Serbian Citizens Find Answers with Assembly Liaison

An office intended to strengthen communication between Serbian citizens and members of parliament (MPs) is paying dividends less than a month after opening. A new initiative in Serbia, the nonpartisan office provides a place where constituents can speak individually with their MPs or with office staff well versed in government services.

In just the first few weeks, six cases have been resolved. They varied from a Serbian citizen seeking a lawyer to another looking for help in starting a businesses.

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For Mexican Women, Fundraising and Technology are Key to Overcoming Campaign Obstacles

As Mexico celebrates 55 years of women’s suffrage, women candidates continue to face obstacles in running for elected office. While gender quotas have led to an increase in the past two decades of women holding party and elected positions, they still represent fewer than 5 percent of municipal and state elected officials. They also often receive ballot placement that lessens their chances of winning and they receive less public financing and fewer opportunities for training.

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Yemen: Newspaper Reports on NDI Programs Addressing Tribal Conflicts

A recent story in the Yemen Times discusses how NDI , through partnerships with Yemeni government agencies and local organizations, has helped the country better understand and deal with the persistent problem of tribal violence. Tribal conflicts in Yemen have resulted in hundreds of deaths from revenge killings since 2000, contributing to political instability and economic losses from drops in tourism and foreign investment.

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Nepal: Training Women to Engage in the Constitution-Drafting Process through the Nepali Women’s Leadership Academy

As Nepal strives to move beyond years of armed conflict and political turmoil and build a stable and peaceful democracy, the foundation of such a democracy will depend largely on ensuring that the drafting process for the country’s new constitution is inclusive and representative. Women in Nepal face severe discrimination and have historically been marginalized and underrepresented in government.

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Kosovar Women Parliamentarians Lead the Fight against Domestic Violence and Engage Citizens in Debate on Gender Issues

One year after declaring independence from Serbia, Kosovo still struggles to prove itself as a modern and inclusive democracy. While one-third of seats in the Assembly of Kosovo are legally reserved for women, women members of parliament (MPs) have not historically enjoyed a high level of influence or engagement in Kosovar governing structures. In July 2005, NDI assisted 36 women MPs in convening the first informal caucus of women parlimentarians. Today, the multi-party, multi-ethnic Women’s Informal Group (WIG) is now the largest cross-party grouping in the Assembly.

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Guatemala: Strengthening Indigenous Women’s Political Leadership

In 1996, United Nations-sponsored peace accords were signed in Guatemala, ending 36 years of armed conflict. Although one of the goals of the accords and related agreements was increasing the political participation of the indigenous population, this has yet to be realized. Indigenous women in particular face the greatest political marginalization. Although at least 20 percent of the Guatemalan population is indigenous women, only two of 158 deputies in Congress and one of 333 mayors are indigenous women.

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The 2008 Democracy Luncheon Honors Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Women’s League of Burma

On Dec. 15 , the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs hosted the 2008 Democracy Luncheon, honoring Archbishop Desmond Tutu and presenting its fourth annual Madeleine K. Albright Award to the Women’s League of Burma. As part of the Win with Women Global Initiative, the Madeleine K. Albright Grant honors organizations that work to increase women’s participation in political and civic life. The recipient was selected from a competitive pool of applicants based on the strength of their proposal to train young women leaders.  

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