Fifteen years after the genocide that devastated Rwanda, the country is still dealing with its lasting impact on politics and governance. Rwandans are looking to their government to deal with issues such as poverty and regional integration, and they are hoping for responsiveness from politicians and political parties. With presidential elections approaching, we sat down with Gaston Aín, NDI’s former country director in Rwanda, to learn more about the political landscape, the role of young people and NDI’s work with political parties.

While a number of improvements have been made in Jordan’s electoral process in preparation for parliamentary elections on Nov. 9, challenges remain to overcome voter apathy and cynicism to ensure a meaningful poll, according to the findings of a NDI pre-election assessment delegation.

Citizen participation as a centerpiece of Kosovo's democracy was the theme of a week-long series of International Day of Democracy (IDD) events held in Pristina last month. Kosovars from a wide variety of ethnic communities attended the events, and most expressed an eagerness to learn about, and participate in, the legislative process.

Organized crime and an exponential growth in violence have generated serious challenges to democratic institutions in Mexico. Despite concerted efforts by the Mexican government against organized crime, many citizens, particularly in border cities, feel that the government is not providing even basic protection, and they have begun to speak out individually and collectively about their concerns.