It’s finally summer. Time to get outside, and in some places, enjoy a bit of a reprieve from a challenging year. It’s been a tough one, especially for democratic actors around the world. Democratic activists have never been more at risk. Tools to mobilize around democratic activity have never been more prevalent, while the vulnerability to surveillance and disinformation is overwhelming.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for government transparency, accountability and citizen engagement. In response, Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador have adopted open parliament plans and regulations that focus on increasing transparency and access to information; accountability; citizen participation; and ethics and probity.  

On May 1, just a few hours after opening its first session, El Salvador’s newly elected legislature summarily dismissed and reappointed a new attorney general and all five judges in the Supreme Court’s constitutional chamber.

As the representative body of the people, legislatures play a critical role in enacting policies that advance sustainable outcomes. As the world continues to face the impacts of climate change, legislatures must develop resilient institutions and policies to both prepare for and manage possible threats. They must also maintain oversight of executive actions, especially in the implementation of policies and programs that are intended to provide critical safety nets to citizens in the event of natural disasters.

As environmental disasters become increasingly devastating over time, and the world remains in the throes of an ongoing pandemic, experiences in crisis management globally must shape future response operations that create the foundation for long-term disaster resiliency.

Lack of accessible potable water across Tunisian constituencies is one of the Tunisian parliament’s key focuses. Acknowledging this priority and the need to solicit input from both experts and their constituents, the Assembly of the Representatives of the People’s (ARP) Agriculture Committee reached out to international partners including NDI, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the German Society for International Development (GIZ) to request their support.

Young women activists from around the world have been leaders in the movement to combat climate change — organizing protests, rallies, strikes, sit-ins and lawsuits to fight for political and social change. As Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate said in NDI’s Changing the Face of Politics podcast series, "It is a surprise to them to see young women coming up, and demanding for climate action.

The implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) in June 2020 redesigned the political landscape in Hong Kong and significantly increased the risks associated with political activity. Under the NSL, Hong Kong citizens are losing the ability to exercise their freedom of speech and freedom to assembly. Beijing reduced the Hong Kong government’s autonomy by removing pro-democracy voices and facilitating a major overhaul of the electoral system.

It is no longer news that disinformation is a global challenge. We’re flooded with deceptive and manipulated content in every sphere of our lives.