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In Nepal, Women Fight to Maintain Seats in the Constituent Assembly
When the women’s quota for Nepal's national Constituent Assembly was reduced from 33 to 22 percent, four civic organizations, with NDI support, launched a campaign to advocate for women’s representation in the Constituent Assembly. This campaign was particularly important in the 2013 elections because the assembly is responsible for drafting a new constitution.
The Committee for 33 Percent Women produced radio and television ads about the need for more women in government to make it more reflective of society, and it supported the campaigns of the 646 women from different political parties who ran. Democracy and Elections Watch, a citizen monitoring organization, worked to ensure that women voted, and NDI held training programs for the candidates. The result? Thirty percent of newly-elected Assembly members were women, surpassing the the 22 percent quota. Read more »
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Learn About NDI's Work with Marginalized Groups
In many countries, large segments of the population are excluded from political life because of their gender, ethnicity, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation. NDI works with youth, people with disabilities, the LGBT community and ethnic and religious groups across all of its programs. The goal is to involve them in mainstream politics; encourage party leaders, legislatures and governments to recognize their needs; and ensure that all citizens have a voice in the political process. Learn more about NDI's work with marginalized groups around the world»
NDI Looks at Status of Women in Politics
A new background paper by Susan Markham, NDI's director of women's political participation, makes the case for the full and equitable participation of women in public life. Women as Agents of Change: Having Voice in Society & Influencing Policy, is part of a series that will inform the upcoming 2014 World Bank Report on Women's Voice, Agency and Participation. The paper identifies barriers to women's participation and looks at strategies to overcome them. Read more»
SSuNDE Welcomes Signing of Cessation of Hostilities
Following a month of violence and civil unrest, the South Sudanese Network for Democracy and Elections (SSuNDE), a coalition of over 75 civic groups, commended the signatories for signing a cessation of hostilities agreement in South Sudan. SSuNDE, an NDI partner, urged the parties to "commit themselves to the signed peace agreement without violation..." Read more»
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Designing Democracy in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, citizens have never had the opportunity to directly elect their city's chief executive. Now that appears to be about to change. As Hong Kong prepares for universal suffrage, an official consultation process on electoral reform is underway. It includes a new website that gives citizens a place to dicuss the future of Hong Kong's electoral reform ahead of the 2017 elections. Read more»
New Report Examines the Reality of Women's Participation in Guatemalan Politics
While women in Guatemala have slowly been making political gains, a new report by NDI and UN Women shows that a significant gender gap still persists. The report, which analyzed electoral data, party laws and focus group research, examines progress made since 2007 general elections, common obstacles and areas for improvement. Read more»
Friends Honor the Memory of Gene Eidenberg
Gene Eidenberg, a longtime friend of NDI and a member of its Board of Directors for nearly a quarter century, was remembered at a memorial event in Washington, D.C., this month. "Everyone at NDI has a story about Gene,” said NDI President Kenneth Wollack. “Yet they all have a common thread. Gene was bigger than life, passionate about what we do, deeply committed to people and causes…and he possessed a great, sometimes wicked sense of humor.” Read more»
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"Paving the Way" Documentary Examines Life of Trailblazer Geraldine Ferraro
A new documentary, "Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way," explores the life and impact of the woman who made history when she became the first female vice presidential candidate nominated by a major U.S. political party. Family members, friends and supporters of the late Ferraro, a long-time member of the NDI Board of Directors, gathered at the U.S. Institute of Peace this week to watch the film and speak with Ferraro's daughter Donna Zaccaro, who produced and directed it. The event was co-hosted by NDI and the Woodrow Wilson Center. Guests included NDI Chairman Madeleine Albright, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, former Congresswoman and Wilson Center President Jane Harman, and former Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly. Read more»
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