News from NDI: Big things coming for NDI.org

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January 2015

As the screenshot above from 1997 shows, NDI.org has come a long way since its infancy, but the underlying technology powering the current version of our site is becoming outdated. This month, we launched a project to redesign NDI.org. The redesign presents an opportunity to modernize the site while preserving the depth of content that makes NDI.org a valuable resource on democratic development.

But to make the new website a success, we need your help! In keeping with NDI's mission and in the interest of meeting your needs, we hope to make this process as open and inclusive as possible. We have created a digital whiteboard where you can share how and why you use NDI.org so we can build features that will work for you.

Give us your feedback »

Leading Women Activists Prepare for Macedonia's Parliamentary Elections

In the past year, Macedonia has seen several public protests both in favor of and against the government, resulting from accusations of illegal government-led wiretapping. Opinion polls indicate that more than half of citizens think their domestic political situation is “intense and uncertain.” The country will hold early parliamentary elections in April 2016, presenting an opportunity for up-and-coming politicians to seek office. Last month, nearly 100 women from 16 political parties participated in the first session of NDI's Women in Politics training series, which focused on the upcoming polls. The series will prepare more women to run for political office. NDI’s multi-partisan approach to training women who are leaders within their parties is a counterweight to extreme political polarization that has slowed the country’s democratic progress. Read more »

NDI Partner NAHNOO Mobilizes to Re-Open Beirut's Largest Park

Public space is a rarity in Beirut, so the civic organization NAHNOO (‘We’ in English) led a three-year advocacy campaign bringing together citizens across Beirut to reopen Horsh Beirut, the city's largest park, has been closed to the public since 1992. Using skills acquired through NDI training to target both the legal and administrative aspects of the re-opening of the park, NAHNOO commissioned studies, organized consultations with land use experts, public debates, and town halls as part of their campaign to re-open the park. On a sunny morning in September 2015, Horsh Beirut officially reopened. Through this and similar partnerships, NDI helps Lebanese citizens influence the change they want to see in Lebanon. Read more »

Women and Youth Advocate for Changes to Nepal Constitution

Women and youth constitute an important but often neglected group in Nepalese politics. NDI works with women and youth leaders from six Nepali political parties to advocate for their rights through trainings across the country. Following intense rounds of advocacy efforts with senior party leaders and the chair of the Constitution Drafting Committee, women and youth groups' hard work was rewarded. The new constitution incorporates the basic rights of Nepali youth through multiple provisions and allocates 33 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives for Nepali women. Read more »

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The National Democratic Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

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