Editorial:
Elections are no quick fix in post-conflict countries
By Vidar Helgesen, Secretary-General
The stakes in first post-conflict elections are high. Recent developments in Africa such as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Sierra Leone have proven that elections need to be seen as one link in the fragile chain of events that allow a country to emerge from years of conflict and pave the way towards peace and “sustainable stability”. Read more
Focus:
Sustaining Democracy in Africa: Quality is the new story
It’s official. The debate has moved on. South African deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said it openly in her opening address to the International Conference on Sustaining Africa's Democratic Momentum, which ran from March 5th-7th at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, that Africa's democratic coming of age is old news. The new story, said Mlambo-Ngcuka, is the quality of this democracy. Read more
Sudan: Strengthening political parties
Since 2006, International IDEA and partners have been engaged in a programme in Sudan that seeks to assist in developing and strengthening political parties so they perform as effective actors of democratization and good governance. The Institute has also recently opened a Sudan Project office in Khartoum. Read more
Other International IDEA news:
Preparing for elections in Armenia
The parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia on 12 May 2007 will be an important indicator of democratic progress. Between 19 February and 2 March 2007, International IDEA and the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) in Armenia trained 29 people in Yerevan to become professional and ethical trainers in electoral administration. Read more
Funding of politics in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic
Eighty regional political leaders and representatives from electoral bodies participated in a seminar on "Funding of politics in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic" in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 1-2 March 2007. Read more
International IDEA and the OAS cooperate on democracy in the Americas
International IDEA and the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) signed an agreement on 22 February 2007, in Washington DC, to foster representative democracy in the Western Hemisphere and to cooperate with OAS Member States in strengthening their democratic institutions. Read more
New Virtual Network Unites Women in Politics Around the Globe
The first virtual network linking women in politics throughout the world was launched on 27 February 2007 at the United Nations: the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics). Read more
Elections - Still a Hot Topic in Mexico
Within months of the tumultuous July 2006 presidential elections that put Felipe Calderón in office - amid accusations of electoral fraud which saw the defeated candidate proclaim himself the legitimate president of the country - a seminar jointly organized by International IDEA and the Law Research Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (IIJ) examined the legal framework of elections in Mexico. Read more
Bolivians learn from South African experience
A mission to Bolivia by members of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) to Bolivia on 1-6 February 2007, sponsored by the UNDP/International IDEA programme for strengthening democracy in the Andean country, ended with a pledge for more in-depth sharing of ideas and experiences between the two countries. Read more
International IDEA at the Global Electoral Organization Conference
International IDEA participated at the 2007 Global Electoral Organization (GEO) Conference on 27-29 March 2007 in Washington DC. "Every Vote Counts" was the theme of the conference which was hosted by IFES this year. Read more
New publications:
Based on its extensive "Research and Dialogue with Political Parties” programme, International IDEA has recently published three regional publications:
Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty Democracy
Political Parties in South Asia: The Challenge of Change
Political Parties in Central and Eastern Europe: In Search of Consolidation
New book: democratic dialogue can effect social change
Democratic Dialogue – A Handbook for Practitioners was launched at a seminar in New York on 26 March 2007. The book is the joint product of three international organizations – International IDEA, the United Nations Development Programme, the Organization of American States, as well as the Canadian national development assistance agency (CIDA). Read more
Designing for Equality
Designing for Equality brings together the insights presented in two prior International IDEA publications, Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers (2005) and Electoral System Design: the New International IDEA Handbook (2005), assessing how increased women’s representation can be achieved under different combinations of electoral systems and gender quotas. Read more
La equidad de género desde los gobiernos regionales y locales: Módulo avanzado de formación política (Gender equity in local and regional governments)
A gender equity approach to public policy implies using gender as a tool for analyzing relationships between men and women, identifying inequalities and taking these factors into account in designing policy. This training module provides information to help politicians and policy makers implement a gender approach at the regional and local levels. Read more
Coming up:
International IDEA Democracy Round Table 2007: Democracy and Diversity
International IDEA is holding a Round Table on the theme of Democracy and Diversity in Oslo on 12 June 2007. Among other things, the Democracy Round Table will look at whether democracy can be a tool for developing constructive approaches to the management of human diversity or whether it is rather the other way around - that diversity is in fact a key ingredient in the maintenance of vital, living democracy. The Democracy Round Table is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. More information will follow shortly on www.idea.int Contact: Goran Fejic, Head of International IDEA's Democracy Analysis and Assessment Team
For more news, please check regularly the 'News' section of IDEA's Web site: www.idea.int/news
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Contact information
Editors: Bénédicte Walter, Monika Ericson
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
Strömsborg
SE-103 34 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel.: +46-8 698 37 00
Fax.: +46-8-20 24 22
E-mail: news@idea.int
Web: www.idea.int
