NDI - Sudan

Sudanese Citizen Coalition Calls for Wide-Ranging Electoral Reforms

ntekeei — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:35:00 +0000

Better civic education, independent oversight of how electoral districts are drawn and better representation of women in election preparations are among the recommendations of the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE).

An in-depth look at the activities of the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections from 2009 to 2011.

SuGDE has evolved into a strong coalition of six citizen groups standing for free, fair and non-violent elections during the last two eventful two years in Sudan, including the first multi-party national elections in over two decades, gubernatorial elections in Southern Kordofan, and a referendum on South Sudan’s. The group’s recommendations have been published in a comprehensive report on electoral reforms based on its two years of election observing. The report includes 51 recommendations concerning all aspects of the electoral process addressing the election commission, voters and the media. Specific recommendations include:

Implementing election rules three months before polling begins to permit time for civic education;
Creating an independent body to oversee the drawing of districts and allowing the media to observe this process;
Considering religious and cultural traditions and practices while making election calendars;
Reserving at least 30 percent of the registration and polling committees for women; and
Limiting voting days to two days maxi¬mum, increasing the number of polling stations to account for heavier voting and setting aside one voting day as a national holiday.

Before releasing the report, SuGDE organized a forum with international experts, including a constitutional specialist from Kenya and an electoral reform expert from Lebanon, to discuss the best practices in drafting and advocating for legal reform. SuGDE said it will push to see its election recommendations carried out through passage of new legislation, amendments to old laws or strict enforcement of laws already on the books.

Supported technically and financially by NDI since its inception, SuGDE plans to grow its role in Sudan and the region.

The release of the report was followed closely by the launch of the coalition’s new website at www.sugde.org. The group also commissioned a documentary film that covers its two-year existence. The 13-minute documentary features interviews with SuGDE members and footage of election activities. The website details all of SuGDE’s activities and houses each of its many reports, including the most recent on electoral reform.

SuGDE members are the AZZA Women Association, the Babikr Badri Scientific Association for Women Studies, the Group for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Studies (GESCRS), HELA HELP organization, Human Security Initiative (MAMAN), and the Institute for Development of Civil Society (IDCS).

Read more:

Published March 12, 2012

Building a Nation: South Sudanese Share Their Thoughts on the Creation of a Successful State

ntekeei — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:33:19 +0000

Author:

Traci D. Cook

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/23/2011

Resource Type:

Focus Group

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	3.72 MB

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

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

Sept. 15, 2011

Happy Democracy Day!

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

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

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

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

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

Pakistan to Extend Political Reforms to FATA

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

Ensuring Women and Young People Take Part in the Political Process

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

Celebrate Democracy with these Upcoming Events

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

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

Toward Better Elections in Africa

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

Coming Together for Common Goals

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

Public Opinion Research for Better Policy Platforms

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

NDI's Washington Office is Moving

NDI's new office

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

Sudanese Youth Express Democratic Values through Art

rrunyan — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:15:51 +0000

To help give young Sudanese a voice, caricature art has become a civic education tool. Political cartoons provide a platform where they can express their views on important issues and engage others, including Sudanese who cannot read.

To strengthen those skills, young Sudanese artists participated in a training program at the Ahfad University for Women, Sudan’s leading women’s education institution, sponsored by one of NDI’s partners, the Babiker Badri Scientific Association for Women’s Studies.

One of the political cartoons drawn by a participant

Finding innovative ways to reach those who feel excluded from politics can be a daunting challenge, particularly in countries with high illiteracy rates and little tradition of political engagement.

Sudan is one such location. After years of civil war that ended with the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, southern Sudanese voted earlier this year to create their own nation, the Republic of South Sudan, which came into being on July 9. The decades of conflict stalled progress in many areas, increasing the need for political involvement, especially by young people, as both Sudans adjust to the changed governmental landscape. As the next generation of leaders – in politics, civil society and industry – their participation is critical.

The training covered democratic principles and practice, human rights and the role of caricature art in shaping attitudes and behavior. Afterward, the artists, who were also activists, journalists, academics and women leaders, produced caricatures on such topics as sectarianism, corruption and the horrors of female genital mutilation for an exhibition attended by representatives of government, civil society, media and the general public. At the exhibition, the young artists had the opportunity to explain the cartoons and articulate their views on democracy in Sudan.

The training and exhibition were the first phase of the Babiker Badri Scientific Association’s “Enhancing Youth Political Participation in Sudan” project. The next phase will feature a four-day democracy and human rights training for Sudanese young people from universities, youth clubs and associations in Khartoum. Participants will learn public service skills, including democratic practices, organizational development, strategic communications and leadership.

The participants will then lead five forums on democracy and human rights at five different universities in Khartoum that will provide hundreds of Sudanese youth with an opportunity to engage in constructive debate, share ideas and deepen their understanding of democratic concepts. The goal of the forums is to encourage civic participation by those who take part in the training sessions.

Related:

Published August 29, 2011

Southern Sudanese Women’s Coalition Calls for More Inclusive Constitution

rrunyan — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:12:10 +0000

When South Sudan became the world’s newest country on July 9, it joined the community of nations with a new constitution adopted by the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in an eight-hour session on July 6. Now it must work to develop a permanent constitution, and many citizens and civic groups are eager to lend a hand.

One such organization is the Southern Sudan Women’s Constitutional Coalition (SSWCC), which grew out of a gathering of Sudanese women leaders who were brought together in May by NDI and the Institute for Inclusive Security. They convened to review and weigh in on the transitional constitution as it awaited approval from the Legislative Assembly. While the review timeline was only the matter of a couple months, various civic groups -- including NDI partner the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections -- voiced concerns about the transitional constitution that will likely factor into the drafting process for a permanent constitution, which is expected to take four years.

Over the three-day conference, the women leaders dug into the particulars of the constitution, which many participants were reading for the first time. They broke into groups, each dissecting particular sections, and they identified places where the document could be more sensitive to women’s issues.

Women leaders from the larger region also attended, including constitutional experts from Kenya and Uganda, which have recently undertaken constitutional reviews, to share their experiences.

On the third day, women leaders from civil society came together with women from the parliament, the executive and political parties and agreed upon three thematic issues to address in the transitional constitution. It was from this meeting that the SSWCC was born to ensure that their voices were heard throughout the transitional and permanent constitutional processes.

The first issue the women tackled was the quota for women’s political participation. The constitution established by Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement required that women make up 25 percent of the legislature. On the campaign trail, South Sudan President Salva Kiir promised to increase the quota to 30 percent. The SSWCC called on the president to uphold his promise of a 30 percent quota that would also include all levels of government institutions, including the judiciary.

Second, the coalition called for the new constitution to address weaknesses in the government’s separation of powers, such as the fact that governors can be removed from office at the behest of the president. The SSWCC advocated for the president to have the power to recommend the removal, but that only the state assemblies have the power to impeach them.

Third, the SSWCC asked that the process of developing the permanent constitution start within six months of independence.

“There’s a real desire not just to talk about women’s issues but to talk about issues that were of importance to citizens and democracy and peace and development,” said Susan Stigant, NDI’s resident senior program manager in Sudan. “What we heard from the women is, ‘We struggled for democracy. Democracy means accountability and checks and balances, so we want to demand that those checks and balances are in place.’”

The women developed messages for a one-page advocacy document. SSWCC members also met with legislative assembly committees to present their views on the constitution and were assisted by their coalition members from the parliament. While the transitional constitution does not reflect the changes advocated by the SSWCC, the coalition aims to leverage relationships formed over the past few months to shape the permanent constitution.

After the conference, six participants took part in a panel discussion that aired throughout the country in three 15-minute segments by the Sudan Radio Service, NDI’s long-time radio partner.

Listen to the first segment of the radio program
Listen to the second segment of the radio program
Listen to the third segment of the radio program

Related:

Published July 19, 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»

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

rrunyan — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:28:14 +0000

Elections last week in the Sudanese state of South Kordofan were generally well conducted despite a number of deficiencies, according to the findings of a citizen observation group, the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE).

Active participation by political parties, improved management of materials and polling committees, and the absence of violence and voter intimidation during the voting period were among the positive steps, SuGDE reported. “However, certain deficiencies remained in other aspects of the election, including late dissemination of voter information and inadequate management of the voter registration process,” the statement said. SuGDE also noted concerns “over incidents of vote buying and campaigning at the polling committees.”

The Southern Kordofan elections were originally slated to take place in April 2010, as stipulated by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the Sudanese civil war, but the polls were delayed by disputes over the national census and voter registration. The National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Sudan’s two major political parties, were battling for control of this key border state.

SuGDE also highlighted in their statement their “concern about rising tensions in the state,” a reference to an ongoing dispute between the National Election Commission (NEC) and the SPLM over voter discrepancies and the fact that both the NCP and the SPLM claimed a gubernatorial victory before the release of official results. The group urged “…all parties to continue to observe the counting and tabulation process peacefully and to deal with all disputes through appropriate legal mechanisms.”

The results of the election were to be announced May 10. However, since then there have been numerous unresolved disputes between the SPLM and the NEC that have kept the commission from completing its tasks. The NEC aims to issue preliminary results on May 15, but has not set a release date for final results.

Related:

Pictured above: Members of SuGDE enter Southern Kordofan election observer data.

Published May 13, 2011

The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) South Kordofan Election Statement

rrunyan — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:52:49 +0000

Author:

The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE)

Publisher:

The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE)

Published Date:

05/12/2011

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

English

Attachment	Size
Read the statement	497.3 KB
Read the press release	362.77 KB

SuNDE and SuGDE Statement on the Tabulation Process and Announcement of the 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum Preliminary Results

fgalleto — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:48:33 +0000

Author:

SuNDE SuGDE

Publisher:

SuNDE

Published Date:

02/04/2011

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the statement	98.46 KB

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...

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

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.

Richard A. Nuccio

fgalleto — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:53:19 +0000

Richard A. Nuccio is NDI's senior director in South Sudan. Prior to joining NDI in 2011, he was the director of Civitas International programs at the Center for Civic Education based in Los Angeles, CA, where from 2003 he directed civic education programs and coordinated a network of civic educators in more than 70 countries.

During the 1990s, Dr. Nuccio served in a number of senior foreign policy positions in the U.S. Government. From May 1995 until April 1996 he was special advisor to the president and to the secretary of state for Cuba. Dr. Nuccio coordinated overall Cuba policy as well as outreach to the public. Before and after serving at the White House, he served at the State Department as senior policy adviser to Assistant Secretaries of State for Inter-American Affairs Jeffrey Davidow (1997) and Alexander Watson (1993-1995). At the State Department he had special responsibilities as the U.S. coordinator for the Guatemalan peace process.

In the U.S. Senate, Dr. Nuccio was senior foreign policy adviser to Sen. Robert G. Torricelli (D-NJ). He was also a staff member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In 2000 Dr. Nuccio became the founding director of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI.

Dr. Nuccio is the author of What's Wrong, Who's Right in Central America (Holmes & Meier, 1989), of “Cuba: A U.S. Perspective,” in Richard Haass, ed., Transatlantic Tensions: The United States, Europe, and Problem Countries (Brookings Institution, 1999) and “The CIA and the Guatemalan Peace Process,” Foreword, in Stephen Schlesinger and Stephen Kinzer, Bitter Fruit, The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala (Harvard University Press: David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, 2005). He holds an A.B. and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an A.M. from Stanford University in Latin American and Caribbean studies.

Will of the People of Southern Sudan Credibly Expressed Through Southern Sudan Referendum

fgalleto — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:07:12 +0000

Author:

SuNDE SuGDE

Publisher:

SuNDE

Published Date:

01/20/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	296.52 KB

Preliminary Statement on the 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum Processes

fgalleto — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:01:40 +0000

Author:

SuNDE SuGDE

Publisher:

SuNDE

Published Date:

01/20/2011

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the statement	264.42 KB

SuNDE and SuGDE Observers Finish Observation Data Entry and Analysis Begins

fgalleto — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:47:47 +0000

Author:

SuNDE SuGDE

Publisher:

SuNDE

Published Date:

01/17/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	217.58 KB

NDI Partners Find Will of the People of Southern Sudan Credibly Expressed

rrunyan — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:32:19 +0000

"The Southern Sudan referendum allowed the free expression of the will of the people for self-determination," according to a preliminary statement released by two citizen election monitoring groups in Sudan. "Turnout was massive, in a peaceful environment, and administrative procedures met national legal requirements in an atmosphere of respect and cooperation." The Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) and the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) issued the statement based on more than 10,000 reports by 3,000 observers who observed all seven days of balloting at polling stations across Southern Sudan. SuNDE and SuGDE have monitored all stages of the election process and have released statements on the registration period, exhibitions and objections period, the pre-polling period, and the referendum vote.

SuNDE and SuGDE have monitored all stages of the election process. Here is a collection of statements and highlights from their monitoring activities.

For more about Sudan, visit the SuNDE's website, NDI's Sudan page or NDI's library of focus group research the Institute has conducted through the country.

NDI - Sudan

Sudanese Citizen Coalition Calls for Wide-Ranging Electoral Reforms

Building a Nation: South Sudanese Share Their Thoughts on the Creation of a Successful State

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

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

Sudanese Youth Express Democratic Values through Art

Southern Sudanese Women’s Coalition Calls for More Inclusive Constitution

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

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

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

The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) South Kordofan Election Statement

SuNDE and SuGDE Statement on the Tabulation Process and Announcement of the 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum Preliminary Results

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

STAY CONNECTED

CONTRIBUTE

READ MORE

Richard A. Nuccio

Will of the People of Southern Sudan Credibly Expressed Through Southern Sudan Referendum

Preliminary Statement on the 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum Processes

SuNDE and SuGDE Observers Finish Observation Data Entry and Analysis Begins

NDI Partners Find Will of the People of Southern Sudan Credibly Expressed