In Pakistan, where instability, distrust, violence and political rivalries can impede interaction among political parties, women and young people — the majority of the population — often have difficulty making their voices heard.

According to some estimates, more than 60 percent of Pakistanis are under the age of 35. Yet women and young people seldom have leadership opportunities or seats on decision making bodies.    

On Saturday, Libyans will vote in the first national election since the uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled over the country for more than four decades. Citizens will elect 200 members to serve in a National Public Conference (NPC), which will oversee the drafting of a new constitution and design the institutions of Libya’s democracy. For the first time in the country’s history, political parties are organizing across the country to field candidates for public office.

An NDI pre-election delegation to Georgia released its findings on June 29, in advance of parliamentary elections scheduled for October. The delegation assessed the status of electoral preparations, the conduct of political activity by major electoral participants, and the general electoral environment. It met with government officials, parliamentary candidates, political party leaders, election authorities, and representatives of civil society, the media and the international community.

In some of Mexico’s states most affected by violence, voters are getting a rare chance to put questions about citizen security to candidates seeking their support in the country’s July 1 congressional elections.

In a country that has been plagued by organized crime and violence, safety issues continue to be a top priority for voters. A poll from September 2011 found that 55 percent of Mexicans want the government to put a high priority on strengthening public security.