NDI’S Kosovo podcast, which encompasses a range of topics including but not limited to digital democracy, the impact of misogyny and sexism as a weapon against women in politics, the prevalence of foreign influences, and the role of journalists in the information war, released its first season in June of 2022. NDI’s Kosovo team works to reinforce and safeguard democracy in the region by working against misleading information and examining how it impacts the international sphere.

This story is part of a series highlighting the work done through the Equal Rights in Action (ERA) Fund. Through the ERA Fund, NDI supports local activist organizations all over the world, strengthening democracy and defending the human rights of marginalized communities. LGBTQI+ communities, people with disabilities (PWD) and other marginalized communities face discrimination and unfair treatment at the individual and systemic levels, operating with limited resources and overcoming tumultuous circumstances.

On February 24, 2022, the world watched as Russia launched its full-scale invasion, with the aim of toppling Ukraine’s government and erasing from the map a democratic nation whose very existence Vladimir Putin has denied. More than a year later, Ukraine remains steadfast in the face of unrelenting violence and terror.

As authoritarianism solidifies, democracy is declining across the world, with political polarization as one of the most pressing challenges. Political parties are increasingly being targeted by illiberal actors with a common agenda to aggravate division between parties and to weaken functioning multi-party systems.