IRI Around the World | International Republican Institute https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/ Advancing Democracy Worldwide Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:32:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://www.iri.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/cropped-favicon-1.png?w=32 IRI Around the World | International Republican Institute https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/ 32 32 198538408 Korea https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/asia-pacific/korea/ Tue, 21 Dec 2021 21:32:08 +0000 https://www.iri.org/?post_type=country&p=11755 Since IRI cannot work in closed North Korea, its work focuses on building the intellectual, social, and emotional competencies of North Korea’s youth defectors to determine priority issues and develop potential future leaders. IRI operates on the premise that participating in South Korea’s vibrant political and civic life is the best preparation for serving as leaders of tomorrow’s democratic North or a unified Korea.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

To support young democratic leaders with the necessary skills to promote North Korean human rights, IRI Korea provides skills training and experiential learning opportunities to North Korean defectors and South Korean youth. Local youth groups serve as IRI Korea’s primary collaborators in developing and running awareness raising campaigns on North Korean human rights in South Korea. 

IRI Korea provides training on topics ranging from social media outreach to research and policy writing to public speaking.  These workshops equip young people with the skills they need to lead awareness campaigns.  This outreach includes social media campaigns highlighting North Korean human rights violations and concrete steps for civic engagement. IRI’s work includes a series of townhalls on university campuses on international human rights, and seed grants for student groups to use music, comedy nights, and art exhibitions to raise attention about the plight of the North Korean people.

IRI Korea is currently working on its fourth set of youth empowerment programs. In the first three iterations IRI provided opportunities for Korean youth to create small grant projects to shed light on and advocate for North Korean human rights.

Beyond our work with Korean youth, IRI Korea supports the North Korean defector civic community seeking to improve access to information in North Korea. For more information on this project, reach out to korea@iri.org.

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]]> 11755 Caribbean https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/latin-america-and-the-caribbean/caribbean/ Tue, 21 Dec 2021 17:02:46 +0000 https://www.iri.org/?post_type=country&p=11685 IRI is increasing youth leaders’ political participation and strengthening government accountability in the Caribbean by equipping youth with the capacity to develop and communicate policy solutions, as well as journalists with skills to carry out rigorous investigations on corruption.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

Since 2021, IRI has worked to bolster the engagement of young leaders from Belize, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago by preparing them with the skills to develop policy solutions that address their community needs. IRI created the Caribbean Youth Democracy Lab, which provides space for young leaders to advocate for policy solutions.

The Caribbean Youth Democracy Lab trains youth on good governance, marginalized communities’ inclusion, leadership styles in the public sector, and analysis of the social and economic impact of public policies, among other skills. Youth leaders are provided the opportunity to present substantive policy proposals that address issues of concern to local and national officials, private sector organizations, and to participate in a regional exchange to share experiences and collaborate in cross-country initiatives.

Through training, mentoring, and exchange activities, IRI also strengthens the capacity of journalists and media outlets in the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and the Cayman Islands to produce high-quality investigative pieces exposing corruption. IRI is helping to develop a transnational network of journalists and justice sector actors who will support one another to increase government accountability. IRI supports dialogues and exchanges among justice sector actors and journalists to increase their awareness of the relevant information produced by each group, with the goal of encouraging engagement to improve investigations.

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]]> 11685 Europe https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/europe/ Wed, 08 Dec 2021 18:56:54 +0000 https://www.iri.org/?post_type=country&p=8670 Since the collapse of communism in Europe in the 1990s, democracy has seen mixed results, at best, in Southeastern Europe. Democracies in the region are still confronted with many challenges, including a rapidly shifting array of political parties, worrying upticks in malign foreign influence, and rising levels of youth emigration.

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regionEurope

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

In an IRI regional poll conducted in 2020, a majority of citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia indicated that they believed that their country was either a “flawed democracy” or not one at all, underscoring the need for stronger democracy support. 

IRI’s assistance comes in a variety of forms and plays a critical role throughout the region, with eight field offices providing support to political, governmental, and non-governmental actors as they respond to new challenges. Traditionally, in Europe, IRI has worked to strengthen political parties, with IRI experts helping party leaders and candidates run effective, citizen-responsive campaigns. Though this is still a cornerstone of programming in the region, IRI has expanded its work, building partnerships with trusted leaders in civil society, providing expert support to government agencies and civil servants to strengthen transparency and counter corruption, and increasing its investment in promising young leaders across the region.

Some examples of this new approach include IRI’s role in creating a documentary on interethnic reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, supporting the development of North Macedonia’s first ever Open Finance Portal, putting in place anti-corruption programs in Albania and Bulgaria, and establishing the region’s premier political leadership academy. As domestic and foreign actors challenge democracy in the region, IRI will continue its work building resilient democratic institutions capable of delivering meaningful change for the citizens of Southeastern Europe.

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Programs

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Western Balkans Task Force

IRI’s Western Balkans regional program focuses on countering malign foreign influence and extremism, including extreme ethnonationalism and the rise of the far right, in the region. Since its inception in 2016, the Task Force has developed into a key forum for regional discussions among pro-democratic actors and policy makers who seek to improve the region’s democratic future.

Countries

Albania

Since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Albania has made enormous strides in transitioning from dictatorship to democracy,…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

IRI is working in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to promote a multi-party political system that is responsive to citizens’ needs…

Anti-Corruption Protest In Bulgaria

Bulgaria

IRI is focusing most of its work in Bulgaria on fighting political corruption. IRI’s programming in the country is aimed…

Kosovo

Though Kosovo has a dynamic political scene, the country’s political parties still need support in their efforts to respond to…

Individuals presenting poster

Montenegro

IRI is supporting meaningful youth participation in politics by working with key governing and opposition parties to strengthen Montenegrin party…

North Macedonia Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Follow IRI Briefing on Citizens Local Needs and Issues

North Macedonia

North Macedonia, a parliamentary republic, celebrated three decades of independence and multi-party democracy in 2021. The country has been a…

Serbian Protest

Serbia

IRI is working to improve party responsiveness to citizens’ needs by promoting political competition, pluralism, and a democratic culture. Specifically,…

A large group in Turkey gathers outside

Turkey

IRI is promoting political competition by helping political leaders with policy development and advocacy, and by cultivating a new generation…

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]]> 8670 Global https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/global/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:48 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/global/ The post Global appeared first on International Republican Institute.

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]]> 593 Montenegro https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/europe/montenegro/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:48 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/transatlantic/montenegro/ IRI is supporting meaningful youth participation in politics by working with key governing and opposition parties to strengthen Montenegrin party youth wings and better incorporate young people’s priorities into parties’ policy processes. By building the capacity of rising youth political leaders, IRI can better prepare them to contribute as responsible leaders in Montenegro’s democratic development.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

IRI is taking a two-pronged approach to the role of youth in Montenegro’s politics. First, IRI is working with political parties’ youth wings to improve constituent outreach, policy development, and strategic planning. The planning work prepares the youth wings to keep learning and developing strategies beyond the length of the program. IRI also works with program participants to share their constituent outreach plans with their senior leadership to demonstrate how youth wings can improve their party’s electoral performance. The primary purpose of this work is to strengthen political parties’ youth wings’ infrastructure and increase their engagement with party leadership to advance their priorities in Montenegro. 

Second, IRI is working with promising young leaders to strengthen their core political skills. Through a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), IRI established an Advanced Leadership in Politics Institute (ALPI) branch in Montenegro in 2019, the second of now four branches in the Western Balkans. ALPI’s main goal is to build the capacity of rising young political leaders so they can advance common policy interests across party lines and contribute to Montenegro’s democratic development.   

ALPI is a year-long training program that provides upcoming young political leaders with skills and topical knowledge training, as well as opportunities to work across party lines to put into practice what they have learned. IRI is continuing this successful approach with a new cohort of participants, using ALPI Montenegro alumni as mentors. IRI is holding modules that incorporate recent political events, areas of interest to new ALPI members, and the results of IRI’s public opinion research as topical areas of knowledge.  

To help participants use their new skills and ideas in their political work, party youth and ALPI members are writing position papers that offer solutions to specific democratic challenges in Montenegro. They will also present their policies to their party leadership, to demonstrate their improved skills and knowledge and highlight their value to the party. 

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]]> 592 Bulgaria https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/europe/bulgaria/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:48 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/transatlantic/bulgaria/ IRI is focusing most of its work in Bulgaria on fighting political corruption. IRI’s programming in the country is aimed at combatting corrupt practices that weaken Bulgaria’s ability to deliver for its citizens.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index consistently ranks Bulgaria as the most corrupt EU member state. Though municipal corruption generally receives less media attention than national corruption scandals, it is a profound and constant concern for the country. The most recent comprehensive assessment of municipal corruption comes via Transparency International–Bulgaria’s 2017 Local Integrity System Index, which found a lack of transparency and the flouting of ethical guidelines and anticorruption mechanisms in key local government bodies such as mayors’ offices and municipal councils. Few civil society organizations or journalists are able to hold municipal governments accountable for corruption. Municipal corruption has undermined city governments, resulting in cases of massive, and wasteful, government spending and the perception among local businesspeople that corruption is endemic.

IRI is using analysis to run a municipal anticorruption program designed to provide a detailed understanding of where specific vulnerabilities lie. The program also aims to build a consensus among government and non-government leaders on recognizing those vulnerabilities. IRI will then push for political will for reform among municipal and national political leaders. This will be accomplished by publishing IRI’s Vulnerabilities to Corruption Assessment (VCA) findings, in hopes of creating public demand for reform and encouraging municipalities to promote virtuous anti-corruption competition. IRI will then conduct public opinion polling and help with town halls, in order to convey demand for change. IRI will use its relationships with political leaders to convene an anti-corruption conference. IRI will also support peer-to-peer learning, including linking Bulgarian officials with their counterparts in other EU member states. Finally, IRI will join municipal working groups, comprised of both government and non-government leaders, to address the VCA findings.  

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]]> 591 Tunisia https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/middle-east-and-north-africa/tunisia/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:47 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/middle-east-and-north-africa/tunisia/ IRI has been working with civic and political leaders in Tunisia since the 2011 Revolution, which ended decades of single-party rule in the country. IRI supports Tunisian civil society organizations (CSOs) to encourage meaningful participation in the political process, provides technical training assistance to political parties, and conducts impactful public opinion research.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

IRI promotes democracy in Tunisia by encouraging the meaningful participation of citizens in the political process, building the capacity of CSOs to advocate on behalf of Tunisians, strengthening political parties to make them more responsive to citizen demands, and conducting impactful public opinion research on political trends and issues of citizen concern.

To bolster civic participation, IRI supports innovative Tunisian-led civil society initiatives that provide impactful civic education as well as issue-advocacy campaigns that help lay a foundation for informed and inclusive public engagement. IRI provides individualized assistance on assessed needs such as organizational structure, project and financial management, marketing, outreach, and business development. 

Through its political party programs, IRI provides a range of Tunisian political parties and nascent movements with the tools and expertise to become more representative of, responsive to, and trusted by citizens. Since 2011, IRI has trained numerous party members and leaders through tailored technical assistance, skills-building training, and consultations. 

Underpinning IRI’s programming in Tunisia is extensive qualitative and quantitative public opinion research – national surveys and focus group discussions – that track important social, economic, and political trends and perceptions. Since March 2011, IRI has conducted numerous nationwide public opinion polls and interviews investigating Tunisians’ perceptions of government performance, policy, politics, elections, the economy, and other topical issues. IRI’s research provides valuable insights into public attitudes and priorities to inform decision-making. 

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]]> 571 Syria https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:47 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/ In the midst of an ongoing civil war and an unsuccessful constitutional committee, IRI Syria supports civil society actors in promoting stability, inclusivity, and democratic change at all levels. IRI builds the capacity of Syrian activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, and supports engaging fellow citizens and stakeholders to promote responsive governance, increase political inclusion, and build more resilient communities.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

IRI works in non-regime held areas of Syria to promote more responsive and inclusive governance at the local and regional levels. Alongside a network of local civil society organizations, IRI trains civic actors to hold government accountable through political process monitoring and supporting dialogues to provide space for citizens and local government actors to discuss and collaboratively resolve issues of conflict and community needs. Further, IRI helps prepare citizens to be active participants in government processes through civic and voter education programming.

To promote the participation of all groups in civic life and political processes, IRI works with Syrians in-country and in the diaspora to promote the meaningful inclusion of women and youth. IRI and its partners train women and youth to advocate for their priorities in local government and international negotiations and are supporting women and youth to counter extremist and authoritarian influence through community initiatives and independent media.

Though the peace negotiations in Geneva and the internationally backed constitutional committee have so far failed to produce meaningful results, democratically minded Syrians must remain engaged and not cede the space to undemocratic actors and foreign influence. IRI hopes that civil society actors can link between the constitutional process and ordinary citizens, using the process as a focal point to generate discussion and consensus about Syria’s future. In response, IRI encourages transparency and inclusivity by educating Syrians on constitutional issues, facilitating grassroots dialogue on democratic reform, and advocating to negotiators on local priorities and concerns. Finally, Syrian activists are supported in documenting and exposing human rights violations to ensure that the legacy of these abuses is not forgotten and to lay the groundwork for justice and accountability.

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]]> 570 Libya https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/middle-east-and-north-africa/libya/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:47 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/middle-east-and-north-africa/libya/ In the midst of a challenging political transition, IRI in Libya understands the importance of supporting citizen-centered governance and works to bolster Libya’s democratic potential and empower Libyan citizens. IRI is committed to equipping those in decision-making roles, locally and nationally, with ways to realize the value of the voices of their constituents.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

In Libya, IRI supports community-led activities that improve service delivery, promote accountable governance, and foster stronger links between government institutions and citizens. Through programming initiatives, IRI works to strengthen partner municipalities’ capacity to deliver services and be more responsive to citizens. To accomplish this, priorities include not only working with citizens, civil society organizations, and the private sector to hold decision-making authorities accountable but also supporting national and sub-national decentralization policies, systems, and coordination. IRI operates in and around Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha, and focuses on engaging youth, women, and marginalized beneficiaries in their local communities.

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Corruption = Uprisings

Last month, Transparency International released its 26th annual Corruption Perceptions Index – the leading indicator of public sector corruption across…

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]]> 568 Lebanon https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/middle-east-and-north-africa/lebanon/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:38:47 +0000 https://www.iri.org/country/middle-east-and-north-africa/lebanon/ Corruption deeply plagues Lebanese politics with the same ruling class retaining power, based on sectarian allegiances, since the end of the civil war in 1990. The established political parties have failed to lead Lebanon out of multiple crises which has led to an absence of trust between citizens and their leaders and a ruling class that avoids accountability.

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IRI Around the World

From Ethiopia to Ukraine to Guatemala, in dozens of countries around the world, IRI works to support democracy, political inclusion, multi-party political systems and a free exchange of ideas. 

A man talks into a microphone at a meeting

To encourage accountability and responsive governance, IRI Lebanon supports reform-minded civil society organizations (CSOs) and political parties to offer an alternative vision for Lebanon’s democratic future. 

IRI Lebanon engages both nascent civil society groups and established organizations to cultivate their voices and enhance advocacy efforts in addition to priority issues such as corruption, minority rights, and economic reform. IRI provides guidance and technical support tailored to partners’ identified needs to help strengthen organizational capacity and internal governance and management. Through IRI engagement, independent activists and organizations create networks of similar actors to coordinate and advance their advocacy into sustainable efforts.

IRI promotes issues common across Lebanese communities and seeks to create an environment where opposition political actors can more effectively compete against the establishment. This is accomplished by empowering CSOs to produce widespread issue-based advocacy campaigns on areas such as environmental rights, economic reform, and electricity reform. IRI offers strategic communications trainings, technical assistance, and financial support to broaden the reach of messaging and unify the demands and priorities of civil society at large.

The October 2019 protests in Lebanon birthed a movement of reform-minded political parties which seek to develop platforms and policy solutions tailored to horizontal issues advocated by civil society and Lebanese citizens. IRI’s programs enable these parties to better compete against established political actors by conducting trainings and capacity building sessions to improve organization, communication, and effectiveness while bridging divides between the political class and civil society.

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Can a New President Save Lebanon?

“Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun recently vacated the presidency after six years in office, leaving behind constitutional chaos and a political vacuum at…

Corruption = Uprisings

Last month, Transparency International released its 26th annual Corruption Perceptions Index – the leading indicator of public sector corruption across…

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