The civil war in Yemen has been labeled the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. According to the UN’s Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 24 million of Yemen’s 29 million people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. Still, despite the difficulties, women peacebuilders in Yemen are working tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of their communities. 

“Success without democracy is improbable; democracy without women is impossible,”

~Madeleine K. Albright

What has become more than just a signature event for NDI, the annual Madeleine K. Albright Luncheon brings together women of diverse backgrounds to recognize the strides women have made in politics and to support women empowerment. This year, the Madeleine Albright Award recipient was activist and founder of the #MeToo Movement, Tarana J. Burke, who exemplifies what it means to be a risk-taker. 

Over half the world is now online. In this increasingly digital age, connected citizens expect to be able to engage with their democratic leaders the same way they talk to each other, do their shopping, and gather information: on the internet. However, critical political and civic institutions are often far behind the curve. Governments and civil society organizations have been slow to adopt digital tools to gather and analyze data, track information about their supporters, or contact citizens on their ever-present phones.