Gang violence, organized crime and corruption have long plagued Central America’s Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador), undermining democratic reforms and hampering public safety and prosperity. Because these challenges are so widespread, an effective response must involve every level of government, from city councils to national legislatures. Governments, local police and concerned citizens groups recognize the need for international collaboration to develop effective solutions.

On March 19, 130 women and men gathered in the Assembly of Kosovo as NDI opened its sixth Week of Women (WoW). For many of the participants, who came from all across Kosovo and included most of the country’s minority groups and 16 political parties, this was their first time in the Assembly.

A life dedicated to politics is tough. It requires near-constant work designing and communicating solutions to citizen concerns that can seem like a moving target while facing attacks from opponents and navigating the different priorities of allies. Political parties, as the preeminent platforms in democratic systems for aggregating political activists and transforming public campaigns into governance, bear the brunt of this heavy workload.

After years of fighting to bring the issues of gender equality to the forefront of Georgia politics, over the past year, activities have succeeded in drawing national attention to the persistent problems faced by women across the country. Civil society’s efforts have succeeded in motivating Georgian leaders to take concrete steps to lessen the gender gap. New amendments introduced to the constitution mandate the state to ensure equal rights and opportunities for men and women, and provide new guarantees for gender equality.