International Republican Institute

ADVANCES DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM. WE LINK PEOPLE WITH THEIR GOVERNMENTS, GUIDE POLITICIANS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO CITIZENS, AND MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

IRAQ: AGAINST A FLOOD OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT IRAQ'S ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND HOW BALLOTS ARE CAST AND COUNTED, IRAQI CITIZENS DISTRUST MANY POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE PROMISED TO DELIVER A BETTER FUTURE. THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS, IRI WORKS WITH COMMITTED CIVIC ORGANIZERS AND DEMOCRACY-FOCUSED CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SEEK TO ENCOURAGE VOTER TURNOUT AND EDUCATE VOTERS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE DEMOCRATIC FRAMEWORK UNDER WHICH THEY LIVE.

OTHER PROGRAMS

VENEZUELA: IRI HAS SUPPORTED DEMOCRATIC ACTORS TO RESPOND TO CITIZEN NEEDS BY ENCOURAGING ISSUE-BASED POLICY DISCUSSIONS, WHILE ENCOURAGING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. WE ENCOURAGE A WIDE RANGE OF CIVIL SOCIETY SECTORS TO IDENTIFY AND ARTICULATE LOCAL ISSUES OF CONCERN AND TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVE PULBIC DIALOGUE. WE ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION MECHANISMS AMONG CIVIL SOCIETY, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND CITIZENS. WE SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF DEMOCRATIC SPACE, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ACCESS TO INDEPENDENT INFORMATION.

NICARAGUA: WHILE NICARAGUA SHARES FEW OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES OF ITS NORTHERN NEIGHBORS, ELECTORAL IRREGULARITIES, CONSTITUTIONAL MANIPULATIONS, AND THE DECLINING CAPACITY OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS TO OPERATE TRANSPARENTLY MARK CHALLENGES TO NICARAGUA'S DEMOCRATIC TRAJECTORY. OUR WORK ENGAGES YOUTH IN CIVIC ACTIVISM, PROMOTES GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES AND INCREASES POLITICAL AND CITIZEN CIVIC AWARENESS. WE HELP CIVIL SOCIETY, MARGINALIZED GROUPS AND POLITICAL PARTIES GAIN SPACE TO INTERACT WITH CITIZENS, ENCOURAGING THEM TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THE COUNTRY'S ELECTORAL PROCESSES AND ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH CITIZEN NEEDS. THROUGH OUR WORK WITH WOMEN AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS, WE ARE HELPING TO ENGAGE CITIZENS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THESE COMMUNITIES. OUR SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NICARAGUAN WOMEN'S COALITION AMONG LOCAL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, IS EQUIPPING THEM WITH LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND TRAINING TO DEVELOP CIVIC INITIATIVES THAT THEY CAN IMPLEMENT DIRECTLY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE ABILITY OF WOMEN LEADERS TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN IMPROVING THEIR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT BY PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RULE OF LAW. OUR WORK WITH INDEPENDENT MEDIA IS HELPING THEM BUILD THE CAPACITY TO IMPROVE CIVIC DISCOURSE AND PROVIDE IMPARTIAL, INFORMATIVE PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING.