role that the United States must play in promoting gender equality and empowering women politically and economically to help establish stronger, more inclusive democracies around the world.

In the last 10 years, the rate of women's representation in national parliaments globally has grown from 13.1 percent at the end of 1999 to 18.6 percent at the end of 2009. Some regions have seen particularly dramatic increases, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, where the number of women in parliaments has risen from 10.9 to 17.6 percent. While these numbers show progress, women continue to be vastly underrepresented in politics, excluded from decision-making processes and routinely subjected to discrimination and violence.

In spite of enormous social and economic barriers and often in the face of violent opposition, women around the world are demanding their rights to education, security, and healthcare, and claiming a louder voice in decisions that affect their lives and communities. Panelists highlighted the vital role that women can play as leaders in politics and their communities, and stressed the need for increased support for women's political leadership both in the U.S. and abroad.

As Wollack noted, "it is not an accident that the countries in which health, education and economic development are not part of the national agenda are places where women are denied a genuine political voice. Empowering women politically will help countries develop democratic institutions so they can begin to successfully address issues related to security, jobs, human rights, physical well-being and human development." Throughout his testimony, he illustrated how NDI has been working with political and civic leaders for more than two decades to support their efforts to increase the number and effectiveness of women in political life.

Wollack also called attention to the various barriers that limit women's political and civic engagement, namely access to positions of power and to economic resources, lack of government transparency, and pervasive and discriminatory gender stereotypes. He focused on the eight ways to build women's political participation: conducting ongoing communications trainings; building leadership skills; uniting women across political party lines, often in the form of women's caucuses; reforming political parties internally so that women's participation is a real priority; teaching women to train other women so that knowledge and skills are not lost; training elected women so that they are ready to deliver services back to constituents, increasing their chances of re-election; exchanging information internationally; and engaging youth to help change attitudes and behavior towards women.

Other witnesses were: Melanne Verveer, ambassador-at-large for Global Women's Issues; Dr. Esther Brimmer, assistant secretary for International Organization Affairs; Swanee Hunt, chair of the Institute for Inclusive Security and former U.S. ambassador to Austria; and Judy van Rest, executive vice president of the International Republican Institute (IRI). The House Committee members and panelists discussed a range of topics, including women and governance; women and security; women's role in Haiti's reconstruction process; U.S. policies in Afghanistan; violence against women; the importance of ratifying The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); and the creation of a new United Nations gender entity that would coordinate efforts to support women globally.

Read Wollack's testimony»

Related:

Pictured above:Wollack testifies at the Subcommittee hearing

Published on June 14, 2010

Women as Agents of Change: Advancing the Role of Women in Politics and Civil Society

fgalleto — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:19:53 +0000

Author:

Ken Wollack

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/09/2010

Resource Type:

Testimony

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

2010

English

Attachment	Size
Kenneth Wollack's Testimony	42.9 KB

NDI E-news: Inaugural Issue | Dec. 2008

fgalleto — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:12:59 +0000

December 2008

New NDI Website and e-Newsletter

NDI is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, www.NDI.org. With many new interactive features and links, the site provides information about NDI programs in nearly 80 countries. It also describes the issue areas in which we work – civic participation, elections, governance, political parties, women’s issues, and democracy and technology – and has news and feature stories about our programs.

Special sections provide commentary on democracy assistance, information on NDI’s partners around the world, a library of documents that underpin democracy programs, and a searchable database of NDI reports, manuals, training materials and other publications going back more than two decades.

With the new website we are also inaugurating this new e-newsletter with timely information about NDI events and programs. Click here to sign up.

Visit the site »

Democracy Awards Luncheon

The struggle for democracy in Burma will be a focus of NDI’s 2008 Democracy Awards Luncheon as the Institute honors two champions of that cause on Dec. 15 in Washington, DC.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu will receive the W. Averell Harriman Award for his global efforts on behalf of democracy in other troubled nations since the democratic transition in South Africa. A Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Archbishop has been a relentless advocate for democracy in Burma and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Laureate and the leader of Burma’s non-violent democracy struggle.

In addition, the Women’s League of Burma, an umbrella organization of 12 groups representing different ethnic backgrounds, will be honored with the Madeleine K. Albright Grant for its work promoting women’s participation in civic and political life. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, the league will use its $25,000 award to train Burmese women in exile who will return to Burma and train other women to address concerns such as health, human trafficking and local leadership. Reserve a seat or table »

Making Democracy Deliver on Issues that Affect Citizens

Democracy’s credibility depends, to an important degree, on how its institutions work in practice and on what it delivers. Democracies must be able to tackle issues that reflect the popular will and address questions that affect citizens’ daily lives, such as security, jobs, human rights, health, education, social services and infrastructure.

The challenges facing the poor are often rooted in closed political systems where citizens are denied their political voice, where government institutions have no obligation to answer to the people, and where special interests exploit resources without fear of oversight or the need to account to the public.

Deepening democracy so that it can deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives is an overarching NDI objective.

In its December newsletter, the Institute explores this topic in more detail and provides examples from its work in Afghanistan with provincial legislatures, Indonesia helping citizens track government spending, Mozambique addressing AIDS and HIV, and Macedonia helping the parliament respond to citizen concerns. Read the newsletter »

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.

2008 Democracy Luncheon: Archbishop Tutu w/ Madeleine K. Albright

ggreene — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:46:43 +0000

Legislative Oversight and Budgeting: A World Perspective

ggreene — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:45:30 +0000

Author:

John Johnson, Robert Nakamura, Rick Stapenhurst

Publisher:

World Bank Publications

Published Date:

09/12/2008

Resource Type:

Case Studies

Language:

English

Using case studies from numerous countries including the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, Poland and South Africa, Legislative Oversight and Budgeting brings together scholars and practitioners to explore oversight from a variety of perspectives and legislative settings.

Note: The links below connect to the first and second sections of the document, broken into chapters listed consecutively for easier downloading.

English

Attachment	Size
Part 1	71.4 KB
Part 2	149.78 KB

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Addresses (Video) the 2008 Democracy Awards Focusing on Struggle for Democracy in Burma

ggreene — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:18:52 +0000

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Women’s League of Burma were honored by NDI on Dec. 15. Archbishop Tutu received the 18th W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award for his work since the democratic transition in South Africa, which includes his advocacy for democracy in many troubled nations, including Burma. The Women’s League received the 4th annual Madeleine K. Albright Grant, named for NDI’s chairman, for its work promoting human rights and more participation by women in Burma’s democracy movement.

Watch:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the 2008 NDI Democracy Luncheon:

No Women, No Peace, a short film about the Women’s League of Burma:

Read:
Press release on the luncheon (Dec. 15, 2008) »
Remarks of Madeleine K. Albright, NDI Chairman »
Remarks of Kenneth Wollack, NDI President »
Prepared Remarks of Christiane Amanpour, master of ceremonies at the 2008 NDI Democracy Luncheon »
Remarks of Thin Thin Aung of the Women’s League of Burma, recipients of the 2008 Madeleine K. Albright Grant »

Pictured above: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking at the 2008 NDI Democracy Luncheon.

Pictured at left: Thin Thin Aung (left) of the Women's League of Burma, the recipients of the 2008 Madeleine K. Albright Award, with NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright at the 2008 NDI Democracy Luncheon.

–

Published on Dec. 15, 2008

2008 Democracy Luncheon: Tutu on stage

ggreene — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:14:30 +0000

The 2008 NDI Democracy Luncheon

jbowen — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:45:04 +0000

Start: 12/15/2008 12:00

End: 12/15/2008 14:00

Timezone: Etc/GMT

MKA

Harriman

Start: 12/15/2008 12:00

End: 12/15/2008 14:00

Timezone: Etc/GMT

Location:

The Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and the Women’s League of Burma were honored in December 2008 at NDI’s Democracy Luncheon, an event held annually to celebrate champions of democracy from around the world.

Archbishop Tutu was in attendance to receive the W. Averell Harriman Award. A representative of the Women’s League of Burma received the Madeleine K. Albright Grant, named for the chairman of NDI and former secretary of state. Secretary Albright and NDI President Kenneth Wollack presented the awards.

The Harriman award honors an individual or organization that has exhibited a sustained commitment to democracy and human rights. Past recipients have demonstrated leadership, integrity and courage in their dedication to democratic values and practices.

As part of its commitment to promoting the equitable participation of women in politics and government, NDI has also established the annual Madeleine K. Albright Grant as a means of supporting organizations around the world that create greater roles for women in political and civic life. The grant is part of NDI’s Win with Women Global Initiative, which promotes women’s political leadership worldwide.

Event Date and Time:
Dec. 15, 2008, from 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Guests and Honorees:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The Women's League of Burma
Ferdos Majeed Mohammed Ameen
Christiane Amanpour, Master of Ceremonies

Street Address:
The Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill (map)
400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Metro: Union Station (Red Line)

<p>Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and the Women’s League of Burma will be honored at NDI’s Democracy Luncheon, an event that celebrates champions of democracy from around the world. </p>

NDI - South Africa

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Women's League of Burma to Be Honored at NDI Democracy Luncheon Dec. 15

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Women's League of Burma to be Honored at NDI Luncheon Dec. 15

NDI Honors Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Women's League of Burma; Focus on Struggle for Democracy in Burma

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

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

Call for a Women's Political Party at International Women's Day Gala Dinner (South Africa)

NDI Hosts Democracy Support Roundtable with Emerging Powers

Indonesia’s Transition Provides Key Lessons for Democracy Supporters

NDI Partners with Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to Strengthen Parliaments

Congress Looks to Women as Agents of Change

Women as Agents of Change: Advancing the Role of Women in Politics and Civil Society

NDI E-news: Inaugural Issue | Dec. 2008

December 2008

New NDI Website and e-Newsletter

Democracy Awards Luncheon

Making Democracy Deliver on Issues that Affect Citizens

2008 Democracy Luncheon: Archbishop Tutu w/ Madeleine K. Albright

Legislative Oversight and Budgeting: A World Perspective

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Addresses (Video) the 2008 Democracy Awards Focusing on Struggle for Democracy in Burma

2008 Democracy Luncheon: Tutu on stage

The 2008 NDI Democracy Luncheon