Prepared by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), this document is intended as a basis for discussion within the international community regarding standards for the functioning of democratic legislatures. Just as there is no single, international body that certifies the democratic nature of a given electoral process, there can be no one arbiter of whether a legislature functions properly.

A 2006 report with analysis and recommendations for a strategy to develop a key pillar of democracy: the parliament of Montnegro.

Note: The first link below connects to the English-language version of this report. The second link connects to a version published in Serbo-Croatian.

This guide targets governments and parliaments considering the adoption of gender-sensitive budgets. It covers the issues, methods, and strategies faced during the first year of implementation. Although the manual uses a practical approach, it also reviews applications stemming from emerging research. The data is drawn from countries with other gender-sensitive budgets in place or in the process of initiation.

Access to government records and information is vital to the functioning of a modern government, to stimulating public discussion, and to nurturing citizen trust. This document surveys the state of freedom of information in countries that have adopted comprehensive national laws on access. The publication also includes a general discussion of common features of Freedom of Information laws as well as factors to consider when adopting this type of legislation.

NGOs can play an important role in the democratic process and make citizen’s concerns heard by lobbying parliament. This guide outlines the various types of lobbying and provides an introduction to effective approaches and tactics for lobbying parliament.

Written for people engaged in nation-building activities, this paper provides practical examples of ways and means to recognize and accommodate two or more national groups living within a single country. This paper describes basic characteristics of governance models. Included is a list of questions related to federalism in situations where there has been a history of conflict and distrust among groups.