In 2017, public opinion research conducted by NDI revealed that 85 percent of citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) believe that politicians use existing ethnic tensions for political gain. More than two decades since the Dayton agreement ended inter-ethnic war in BiH, political competition remains largely aligned along ethnic lines, and public discourse often focuses on the division of power among ethnic groups.

One year since the operation to liberate Mosul started, locals have begun to return home in search of whatever semblance of their previous lives might still remain. They have discovered, however, that liberation has come at a high cost, as 80 percent of the city now lies in ruin.

From November 13 to 17, NDI welcomed members of parliament (MPs) from the Sahel region of Africa to Washington, D.C. for a parliamentary exchange program in partnership with the Institute for Representative Government (IRG). The delegation included six MPs from majority and minority parties from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger who are working in their respective legislatures on combating violent extremism and enhancing citizen security. The program, supported by the State Department’s Office of Citizen Exchanges, focused on the vital role of parliaments in combating violent extremism and reducing state fragility through democratic engagement. During the program, the delegates met with U.S. policy makers and experts to discuss how parliaments can respond effectively to rising threats of violent extremism and strengthen security in the Sahel region and globally.

Hondurans will head to the polls on November 26 to vote in the country’s general election. On September 26 and 27 -- two months prior to this week’s election -- representatives of civil society organizations gathered in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to launch a campaign titled Vote for Equality. The campaign provides a platform for marginalized populations, pooling their efforts to advocate for equality. The campaign also publishes information on candidate platforms related to inclusion to inform voters in advance of the election.