October 2011

Women Seeking Leadership Roles to Make Change

Women running for office in the Democratic Republic of Congo learn to use iKNOW Politics. Photo courtesy of NDI_DRC.

"Success without democracy is improbable. Democracy without women is impossible."

— NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright

Around the world, women in ever-increasing numbers are taking steps to join in the political process at all levels of government. Partnering with men and supporting each other, women are running for office, rising in the ranks of political parties and advocating for issues that matter in their lives.

In Egypt, where the first post-uprising election will begin Nov. 28, women are working to overcome obstacles presented by both law and custom to win election to the parliament that will draft the country's new constitution. NDI campaign schools are helping them learn about campaign strategies, message development, voter contact, public speaking and the country's complex electoral code as they prepare their candidacies.

In the Balkans, women from political parties are working together across ethnic lines and national boundaries to inject new life into stalled politics. They are championing new education policies that will help women become more entrepreneurial and establishing networks that will help them exchange best practices and overcome barriers to women's participation in politics.

At the campaign school in Cairo.

In Kazakhstan, women make up 58 percent of the civil service but hold less than 9 percent of high-level positions. Women and men from across the country came together last month to draft an action plan to boost opportunities for women to reach decision-making positions in government. The plan calls for a cabinet-level Ministry of Gender Development, creating training schools for women, encouraging women in rural areas to participate in politics and other measures.

During the Democratic Republic of Congo's last legislative elections, fewer than 1,100 of 9,000 candidates were women. To encourage more women to run in November elections, NDI held a campaign school where women interested in parliament learned what it takes to win. Hundreds of women turned out to learn about iKNOW Politics, an online network dedicated to the advancement of women in politics.

In Zambia, Observers Cite Accurate Results, Peaceful Process

Zambia’s Civil Society Election Coalition deployed more than 9,000 highly-trained monitors around the country to observe the voting and counting in last month’s elections.  About 1,000 of those were assigned to a nationally representative sample of polling stations. Their conclusion, stated "with great confidence," was that the results announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia accurately reflected the votes cast and that the process was generally smooth and peaceful.  An NDI pre-election observation mission in August, led by Quett Ketumile Masire, former president of Botswana, and NDI Vice Chair Thomas Daschle, pointed out “noteworthy challenges” in the electoral environment and said the country could move forward significantly if its elections were credible and peaceful. Read more»

Liberian Elections Generally Peaceful, Orderly

The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), a coalition of seven civil society organizations and a partner of NDI's, fielded 2,000 election monitors to polling locations across the country to observe Liberia's presidential and legislative polls. Based on preliminary reports, the ECC called the elections "generally peaceful and orderly," and urged political parties to respect the official vote totals, expected later this month. Read more»

Key Reforms Needed to Clean Up Afghan Elections

Political and civil society representatives are calling on the Afghan government to carry out critical reforms to clean up the country's fraud-plagued election system. These include increased transparency in election management bodies, improvements to political parties and a better election law. Representatives of civil society, election agencies, parliament, local government, political parties, academia and the media all worked together to come up with an action plan to advance future reforms. Read more»

Citizen Organizations Work to Bolster Parliaments and Public Engagement, Survey Finds

A new report by NDI and the World Bank Institute examines the efforts of some 190 parliamentary monitoring organizations that are monitoring 82 parliaments around the world. These groups are helping citizens sift through and make sense of vast amounts of parliamentary information on such topics as voting records, the content of floor debates and committee deliberations to ensure that citizen interests are represented and legislators are held accountable. Read more»

New Focus Group Research Released in Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan, Somalia

Public opinion research can help governments, political parties and civil society better respond to the issues citizens care about most.

In Tunisia, where this month's constituent assembly elections will be the first competitive poll in the country's history, focus group research shows a widening divide between citizens and decision-makers. Citizens are frustrated by a lack of economic opportunities and perceive political parties as debating issues unrelated to their daily lives. Read more»

In Kyrgyzstan, where voters will choose a president Oct. 30, unemployment and corruption are top issues for voters. Focus group research found that ethnic tensions were still strong, but had been supplanted by unemployment and corruption as issues of top concern. Read more»

In Somalia, new research shows rising popular support for writing a new constitution. Somalis are eager to contribute to their country's future, and want a Somali-led response to conflict and greater inclusion in the transition to a permanent government. Read more»

Importance of Authentic Elections and Unhindered Election Observation Stressed at OSCE Warsaw Meeting

Speaking for the United States at the annual human rights meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Patrick Merloe, NDI's director of electoral programs, emphasized the importance of a genuinely competitive electoral process — before, during and after election day. Citing Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Macedonia as examples of recent, well-run elections in the OSCE region, Merloe stressed the crucial role that citizen and international monitors have in assessing the validity of an election. Read more»

President Ouattara: Reconciliation and Security Reform Key to Recovery in Côte d'Ivoire

The president of Côte d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, stressed the importance of reconciliation following months of violence and displacement in his country during a Washington, D.C., appearance. "The process will be long, but we are determined and I believe we will get there," he said Sept. 23 at an event cosponsored by NDI. Read more or watch the speech»

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Don't Miss NDI's 2011 Democracy Award Dinner

Join NDI Nov. 7 as we celebrate the Arab Spring and honor three supporters of democracy at our annual Democracy Award Dinner. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will give the keynote address. The W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award will posthumously honor Geraldine Ferraro, Richard Holbrooke and Charles Manatt for their lifelong commitment to democracy. Appropriate Communication Techniques for Development (ACT), an Egyptian women's group advocating full inclusion of women in the new Egyptian political order, will receive this year's Madeleine K. Albright grant. Buy your ticket»