Panel III: The Role of Women in Democratic Reform

In this panel, core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy explain their approaches to programming with women.

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) works to strengthen democracy through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. As such, some examples of CIPE’s programs with women include Tashabos, an entrepreneurship training programs for school girls in Afghanistan; programs in Zimbabwe to strengthen women’s business associations; and advocacy efforts with the National Association of Business Women of Malawi. CIPE’s programs generally target those groups who are underrepresented in policymaking and as such CIPE's programs impact women.

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) provides an online resource, www.iknowpolitics.org, for aspiring women politicians and legislators. Through this interactive network, women can share experiences, access resources and advisory services, and collaborate on issues of interest.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) facilitates the Women’s Democracy Network (WDN) for networking and training among women in countries that have recently transitioned to democracy. IRI has used WDN to help train newly elected women legislators in South Sudan.

The Solidarity Center works with women in three ways: 1) helping labor organizations that work in women-dominated industries; 2) looking after women workers’ rights in the informal economy; and 3) advocacy in the economic sphere to provide a gateway for greater political rights for women.

Local partners should ultimately drive programs. That determines whether or not the programs will focus specifically on women or whether they will seek to incorporate women into other program activities. An emphasis on local actors is important for strengthening democratic governance.