democracy international 10th anniversary report

a decade advancing democracyanniversary report

A l f a X P We b S o f t w a re C o m p a n y A m e r i c a n U n i v e r s i t y A s s o c i a t e s i n R u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t A u s t r a l i a n A g e n c y f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t C a r n e g i e E n d o w m e n t f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l P e a c e

C a r r, S w a n s o n & R a n d o l p h C h e c c h i C o n s u l t i n g C h e m o n i c s I n t e r n a t i o n a l C re a t i v e A s s o c i a t e s I n t e r n a t i o n a l C ro w n A g e n t s U S A D e l o i t t e D e v e l o p m e n t A s s o c i a t e s D e v e l o p m e n t

Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n s D e x i s D P K C o n s u l t i n g E a s t - We s t M a n a g e m e n t I n s t i t u t e E l e c t i o n s C a n a d a E l e c t o r a l I n s t i t u t e f o r S u s t a i n a b l e D e m o c r a c y i n A f r i c a F re e d o m H o u s e F u t u re s

G ro u p G e o rg e M a s o n U n i v e r s i t y S c h o o l f o r C o n f l i c t A n a l y s i s a n d R e s o l u t i o n G e o rg e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y G l o b a l B u s i n e s s S o l u t i o n s G R M I n t e r n a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e f o r S u s t a i n a b l e C o m m u n i t i e s

I n t e r n a t i o n a l F o u n d a t i o n f o r E l e c t o r a l S y s t e m s I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e l i e f a n d D e v e l o p m e n t I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e p u b l i c a n I n s t i t u t e I p s o s P u b l i c A f f a i r s J o h n s o n L a w G ro u p L e a g u e o f Wo m e n

Vo t e r s M a n a g e m e n t S y s t e m s I n t e r n a t i o n a l N a t i o n a l C o u r t R e p o r t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n N a t i o n a l D e m o c r a t i c I n s t i t u t e f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l A f f a i r s N e t h e r l a n d s I n s t i t u t e f o r M u l t i p a r t y D e m o c r a c y

N e t h e r l a n d s M i n i s t r y f o r D e v e l o p m e n t C o r p o r a t i o n O p i n i o n D y n a m i c s C o r p o r a t i o n O rg a n i z a t i o n f o r S e c u r i t y a n d C o o p e r a t i o n i n E u ro p e O rg a n i z a t i o n o f A m e r i c a n S t a t e s PA E P a l - Te c h

P ro j e c t o n M i d d l e E a s t D e m o c r a c y P u b l i c I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a w a n d P o l i c y G ro u p Q E D G ro u p R T I I n t e r n a t i o n a l S i b l e y I n t e r n a t i o n a l S o l i d a r i t y C e n t e r S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w Yo r k

C e n t e r f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t S w e d i s h I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t C o r p o r a t i o n A g e n c y Te c h n o l o g i s t s Te t r a t e c h T h e A s i a F o u n d a t i o n T h e C a r t e r C e n t e r T h e U r b a n I n s t i t u t e

U . K . D e p a r t m e n t f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t U n i t e d N a t i o n s D e v e l o p m e n t P ro g r a m m e U n i t e d N a t i o n s E l e c t o r a l A s s i s t a n c e U n i t e d S t a t e s A g e n c y f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t

U n i t e d S t a t e s D e p a r t m e n t o f S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , S a n D i e g o U n i v e r s i t y o f P i t t s b u rg h Wo m e n ’s C a m p a i g n I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo r l d L e a r n i n g X L A s s o c i a t e s Ya l e U n i v e r s i t y











U n i t e d S t a t e s D e p a r t m e n t o f S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , S a n D i e g o U n i v e r s i t y o f P i t t s b u rg h Wo m e n ’s C a m p a i g n I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo r l d L e a r n i n g X L A s s o c i a t e s Ya l e U n i v e r s i t y











“We remain committed to working with courageous and dedicated partners so that they – and we – may contribute to a more just, peaceful, and democratic world.”

A decade ago we launched Democracy International in a seemingly quix-otic effort to advance the theory and practice of international democracy and governance assistance. What began as a consulting practice of “two guys and a computer” has evolved into an organization that has con-ducted more than 130 projects in 70 countries, has mobilized over 500 experts, and currently employs more than 200 staff members around the globe.

Today, Democracy International is a rapidly growing company that re-mains committed to its roots in democracy, human rights, and governance while at the same time pursuing important initiatives in conflict-affected and transitional environments, adapting and piloting new technologies and analytical methods, and promoting clear thinking about how devel-opment assistance can contribute to meaningful political change.

We have benefitted tremendously from the support and cooperation of diverse partners within the international development community, from

the U.S. and elsewhere: funders, democracy organizations, consulting firms, multilateral organizations, and others. We would like to thank in particular the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department for the confidence they have shown in Democracy In-ternational. We are likewise grateful for the advice, cooperation, and op-portunities we have received from many civil society organizations, firms, academic institutions, and individuals, both in the U.S. and around the world. We are proud to be a part of a vibrant global democracy assistance community.

Moreover, in countries across the globe, we have been privileged to work with activists, government officials, politicians, analysts, journalists, and others who have shown their commitment to democracy, development, and peace, often at great personal risk. We are also continually amazed by the extraordinarily talented staff and consultants with whom we have worked over the last decade and who make up Democracy International today. We are proud of the unique, effective, and increasingly influential organization that we have built together over the past decade.

As we mark this important milestone for Democracy International, we also make a commitment to the future. We will strive to influence and improve the next decade of democracy and development assistance. And we re-main committed to working with courageous and dedicated partners so that they – and we – may contribute to a more just, peaceful, and demo-cratic world.

Eric Bjornlund Glenn Cowan

From the Founders

5

ABOUT DI

137projects

10years

Democracy International provides technical assistance, analytical

services, and project implementation for democracy, human

rights, governance, and conflict mitigation programs worldwide.

Since its founding in 2003, DI has worked with civil society

organizations, political parties, election management bodies,

government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions,

and others in 70 countries, including some of the world’s most

challenging environments.

countries70

regional experience

africa asia europe/ eurasia

globallatin america

middle east

2536 39

13168

other

sectoral experience

65

2113

18

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elections & political transitions

governance & accountability

civil society & media

rule of law & human rights

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2003

United StatesDI’S FOUNDINGDemocracy International is incorporated in 2003 and opens its first office on M Street in Washington, DC.

GeorgiaMozambiqueUnited States

active3office1

Mozambique PARALLEL VOTE TABULATIONWorking with The Carter Center, DI designs and advises on parallel vote tabulation conducted by the Electoral Observatory, a Mozambican election monitoring coalition, for municipal elections.

3 4

2004

Bosnia and HerzegovinaGuyanaIndonesiaMozambiquePhilippinesSingaporeUkraineUnited States

United StatesDI MOVES TO K STREETDI moves to 15th and K Streets, NW.

DI WINS DG ANALYTICAL SERVICES IQCUSAID awards DI indefinite quantity contract for Democracy and Governance Analytical Services, which marks the beginning of DI’s extensive analytical work for USAID.

Indonesia ELECTION MONITORING DI works with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center to design and organize a comprehensive election monitoring program for both rounds of Indonesia’s first direct presidential election.

GuyanaELECTION ADVICEWorking with RTI International, DI wins its first USAID subcontract, supporting election reform and election administration.

total9active8office1

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54rapidly collect data and analyze the program’s influence on the human

rights environment. In Nigeria DI combined semi-structured interviews

with a series of roundtable discussions throughout the country to evaluate

a five-year USAID civil society program.

S u r v e y Re s e a r c hDI has become a leading provider of DG survey research, using various

tools to assess public preferences and incorporate its findings into pro-

grams. In Russia—where a restrictive political environment demanded a

sensitive approach—DI surveys in 2011 and 2012 found a deep split in

public views about President Vladimir Putin, election fraud, and Russia’s

posture toward the United States. In Libya DI used computer-assisted tele-

phone interviewing to survey outlying regions and generate an accurate

sample of public opinion. Two comprehensive DI surveys in Afghanistan,

the largest ever conducted in that country, incorporated cognitive testing

and substantial pilot interviews to account for the population’s religious

composition and to mitigate survey bias.

providing ANALYTICAL SERVICES FOR

DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, GOVERNANCE, AND CONFLICT

countries where DI has provided

analytical services

A s s e s s m e n t s & E v a l u a t i o n sDemocracy International has provided strategic guidance for donors and

practitioners through more than 30 country and sector assessments. Our

diagnosis of electoral deficiencies in Afghanistan led directly to a new

USAID initiative for comprehensive electoral reform. In Zimbabwe a DI

assessment of the fragile political landscape informed USAID’s approach

to critical elections. Our assessment of the major challenges to democratic

consolidation in Indonesia helped shape USAID’s local governance and ju-

dicial reform programming. After DI identified poor governance and weak

rule of law as principal obstacles to democratic growth in Albania, the

USAID country mission contracted DI to help craft a strategy to address

those core challenges.

DI’s 40 evaluations have incorporated tested methods and emerging tech-

nologies to produce perceptive findings and useful lessons. To measure

the impact of the observer group Golos in Russia, DI used an experimental

design to compare Golos-observed polling sites to those without domes-

tic monitors, as well as social media analysis and election forensics. In Kyr-

gyzstan DI developed an electronic survey of participants in a Freedom

House human rights initiative—including members of parliament, interna-

tional organization representatives, and local human rights activists—to

Since 2003 DI has conducted nearly 100 analytical proj-ects for USAID and other partners, dealing with elec-tions and political processes, civil society and indepen-dent media, conflict mitigation, human rights, legislative strengthening, local governance, the rule of law, and transparency and accountability.

Country ExperienceAfghanistan, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia,

Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Colom-

bia, Dominica, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador,

El Salvador, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana,

Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo,

Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mo-

rocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Romania, Russia,

Serbia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St.

Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and

Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, West Bank/Gaza, Zimbabweassessments evaluations studies &

designssurveys

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200517

United StatesDI WINS EPP IQCDI wins its second major framework contract from USAID, the Elections and Political Processes IQC.

DI MOVES TO BETHESDADI moves to Montgomery Lane in Bethesda, Maryland, where its main office remains for the next seven years.

Colombia DG ASSESSMENT Using the USAID DG Assessment Frame-work, DI conducts its first formal democ-racy and governance assessment.

Jamaica DG PROGRAM DESIGNDI wins its first Analytical Services task order, to conduct an assessment and design a new program focused on civil society, alternative dispute resolution, justice sector reform, and community policing.

IndonesiaACEH ELECTION ASSISTANCE In the wake of a major peace accord, DI works with election management bodies to support post-conflict democratic elections in the Indonesian province of Aceh.

Albania DG ASSESSMENTDI conducts democracy and governance assessment, which helps USAID to develop a new DG strategy and leads to later analytical and election work in the country.

AlbaniaBosnia and HerzegovinaColombiaGuyanaHaitiIndonesiaJamaicaMacedoniaMalaysiaSri LankaUnited StatesWest Bank / Gaza

total

active12offices2

9 10

142international election observers deployed in 2009 and 2010

29small grants awarded to

21local groups

stantial international attention, the IEC changed

course and scheduled a runoff election. The 2010

parliamentary elections produced similar public

discontent with the management of the electoral

process.

Both elections revealed impediments to dem-

ocratic progress. Electoral and administrative

flaws ranged from inadequate voter registration

to opaque procedures for appointing IEC com-

missioners. The Single Non-Transferable Voting

system, which limits voters to a single vote for

one candidate in a multi-candidate race, weak-

ened political parties and complicated the de-

mocratization process. DI has stressed the need

for comprehensive electoral reform to address

these problems.

E l e c t o r a l Re f o r m & C i v i c A d v o c a c yFollowing the 2010 elections, DI initiated a multi-

year electoral reform project, the Afghanistan

Electoral Reform and Civic Advocacy (AERCA)

program, to promote more responsive and inclu-

sive governance. The program develops influen-

tial local constituencies and facilitates advocacy

for election reform. AERCA has included grants

to civil society organizations to conduct civic ed-

ucation and broaden the public debate, fact-find-

Democracy International began working in Af-

ghanistan before elections in 2009, a critical pe-

riod in the country’s transition. Optimism for a

consolidated democracy had given way to fear

of growing Taliban influence and frustration with

debilitating corruption and poor public service

delivery. This environment threatened the le-

gitimacy of Afghanistan’s nascent democratic

institutions. International actors hoped that the

2009 and 2010 elections, wholly administered

by Afghan institutions, would build confidence in

the democratic process and produce more legit-

imate governance.

O b s e r v i n g 2 0 0 9 a n d 2 010 E l e c t i o n sDI deployed observers to monitor the 2009 and

2010 elections in Afghanistan, providing among

the most extensive international observation

coverage in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the elec-

tions suffered numerous irregularities, technical

errors, and instances of fraud, all of which under-

mined public confidence. In 2009, public pres-

sure forced Afghanistan’s Independent Election

Commission (IEC) to audit the results. DI’s review

of the revised ballot count revealed that votes

for then President Hamid Karzai fell beneath the

50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff. Following

publication of DI’s analysis, which attracted sub-

Top: Member of Parliament participates in DI survey, 2012; Bottom (left to right): 2010 parlia-

mentary elections; 2009 presidential election.

ing missions for Afghan activists and officials to

observe electoral systems abroad, and support

for the Afghanistan Civil Society Elections Net-

work. AERCA also cultivates Afghan-led research

on reform through the expansion of the National

Centre for Policy Research.

2 014 E l e c t i o n s , P o l i t i c a l P a r t i c i p a t i o n , a n d P u b l i c P o l l i n gRecently, the Afghan government has taken

steps toward meaningful electoral reform. The

2013 electoral law—the first such framework to

emerge from a consultative process rather than

a presidential decree—includes a more trans-

parent and representative process for the nom-

ination and appointment of IEC commissioners.

Building upon this momentum, DI has initiated a

program to encourage women’s political partici-

pation during the 2014 election cycle and is con-

ducting nationwide surveys on public attitudes

toward the electoral process and the political en-

vironment. DI remains committed to helping the

Afghan people achieve a representative, trans-

parent, and responsive government.

COUNTRY BRIEF: AFGHANISTANbuilding accountable democratic institutionsjuly 2009 - present

11 12

2006Europe and EurasiaPOLITICAL PARTY ASSISTANCE STUDYFor USAID and the U.S. State Department, DI conducts comprehensive study of political party assistance, including case study research in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, and Serbia.

Sri LankaPOLITICAL PARTIES AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE DI works with The Asia Foundation to engage political parties on local governance reform.

Ukraine LOCAL GOVERNMENT EVALUATION DI evaluates seven USAID-funded local government projects.

Indonesia PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH DI begins four-year project to design, conduct, and analyze nationwide public opinion surveys to gauge support for political reforms and monitor progress toward USAID’s strategic objectives for democratic and decentralized governance.

AlbaniaBosnia and HerzegovinaGeorgiaGuyanaHaitiIndonesiaKyrgyzstanMoldovaRomaniaSerbiaSri LankaUkraineUnited StatesVenezuelaWest Bank / Gaza

total22active15offices2

Haiti ELECTION ADVICE DI advises UN, OAS, and Haitian Central Election Commission on voter registration, election operations, and vote counting procedures.

13 14

2007total

PakistanDOMESTIC ELECTION MONITORINGDI advises domestic election monitoring coalition on voter registration audit and parallel vote tabulation.

Romania CIVIL SOCIETY EVALUATIONDI conducts broad study of civil society programs since 1991, with focus on service providers, civic watchdog organizations, and professional associations.

ArmeniaLEGISLATIVE STRENGTHENING EVALUATION AND PROJECT DESIGNDI evaluates USAID-funded legislative strengthening projects and assists in design of new legislative strengthening program.

Timor-Leste RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROJECTDI opens its first long-term field office and begins highly successful three-year program to help local research organizations to conduct survey research and develop quantitative research skills.

30

AlbaniaArmeniaBangladeshBosnia and HerzegovinaBurundiDemocratic Republic of the CongoEthiopiaGeorgiaGuyanaHong KongIndonesiaKyrgyzstanPakistanRomaniaSerbiaTimor-LesteUkraine United StatesVenezuela

active19offices3

15 16

39O p e r a t i n g i n Fr a g i l e E n v i r o n m e n t sDemocracy International has regularly dealt with the operational and lo-

gistical challenges inherent in fragile, transitioning, and nondemocratic

environments. Since 2009 in Afghanistan, DI has supported civic educa-

tion and implemented advocacy and election observation programming,

including in the southern and eastern regions where violence is endemic.

Following a political crisis that included civic unrest and escalating vio-

lence in Timor-Leste, DI conducted a national program from 2007 to 2010

to develop local capacity to support and conduct data-driven develop-

ment research. In the period of instability following the 2006 elections in

the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DI deployed an expert team to

design a governance and decentralization program, deploying experts to

work in conflict-affected areas across eastern DRC. In Libya’s insecure and

transitioning environment, DI deployed a team in 2013 to analyze quanti-

tative and qualitative research capacity.

C u r b i n g V i o l e n c e a n d C o n f l i c tDI has worked to address and mitigate conflict in every region of the

world. To support conflict mitigation in Indonesia, for example, DI staff

members in Jakarta, Aceh, and Central Sulawesi designed and execut-

ed a comprehensive small grants monitoring and evaluation program for

USAID’s SERASI project beginning in 2008. Likewise, during the past 10

years, DI has worked to combat violence in the Latin America and the

Caribbean region. In 2011 DI conducted a Caribbean Basin Security Initia-

tive juvenile justice assessment, providing USAID with recommendations

to counter youth violence across the region. To mitigate election-related

violence in Haiti, DI provided pre-election advice to the UN, the Organiza-

tion of American States, and the Central Election Commission in advance

of the 2006 presidential and parliamentary elections. Later, in the wake

of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, DI facilitated a post-election

review of elections in 2011. DI is currently implementing a five-year, $75

million program in support of elections and political processes in South

Sudan; conflict mitigation is a core cross-cutting theme.

working in CONFLICT-AFFECTED ENVIRONMENTS

conflict and post-conflict countries

where DI has worked

“In fragile states the international community has a far greater role in determining the legitimacy of elections than it does in more stable transitional or established democracies.”

Eric Bjornlund, Glenn Cowan, and William Gallery, in Derick Brinkerhoff (ed.),

Rebuilding Governance in Post-Conflict Societies and Fragile States (2007)

Over the past 10 years, Democracy International has implement-ed programs in conflict and post-conflict environments world-wide. We have rapidly mobilized short-term projects in moments of crisis in all regions of the world, and we have conducted long-term interventions in environments with entrenched, protracted conflict.

Country ExperienceAfghanistan, Albania, Angola, Armenia, Azerbai-

jan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Burma, Burundi, Colom-

bia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, El

Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia,

Jamaica, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon,

Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Mexico, Mozambique,

Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Serbia,

South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Ven-

ezuela, West Bank/Gaza, Zimbabwe

Phot

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, Djib

outi

2010

17 18

2008

Colombia HUMAN RIGHTS EVALUATIONDI evaluates U.S. efforts to promote human rights and strengthen justice for vulnerable populations.

NigeriaCIVIL SOCIETY EVALUATION DI evaluates the Advocacy, Awareness and Civic Empowerment (ADVANCE) program.

Kosovo CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA EVALUATIONS DI evaluates USAID civil society and media programs, the first of seven evaluations in Kosovo over the next three years.

PakistanELECTION OBSERVATION On extremely short notice, and in the face of substantial political, logistical, and security challenges, DI organizes large-scale U.S. mission to observe high-profile national parliamentary elections.

IndonesiaM&E FOR SERASI PROJECTWorking with International Relief and Development, DI designs and executes comprehensive, long-term monitoring and evaluation program for USAID’s SERASI conflict-mitigation project in Aceh, Central Sulawasi, Moluku, and Papua.

AngolaColombiaDemocratic Republic of the CongoGhanaGuyanaIndonesiaKosovoLiberiaNigeriaPakistanRomaniaTimor-LesteUkraineUnited StatesZimbabwe


19 20

50,000+grassroots party leaders and activists participating in DI activities

more than

5,700participants in When Women Win, We All Win campaign

than 50,000 Bangladeshi party activists have

participated in DI activities. DI is also helping to

bridge the gap between the national and local

party structures by working directly with nation-

al leaders to develop new tools and approach-

es, including web-based systems for managing

and increasing local participation, and foster-

ing the next generation of leaders through DI’s

wide-ranging, multi-party fellowship program.

E m p o w e r i n g Wo m e n i n P o l i t i c sThe Representation of the People Order Act of

2009, requiring that women make up at least

33 percent of party committees by 2020, has

opened up space for internal party reform. Build-

ing on this opportunity, DI has opened seven

Women and Youth Centers throughout the coun-

try and has organized women’s dialogues to de-

velop new networks and advocacy groups. DI has

also launched a nationwide campaign, Narir Joye

Shobar Joy (When Women Win, We All Win), to

increase support and advocacy for women’s po-

litical leadership. The campaign is developing a

network of highly qualified women candidates

across Bangladesh to serve as potential party

nominees for upcoming elections. Many of these

In the four decades since its independence, Ban-

gladesh has struggled to cultivate political par-

ties that respond to citizen demands. The inter-

nal functioning of most parties is deeply rooted

in a political culture that seems to value dynastic

leadership and is highly polarized along the lines

of historical loyalties. As a result, parties rarely

encourage participation or input from their ranks

and fail to interact meaningfully with constituents

between elections. Moreover, women and youth

remain chronically underrepresented in political

parties and government institutions. With few

incentives for responsive politics, major parties

have neither addressed the country’s many de-

velopmental challenges nor fully consolidated

fragile democratic gains.

To address these issues, Democracy Internation-

al is working to promote greater internal party

democracy and grassroots involvement. The

Democratic Participation and Reform program

encourages broader participation among polit-

ical party members and potential candidates—

especially by women and youth—to improve

the environment for more responsive politics. DI

has developed a nationwide network for mobi-

lizing grassroots political participation, and more

Top: Narir Joye Shobar Joy campaign launch; Bottom (left to right): Comilla City Corpo-

ration election 2012; Developing Young Leaders Fellows

women are pursuing leadership positions within

parties as well. The campaign has provided train-

ing and networking opportunities for more than

3,400 women and has helped place more than

1,000 new women on party committees.

S u r v e y Re s e a r c hTo help create incentives for political parties to

be more responsive to their constituents, includ-

ing women, youth, and local activists, DI works to

demonstrate the political benefit of public opin-

ion research and sophisticated policy analysis to

national party leaders. As part of this effort, in

March 2013 DI conducted a national research

conference, the first of its kind, with more than

200 local and national political party leaders,

think tank and research firm representatives, jour-

nalists, and civil society leaders. DI also sponsors

statistically based election observation to help

inform debate about election processes in Ban-

gladesh.

COUNTRY BRIEF: BANGLADESHsupporting responsive & inclusive politicsapril 2011 - present

21 22

2009total

Central America and MexicoRULE OF LAW STUDYDI conducts comprehensive review of USAID’s rule of law programs in Mexico and Central America, with field work in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.

EcuadorPARALLEL VOTE TABULATION ADVICEDI advises USAID on support for parallel vote tabulation conducted for April 2009 elections.

Albania SUPPORT TO ELECTION COMMISSIONDI works with Central Election Commission on preparations for national elections.

41

AfghanistanAlbaniaAngolaColombiaEcuadorEl SalvadorGeorgiaGuatemalaHaitiIndonesiaKosovoMexicoNigeriaTimor-LesteUnited StatesZimbabwe

active16offices3

Afghanistan PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONSDI conducts comprehensive election observation project for presidential election, the largest U.S. mission. On October 19, DI’s analysis of election results points out the need for a runoff and garners substantial international attention.

New York Times map of fraudulent votes, citing DI: nyti.ms/i8y0I

23 24

2010

Bosnia and HerzegovinaEVALUATION OF GOVERNANCE ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT DI evaluates local governance program for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Netherlands Ministry for Development Cooperation, and USAID.

Afghanistan PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONSAs part of a comprehensive election monitoring project, DI deploys 80 international observers throughout Afghanistan, the largest and most widely deployed international mission.

SudanADVICE ON ELECTION MONITORINGWorking with The Carter Center, DI advises civil society organizations on domestic election monitoring, including vote count verification.

Bolivia ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE EVALUATIONDI evaluates U.S. assistance to justice sector institutions in Bolivia.

MoroccoEVALUATION OF POLITICAL PARTY PROJECTSDI conducts evaluation of 17 political party assistance projects funded by USAID, the U.S. State Department, and the National Endowment for Democracy.

AfghanistanAngolaBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaDjiboutiIndonesiaKosovoMoldovaMoroccoPanamaSudanTanzaniaTimor-LesteUnited States


25 26

16E l e c t i o n I n n o v a t i o n & S m a r t Re f o r mDI has been a pioneer in using innovative tools and approaches for elec-

tion monitoring and assistance. In addition to parallel vote tabulation—a

system developed in the 1980s by DI co-founder Glenn Cowan that has

become a widespread and powerful check on electoral fraud—DI has ad-

opted new technologies to build more comprehensive monitoring net-

works and strengthen civic education. In 2012, DI launched a regional

initiative in the Middle East to develop open-source data platforms and

crowdsourcing tools for local citizens to improve and expand election

transparency and oversight. In El Salvador DI built an online voting simu-

lator for citizens to learn about the new ballot design and voting process

before the 2012 elections.

DI has regularly pushed for smart political reforms to increase opportunities

for meaningful participation and competition around the world. Together

with local civil society or political party partners in Afghanistan, Bangla-

desh, El Salvador, Indonesia, and South Sudan, DI has implemented ini-

tiatives to re-design political processes in a way that strengthens political

parties, encourages broader citizen engagement, and generates higher

levels of public accountability for elected officials. Following observation

missions for 2009 and 2010 elections in Afghanistan, DI initiated a multi-

year project to generate domestic support for electoral reform through

civic education, fact-finding missions for local activists and officials, and

start-up support for the Afghanistan Civil Society Elections Network, a

broad coalition of pro-reform advocates.

strengtheningELECTIONS AND POLITICAL PROCESSES

parallel vote tabulations supported

awarded for election projects

S u p p o r t i n g & O b s e r v i n g E l e c t i o n sDemocracy International has become a leading implementer of technical

projects to improve the efficiency and integrity of electoral procedures in

countries around the world. Ahead of the important 2012 elections in El

Salvador, DI provided technical assistance to the Supreme Election Tribu-

nal on strategic planning, voter education, electoral operations, and the

design and management of IT systems for transmitting results. In Albania

DI supported the Central Election Commission in advance of 2009 na-

tional elections by training election officials, conducting voter education,

and designing monitoring and reporting systems. In Indonesia after the

2004 tsunami and the subsequent peace accord in the contested prov-

ince of Aceh, a DI team partnered with the national and Aceh election

commissions to prepare new regulations, train officials, register internally

displaced persons, and organize the province’s critical post-conflict elec-

tions in 2006.

DI has implemented election observation projects in conflict-affected and

transitioning environments including in Afghanistan, Albania, Bangla-

desh, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in Paki-

stan, DI deployed a team of international observers around the country

to monitor the critical 2008 elections. DI also organized comprehensive

observation missions for the 2009 and 2010 elections in Afghanistan, cov-

ering all regions of the country, including particularly sensitive and remote

provinces.

Founded to improve the quality and integrity of elections and democratic institutions, Democracy International has worked to improve elections and political processes in more than a dozen countries. Since 2003 our focus has expanded from small-scale technical assistance to large-scale election management, ob-servation, and support programs.

Country ExperienceAfghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Belarus,

Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia,

Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indo-

nesia, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Mon-

tenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Pakistan,

the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Serbia,

South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia,

Ukraine, Venezuela, and West Bank/Gaza$130+million

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27 28

2011

Afghanistan ELECTORAL REFORM AND CIVIC ADVOCACY PROJECTBuilding on its work on election observation and electoral reform in 2009-10, DI initiates the Afghanistan Electoral Reform & Civic Advocacy (AERCA) Project, which seeks to facilitate Afghan-led electoral reform process.

Ghana DG ASSESSMENTUsing the newly revised DG Strategic Assessment Framework, DI conducts its 12th formal democracy and governance assessment for USAID.

EL SalvadorELECTION ASSISTANCETo support critical election reforms, DI launches major assistance program for the Supreme Electoral Tribunal—including technical assistance to election officials on communications and transmission and reporting of results—and works with civil society organizations on voter education programs.

HaitiLOCAL GOVERNANCE EVALUATIONDI evaluates local governance program, focused on transparent local governance and improved local service delivery.

RussiaPUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH AND IMPACT EVALUATION IN RUSSIADI conducts four public opinion surveys relating to parliamentary and presidential elections. Separately, DI carries out impact evaluation of selected U.S. government-funded electoral and political processes programs.

BangladeshPOLITICAL PARTIES IN BANGLADESHDI launches five-year Democratic Participation and Reform project, a USAID-funded political party development program focused on inclusion of women and youth, use of survey research, and the environment for responsive politics.

AfghanistanAlbaniaAntigua and BarbudaAzerbaijanBangladeshCameroonDjiboutiDominicaEgyptEl SalvadorGhanaGrenadaGuyanaHaitiIndiaIndonesiaJamaicaKosovoMexicoMontenegroNew ZealandRussiaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSerbiaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSudanTimor-LesteTrinidad and TobagoUganda


29 30

Following a bitter civil war that began in 1979 and left more

than 70,000 dead and missing, a peace accord in 1992 pro-

vided for peaceful elections and a multi-party system in El

Salvador. The country held four presidential elections be-

tween 1992 and 2009, but all were marred by fraud, intimi-

dation, and violence. Moreover, by 2009 many of the polit-

ical and electoral reforms outlined in the 1992 accord had

yet to be implemented, inhibiting genuine political compe-

tition. But in 2009 the first post-conflict transfer of power

opened the door for meaningful changes to the country’s

political institutions and the realization of these long-await-

ed reforms.

Democracy International began its USAID-funded program

in El Salvador in 2011, in preparation for the 2012 legisla-

tive elections that would feature two substantial electoral

reforms. The first reform followed the Salvadoran Supreme

Court’s 2009 decision that allowed voters to choose can-

didates directly instead of voting only for a single political

party list. The second reform dramatically expanded the

number of polling stations to increase accessibility for vot-

ers. A DI nationwide poll in advance of the 2012 elections,

however, revealed extremely low levels of public knowledge

about these changes. To address this need, DI partnered

with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and domestic civ-

il society organizations to design and deliver a nationwide

civic and voter education campaign.

C i v i c a n d Vo t e r E d u c a t i o n C a m p a i g nIn the months leading up to the elections, DI worked with

14 Salvadoran NGOs to increase public awareness of the

electoral reforms. The far-reaching campaign’s slogan was

“Elige, Vota, Exige” (“Elect, Vote, Demand”). DI’s program

targeted vulnerable groups and included innovative voter

education materials, media broadcasts, cultural events, and

workshop sessions throughout the country. To raise aware-

ness about redesigned ballots and to reduce confusion on

election day, DI created electronic and physical simulators

that gave voters an opportunity to learn how to cast ballots.

All of these efforts contributed to an election where, de-

spite dramatic changes to voting procedures, voter turnout

increased and ballot errors decreased compared to previ-

ous elections.

C a m p a i g n F i n a n c e Re f o r mIn response to lack of transparency about campaign fund-

raising, DI conducted workshops addressing campaign fi-

nance with 126 local NGOs. This effort led to a civil soci-

ety-backed draft campaign finance law. DI also worked with

the TSE on proposed campaign finance regulations. These

efforts generated substantial attention from Salvadoran me-

dia, analysts, NGOs, and government representatives. In

February 2013, the Legislative Assembly passed a law reg-

ulating public and private financing of electoral campaigns.

40%

more than

130c i v i l s o c i e t y p a r t n e r s s t r e n g t h e n e d

COUNTRY BRIEF: EL SALVADOR“elige, vota, exige”september 2011 - october 2012

population reached by DI

voter education campaign

“[DI played] an extraordinary role in the advancement and development of democracy in our country.”

Eugenio Chicas, President, Supreme

Electoral Tribunal, at the Fourth Latin

America Conference on Electoral Justice, September 3, 2013

Top: Voter education campaign; Bottom (left to right): Voting sim-ulator; Election Day

31 32

2012

SerbiaEVALUATION OF MEDIA ASSISTANCE PROJECTDI examines effectiveness of assistance to traditional and new media.

United StatesDI WINS IQC FOR TRANSITIONAL INITIATIVESUSAID’s Office of Transitional Initiatives awards DI the Support That Augments Rapid Transition (START) IQC.

UkraineRULE OF LAW EVALUATIONDI conducts its sixth analytical project in Ukraine, an evaluation of USAID’s Access to Justice and Legal Empowerment Project.

Middle East and Nor th AfricaELECTION MONITORING INNOVATIONWith funding from the State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), DI opens office in Tunisia to partner with organizations in the region on piloting new technologies and approaches to domestic election monitoring.

KyrgyzstanHUMAN RIGHTS EVALUATIONDI evaluates Strengthening Human Rights Program to help guide future human rights, civic advocacy, and judicial reform programming.

AfghanistanBangladeshEgyptEl SalvadorGeorgiaGhanaHaitiKyrgyzstanLebanonRussiaSerbiaTunisiaUkraine


33 34

2013

United StatesDI MOVES HOME OFFICEIn January DI moves to new offices at 7600 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda.

DI WINS RULE OF LAW AND PEACE CONTRACTSUSAID awards DI IQCs for Rule of Law and Programming Effectively Against Conflict and Extremism (PEACE).

Ghana and LiberiaANALYZING FEEDBACK LOOPSDI initiates year-long effort, with fieldwork in Ghana and Liberia, to analyze “feedback loops” that strengthen democratic accountability in countries receiving government-to-government assistance.

Middle East and Nor th Africa#ELECTECH (UN)CONFERENCEDI brings together more than 100 participants from 43 organizations— including election monitoring and other civil society groups and technology development firms from across the Middle East and North Africa—to discuss innovative ways to mobilize citizens and use technology to safeguard elections.

SURVEY RESEARCHBuilding on work beginning in 2011, DI conducts opinion research in Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia on public attitudes about democracy to inform programming in the region.

South SudanUSAID AWARDS DI MAJOR PROGRAMUSAID awards DI Systems to Uphold the Credibility and Constitutionality of Elections in South Sudan (SUCCESS), a five-year program to support constitutional reform and democratic elections and political processes.

total70

AfghanistanAlbaniaAzerbaijanBangladeshBurmaEgyptGhanaJordanKenyaLebanonLiberiaLibyaMoroccoSerbiaSouth AfricaSouth SudanTanzaniaTunisiaUkraine

active19offices5

Latin America and the CaribbeanANALYTICAL SUPPORT FOR YOUTH CRIME AND VIOLENCE PREVENTIONDI launches multi-year program to provide analytical support services for efforts to address and prevent youth crime and violence in Central America—including Mexico—and the Caribbean.

43

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“We are committed to influencing and improving democracy, human rights, and governance in the next decade. We will

continue to pursue important initiatives in conflict-affected and transitional environments, pilot new technologies and analytical

methods, and provide clear thinking about how development assistance can contribute to meaningful political change.”

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