The Winners of the 2010 Manatt Democracy Award Have Been Announced

August 31, 2010

Representative David Obey (D-WI), former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator M. Peter McPherson, and Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ziad Baroud are the winners of the 2010 annual IFES Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards. The awards, which recognize extraordinary efforts to advance electoral participation and democratic values, are given yearly to a Republican, a Democrat and a member of the international community to highlight the fact that democracy work transcends political parties and national borders.

Democracy Assistance, Civil Society, Elections

A Senior Democratic U.S. Congressman, a Life-long Republican Public Servant, and Prominent Lebanese Civil Rights Activist Receive Award for Championing Democracy

August 31, 2010

Representative David Obey (D-WI), former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator M. Peter McPherson, and Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ziad Baroud are the winners of the 2010 annual IFES Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards.

Democracy Assistance, Civil Society

Pondering Georgia’s Future While in Tbilisi

August 30, 2010

I arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia in late July to assist the staff in transitioning the office from one project to another, a mission I was only too pleased to undertake, as it meant the continuation of our important work in the country. This new agreement in large measure due to the staff’s hard work and dedication to IFES and to democracy in Georgia.

Democracy Assistance, Civil Society

Focus on Lebanon | Lobby Training Manual

August 2010

Lobbying is a critical component of the democratic process. The essence of representative government is that policymakers should be representing the needs of their constituencies when they pass laws.

Gender Issues, Civil Society, Election Law, Election Management, Elections

Guinea’s Foreign Affairs Minister Visits IFES

August 10, 2010

Foreign Affairs Minister Bakary Fofana visited IFES’s headquarters on August 10, 2010. Minister Fofana, in Washington on an official visit, met with IFES staff on what he called an emotional reunion with long-time colleagues.

Elections, Democracy Assistance, Civil Society

Rwanda Goes to the Polls

August 09, 2010

Rwanda is holding presidential elections on August 9, 2010. It is generally believed that the current president Paul Kagame will win the poll. Almami Cyllah, IFES regional director, comments:

Elections, Civil Society, Democracy Assistance

Kenya’s Referendum on the Adoption of a New Constitution

August 03, 2010

On Wednesday, August 4, Kenya will hold a referendum on the adoption of a new Constitution. This process marks the first time Kenya reviews its Constitution since it gained independence in 1963. Almami Cyllah, IFES regional director for Africa, comments on Kenya's step forward.

Constitutional Law, Democracy Assistance, Governance, Elections, Civil Society

President Barack Obama's Town Hall Meeting on Young sub-Saharan African Leaders

August 03, 2010

President Barack Obama is leading a town hall meeting at the White House with 115 young leaders from more than 40 sub-Saharan African countries on August 3. Almami Cyllah, IFES regional director for Africa, comments on the importance of the meeting.

Democracy Assistance, Governance, Civil Society, Civic Education, Education

Collaborating with Visionaries to Improve the Status of Women in Morocco

July 29, 2010

In June, I traveled to Morocco with the Status of Women in the Middle East and North Africa (SWMENA) project team. SWMENA is an innovative, regional project that uses scientific surveys to gather data on various aspects of women’s status, and then use this data  —as well as tools to maximize its use—to assist local NGOs in conducting advocacy campaigns to improve the status of women in their countries.

Civic Education, Civil Society

Celebrating 20 Years of Increased Political Access Through the ADA

July 26, 2010

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is a clear, consistent and enforceable national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities, was passed into law twenty years ago on July 26, 1990. The ADA had a powerful effect in the United States that also reverberated around the world.

People with Disabilities, Civil Society, Elections, Electoral Systems