Citizen Participation

Developing A Decision Maker Engagement Plan

Organizations and activists can inform and shape decisions around policy, budget and draft legislation by engaging with government officials and lawmakers at all levels. By providing decision makers with expert knowledge of their area of practice, organizations and activists can provide critical information that would not otherwise be brought to the government’s attention about how certain policies, procedures and laws operate on the ground and affect the communities they represent.

Political Process Monitoring Guidebook

Citizen participation is instrumental in promoting transparent and accountable government, and in fostering the norms that underpin a functioning democratic system. Democracy develops and deepens when citizens are active and exercise their right to be heard, and when they use organized, informed action to hold government accountable for making real improvements in people’s lives.

February 16, 2023

The Interdependence of Disability Rights, Political Participation and Democracy

Political participation is key to advancing disability rights and countering discrimination across all political spheres. Inclusive political systems and states can only be achieved if all sectors and segments of the population have equitable, accessible and open space to work together to advance collective priorities.

Nepal Policy Review Seven - Dalit Political Representation

Within Nepal’s nascent federal system, introduced in 2015, it has become increasingly vital to inform policymakers at all levels of government about critical and developing issues. As such, NDI, with support from USAID, developed the Policy Review journal to communicate policy analysis and information on a range of issues to partners and stakeholders involved in policy making, as well as to citizens at large.

January 3, 2023

Building an Anti-Corruption Youth Network in the Indo-Pacific

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) seeks to build youth capacity to participate in and collectively act on accountability and transparency issues through its Anti-Corruption & Transparency Initiatives Engaging Youth in the Indo-Pacific (ACTIVE Youth) program. The ACTIVE Youth program is managed by NDI Taiwan and includes program activities across four target countries: Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.

December 22, 2022

Preserving Civic Space Through Collaboration

In November, representatives from NDI’s civil society partners in Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan came together for a two-day virtual roundtable event addressing their respective advocacy efforts focused on the preservation of civic space. As countries across sub-Saharan Africa face a worrisome trend of democratic backsliding, NDI seeks to provide opportunities for civil society organizations (CSOs) to learn from their peers' experience operating in increasingly repressive environments and promoting greater respect and protection of civil liberties.

December 15, 2022

Enhancing Youth Political Visibility and Leadership Capacity

Today, more than one-third of Africa’s population is aged between 15 and 35. Ordinarily a cheering picture of a promising future for the continent, but evidence shows this demographic advantage remains to be seen in political inclusion, particularly inclusion and visibility of young people in internal political party processes. There is more evidence that young people tend to vote less frequently, stand as candidates less often and remain underrepresented in electoral functions and political party processes in the continent.

November 7, 2022

Inclusive Election Observation - Grace’s Story

On August 9, an estimated 22 million Kenyans went to the polls to elect their next president. Despite being one of the most competitive elections in the country’s history, it resulted in a peaceful transition of power and a step forward in Kenya’s democratization process.

November 2, 2022

Making Democracy Work in The Gambia

Making Democracy Work by Improving Government Communication and Public Engagement in The Gambia

October 4, 2022

Different, Equal, Together – LGBTQI+ Ukrainians On The Frontlines

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, countless individuals and organizations across Ukraine have risen to the challenge of supporting their communities and addressing challenges that have emerged as a result of the war. The Rizni.Rivni project, launched in collaboration between the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and a group of Ukrainian LGBTQI+ equality organizations in 2020, has played a key role in that effort.