Institute for Democracy & Electoral Assistance
Created in 1995, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), an intergovernmental organization with member states from all continents, has a mandate to support sustainable democracy worldwide. IDEA operates at an interface between those who analyse and monitor trends in democracy and those who engage directly in political reform or act in support of democracy at home and abroad. IDEA works with both new and long-established democracies, helping to develop and strengthen the institutions and culture of democracy. It operates at international, regional and national level, working in partnership with a range of institutions. Member countries are: Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay. Associate Members (organisations) are: Inter-American Institute for Human Rights (IIDH) International Press Institute (IPI) Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) Transparency International IDEA aims to: Assist countries build capacity to develop and strengthen democratic institutions.Provide a forum for dialogue between academics, policy-makers and practitioners around the world.
Synthesize research and field experience, and develop practical tools to help improve democratic processes.Promote transparency, accountability and efficiency in election management.Facilitate in-country democracy assessment, monitoring and promotion by local citizens. IDEA’s current areas of activity include: Democracy building and conflict management – developing the process for building consensus, setting priorities, designing political institutions and constitutions, organising dialogue and decision making, promoting reconciliation and inclusive democracy.Strengthening electoral processes – adapting electoral systems, improving access and turnout, ensuring professional management and independence, building public confidence.Developing political parties as actors in democracy – reviewing external regulation and enforcement, public funding, internal management and democracy, relations with civil society and the public.Political equality and participation, especially of underrepresented groups, including women in politics – identifying ways to build commitment and experience with special measures such as quotas. IDEA uses comparative experience, analysis and extensive dialogue with practitioners to identify examples of good practice and produce tools and guidelines on democracy support. It has regular publications, an expanding web site making IDEA materials freely available, together with a range of data bases. It builds networks of experts, develops training materials and provides strategic advice on issues related to its work programme. IDEA has worked with the international democracy assistance community as well as in-country with local stakeholders in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and more recently in the Arab world and the South Caucasus.
External LinksInstitute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
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