Arab World

There is growing support for democracy amongst the general public in the Arab region. Yet genuine democracy remains elusive. At the same time the production and dissemination of knowledge in Arab countries on electoral and democratic processes and structures is weak. The rise of autonomous election management commissions, electoral law reforms to improve the participation of women (currently only 9% - the world’s lowest rate), and the conduct of competitive and credible elections in a few high profile cases are however positive signs.

International IDEA’s work in the Arab world is focused on improving the quality of the region’s democratic processes through reform, research and policy activities carried out in partnership with national, regional and international actors.

Regional highlights include:

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES

• Publications. International IDEA has produced a range of publications on the Arab world covering topics such as political parties, electoral reform, women’s political participation and the assessment of democracy at the national and local levels. A number of these publications has been translated into Arabic See list of publications
• Databases and Networks. International IDEA’s global databases and networks contain comparative information on a wide variety of topics such as elections, political parties, quotas for women and voter turnout.
• Political Parties Research: The recent electoral successes of Islamist movements in the Arab region have stimulated a debate on the possible integration of such movements into reform processes. In order to promote a better understanding of the role of political parties and especially faith-based political parties in the Arab region, International IDEA is working on research and case studies on the role and attitude of these parties towards political reform and democracy.

ASSISTANCE TO DEMOCRATIC REFORM

• Assessing the State of Local Democracy. International IDEA’s State of Local Democracy assessment methodology, which results feed into a reform agenda, has been used successfully in Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Yemen.
• Electoral training. International IDEA works to increase the professionalism and competency of election administrators in the Arab world through the provision of BRIDGE capacity-building training programmes, a curriculum specifically developed to meet the professional development needs of election administrators.
• Electoral network. The Arab region is the only region globally that does not have a regional association of Election Management Bodies. International IDEA is working with the League of Arab States to establish the Arab Election Administrators Forum.
• Democracy and gender. Women are particularly under-represented in political decision making in the Arab region. International IDEA promotes debate on electoral and political party reform and provides strategies for increasing the number and effectiveness of women in politics.