National Democratic Institute (NDI)

NDI creates opportunities for community members to gather, learn and strengthen democracy at home. Supporting NDI supports democracy education. https://bit.ly/3Zh0Ey4

On June 21, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) held its fourth bi-annual roundtable discussion “Democratic Challenges and Opportunities Facing Ukraine” in Kyiv. The series, launched in 2023, brings together leading Ukrainian experts, policy makers, civil society, international organizations, think tanks, and others in an off-the-record conversation to discuss Ukraine’s evolving democratic challenges and opportunities, as well as to promote dialogue, cooperation, and unity in addressing them. As the full-scale war in Ukraine continues and the costs of war mount, Ukraine must continue to both safeguard and advance its independent democratic institutions to meet the goals of Euro-Atlantic integration. The participants agree that despite martial law, Ukraine is striving to preserve the functioning of its independent democratic institutions, the development of strong local governance, free media, and cooperation with non-governmental institutions (NGOs). Moreover, there is significant progress towards European Union (EU) standards, such as: amending political party law; reinstating critical parliamentary functions that were suspended during martial law such as question hours and media access to parliament; and in line with the EU, introducing open, transparent competitions in the judicial system. The formal opening of accession negotiations with the EU in June 2024 helped to maintain momentum for these reforms. However, significant challenges remain. As the number of veterans and people with disabilities (PwDs) grow rapidly and vulnerable groups face heightened challenges during the full-scale war, participants stressed a need to approve a single national program for veterans’ reintegration, remove barriers for vulnerable groups to access state social protection systems, and to ensure that these systems are adequately funded and transparently managed. Similarly, with European institutions extending temporary protections and searching for long-term political solutions to further support Ukrainian refugees, participants emphasized the urgent demand for Ukraine to accelerate the development of incentives for their return and devise a plan for reintegrating temporarily occupied territories. https://lnkd.in/e5FSksvz

"We know that, when citizens have a choice, they choose democracy. Democracy triumphed in many places where Russia, China, and other repressive regimes tried to undermine it. The story of this "Year of Elections" is that a group of autocrats joined forces to press a global offensive against freedom – and they mostly failed." Read National Democratic Institute (NDI) Presiden Tamara Cofman Wittes' end-of-year message👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 https://bit.ly/49NJonP #Democracy #YearOfElection #DemocracyDilevers

In 2019, popular protests in 🇮🇶 #Iraq called for the end of corruption, better public services, and constitutional and electoral reforms. In the wake of these protests–known as the Tishreen (“October”) movement–the chasm of distrust between decision-makers and citizens grew in size and visibility. This divide drove young reform-minded activists to mobilize and reconnect with local political communities. While the Tishreen protests were massive in scale and tenacity, the young activists lacked a systematic approach to engaging their communities and translating community needs to decision-makers. Built on this momentum, the Ija Dorna program (“It’s Our Turn” in Arabic), invested in youth leaders–30 men and 30 women under 35 years old–across six Iraqi provinces (Anbar, Baghdad, Karbala, Kirkuk, Sulaimaniyah, and Thi Qar) with the goal of strengthening relationships between Iraqi decision-makers and youth through civic activism. This program, facilitated by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), equipped activists with skills to assess local community priorities and translate them into concrete policy proposals. “Citizens, particularly youth, usually have a worrying or tense relationship with decision-makers. This program helps youth think and plan for the best approach with the elected officials which is exactly what we need to learn. I have learned remarkable soft skills such as active listening, communication tools, and town hall arrangements with officials and citizens.” NDI held training workshops to introduce the activists to practices for conducting community outreach in the form of online polls and public town hall meetings. Afterward, participants invited community members to discuss local issues directly with government officials, members of Parliament (MPs), and civil society leaders to gain their support and discuss potential community improvements. Ija Dorna participants found that engaging decision makers and citizens together fostered an inclusive political environment, which resulted in policy recommendations that were both locally relevant and compatible with government plans. https://lnkd.in/eaiZhwQ6

National Democratic Institute (NDI) recently launched its Young Political Leaders program (YPL) on its inaugural visit to Brussels, a significant step toward enhancing democratic engagement and strengthening European Union-Ukraine relations. The YPL program was designed to foster productive dialogue between young Ukrainian political leaders and EU officials, expose Ukrainian leaders to the EU’s political culture and policymaking processes, and provide critical experience they can use to help Ukraine strengthen and reform its democratic institutions in anticipation of a European future. The YPL program provides these young leaders the tools they need to bring the desires of the Ukrainian people to fruition - since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, 90% or more of Ukrainians polled expressed their desire to join the EU. Organized with support from USAID and in cooperation with the European Parliament, the trip brought together thirteen members of parliament (under 40 years of age) from all four Ukrainian parliamentary factions. Also in attendance were young representatives from parliamentary groups as well as non-parliamentary political parties and movements, such as the Ukrainian Democracy Alliance for Reform, the Centre for Policymaking, and the Social Democracy Platform. Participants met with various Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), such as David McAllister, Co-Chair of the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. McAllister provided valuable insights into the EU's foreign policy priorities and ways in which the EU supports Ukraine. In other meetings, participants covered topics such as how to build consensus among opposing viewpoints, the significance and challenges of youth engagement in politics, and how the EU integrates new languages, such as Ukrainian, into its operations. YPL not only gives Ukrainian leaders a chance to familiarize themselves with EU governance, but also provides a forum for sharing solutions to common challenges facing diverse, multilingual democracies - reflecting the findings from NDI’s May 2024 polling that found 93% of Ukrainians want their country to grow into a fully-functioning democracy. https://lnkd.in/eYMA6Cpc

Learn about the National Democratic Institute (NDI)'s partner, the Arab Forum For The Rights of Persons With Disabilities - AFRPD, a network of national groups and advocates working to strengthen the disability movement in the Arab region.  #AFRPD promotes the rights of people with disabilities in alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). They focus on inclusive political participation and empowering individuals with diverse disabilities in leadership roles, showing how advocacy and representation can foster a fair society. #Inclusion #DisabilityRights #Leadership #CivicParticipation #HumanRights #Accessibility #CRPD https://bit.ly/3VKwbWO

From the 15 percent of people around the world who live with a disability, 8 in 10 reside in developing countries. Although Article 21 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities (CRPD) grants them the right to accessible information, people with disabilities often face communication barriers due to a lack of information accessibility. Access to information is essential for democratic and political participation, which enables people to make informed decisions and influence policies that affect their lives. If people with intellectual disabilities have greater access to easy-to-read information on political processes or policies and the necessary assistance using it, they will be better equipped to advocate for themselves and participate in democracy. By reducing communication barriers through Easy Read and other accessible formats, societies can foster inclusion, making it possible for people with disabilities to engage fully in civic life. With these circumstances in mind, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) organized a two-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, to bring people with intellectual disabilities, caretakers, civil society representatives, government officials, and accessibility experts together to test and design tools for creating Easy Read documents. The workshop began by reviewing the results of a remotely-conducted activity to test assumptions about how to best address barriers to accessible information in Kenya. Participants then explored the possibility of using generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, to facilitate the creation of accessible information. To ensure that everyone could participate, NDI provided accessibility accommodations, such as sign-language interpretation, an expanded time frame agenda to allow for ample participation, and illustrations to enhance comprehension and retention. Easy Read is a method of presenting information in an easy-to-understand format. Easy Read materials are especially beneficial for people with disabilities, those with low literacy levels, non-native language speakers, and individuals experiencing memory difficulties. Easy Read combines short sentences that are clear and free of jargon with simple images to help explain the written content. Easy Read is essential not only for people with intellectual disabilities but also for making information accessible to everyone, particularly in a democratic society. Accessible information enables all citizens to participate in civic processes, make informed decisions, and understand their rights and responsibilities. By utilizing Easy Read, NDI seeks to support inclusive democratic participation and enable people to actively engage in their communities. https://lnkd.in/eaC_s4Rc

The dawn of a new space age is upon us, marked by unprecedented engagement from both state and private actors. Driven by technological innovations such as reusable rockets and miniaturized satellites, this era presents a double-edged sword for global democracy. On one side, democratized access to space offers powerful tools for enhancing civic processes. Satellite technology now enables real-time election monitoring, improved communication in remote areas, and more effective public infrastructure planning. It also equips democratic actors with means to document human rights abuses and circumvent authoritarian internet restrictions. However, the accessibility of these technologies also raises significant concerns. The potential for privacy infringements and misuse by authoritarian regimes or malicious actors casts a shadow over these advancements. A new National Democratic Institute (NDI) report discusses the opportunities and risks that space and satellite technologies pose to democracy, human rights, and civic processes globally. It examines the current regulatory and normative frameworks governing space activities and highlights key considerations for stakeholders navigating this increasingly competitive domain. https://lnkd.in/ezZxTw9x

Around the world, humanitarian crises and disasters have deepened pre-existing inequalities that marginalized populations, particularly people with disabilities, experience. Despite comprising more than 15 percent of the global population, people with disabilities are often excluded from crisis response and recovery efforts as well as broader policymaking processes. Sub-Saharan Africa is no exception to this trend, with crises not only threatening to do new harm to the disability community but also threatening to erode the gains the disability rights movement has made. In response to these challenges, National Democratic Institute (NDI) began a two year program supporting disability activists in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia. From July 2022 to July 2024, participants collaborated with other human rights defenders to advance a common agenda and hold governments accountable for inclusive crisis response and recovery efforts. In partnership with Mobility International USA (MIUSA), NDI engaged over 80 local civic groups across the four project countries. NDI and MIUSA supported the establishment of national “forums” led by disabled people’s organizations (DPOs), connecting diverse segments of the disability community, other human rights defenders, women’s organizations and youth organizations to foster collective political action. In accordance with the “Nothing Without Us” principle, or the idea that no policy should be decided without the full participation of members of the groups the policy affects, NDI and MIUSA identified local women leaders with disabilities in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia to serve as consultants on gender equality, disability inclusion, and accessibility. NDI and MIUSA also developed guidance on disability inclusion principles and practices to ensure the inclusion of people with diverse disabilities in all program activities. https://lnkd.in/euDAFS-C

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) welcomes the Venice Commission Report recognizing election observers as human rights defenders. This recognition underscores the critical role that election observers play in ensuring free, fair & transparent electoral processes worldwide. #Democracy #ElectionObservation #Transparency #HumanRights #Accountability https://bit.ly/4grpu4B