Post-Election Work
An effectively functioning legislature is of central importance to democratic accountability. Therefore, ongoing legislative strengthening projects conducted by reputable and professional NGOs are of tremendous signifigance and the Global Democracy Initiative (GDI) members can be a highly effective asset to such programming. GDI members conduct workshops for newly elected parliamentarians in an “ I’ve walked in your shoes ” manner.
Team in Aceh, Indonesia
Former legislators can focus on the mechanics of running an independent legislative branch, ranging from establishing a productive committee system to ensuring the transparency of the legislative process.
- GDI can assemble former legislator delegations with in-depth experience in a multitude of parliamentary systems;
- adds credibility to the project by sending an international delegation representing many different political convictions;
- and its members are willing and able to participate in long-term projects which require lengthy stays in-country
Conducting an election in a free and fair manner is merely one component of a representative democracy. To promote long- term acceptance of democratic principles, GDI members engage in democracy building projects world-wide and work on missions which reach beyond the legislative branch.
These programs focus on gender equality, voter and civic education, respecting human rights, and strengthening the multiparty process. Given our vast pool of skilled human resources we can offer, our international delegations can collaborate with international NGOs on a multitude of projects.
An IEMI team of former legislators traveled to Aceh, Indonesia’s second poorest province, less than two years after the deadly tsunami had devastated the region. The mission consisted of helping a dozen political parties (established or emerging, local or national) improve their organizational skills in order to become competitive in the next election. Over four days of sessions, the team covered such themes as organization, political identity, and positioning and solidification of a political party in a well-defined context.
The goal of the training sessions was to help the representatives of each party in their efforts to better plan the organization of the next election. By sharing their experiences, the IEMI team was able to assist in the parties’ quest for short-term and long-term goals, as well as in identifying their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities.