Democracy News - July 19, 2005
The WMD's DemocracyNews
Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy - www.wmd.org
July 2005
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CONTENTS
SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARIAT OF THE WORLD MOVEMENT
FOR DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS
1. 68 Burmese Refugees Detained in Malaysia
2. Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition Calls for Investigation of Reported Torture and
Mistreatment in the Federal Prisons in Nigeria
3. Venezuelan Court Orders Trial of Civil Society Leaders
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
4. New Publication on the Role of Nonviolence in Singaporean Political Struggle
5. Master of Arts Program in Sustainable Development with Intensive Year-long
Practicum in Sri Lanka
6. Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships
7. Serbian and Montenegrin NGOs Commemorate Anniversary of Bosnian Deportations
8. Grant Opportunity for Scholars in the Study of Democracy in Latin America
9. Internship Opportunity in Baku, Azerbaijan
10. National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Honors Afghan Activists with 2005
Democracy Award
11. New Publication: PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
12. Fellowship Opportunity for South Asian Professionals and Scholars
13. New Publication: "Choosing to Engage: Armed Groups and Peace Processes"
ELECTIONS
14. Electoral System Design: The New IDEA Handbook
HUMAN RIGHTS
15. "Measuring Human Rights" ”Training in Kampala, Uganda, July 18-22, 2005
16. Civil Society Leaders Urge Democracies to Lead UN Human Rights Reform
INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
17. International Symposium on Local E-Democracy, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, July 26-27, 2005
18. The APC Betinho Communication Prize Accepts Applications from Groups in Latin America and the Caribbean
19. Online Publication: MEDIA MONITORING NEWSLETTER February Issue
POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
20. Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) Launches Publication on Globalization
RULE OF LAW
21. Bulgarian Center for the Study of Democracy Launches the National Crime
Prevention Commission
TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
22. CIPE Feature Service Article: Practical Approaches to Anti-Corruption Reform in Russia
WOMEN'S ISSUES
23. WLP's Africa Leadership Institute Participants Take on New Leadership Roles in Sierra Leone
24. Proceedings of WLP Symposium on Gender Violence in Muslim Societies Now Available Online
25. 2005 International Women's Rights Prize Honors Work in Burma and Thailand
26. Meeting on "Empowering Women in Public Life and Democratic Development in the Broader Middle East/ North Africa (BMENA) Region"
27. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS AND
INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE
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SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARIAT OF THE WORLD MOVEMENT
FOR DEMOCRACY
We wish to inform you about a change here at the Secretariat at NED. Our Project Coordinator, Ms. Rachel Boyle, has left the staff to return to graduate school at the University of Chicago to pursue a degree in Social Service Administration with an emphasis on immigrant refugee issues. Rachel has made many invaluable contributions to the work of the World Movement, not least of which was her tireless work on local preparations for the Third Assembly in Durban in February 2004, and her work as our liaison to participants in the Latin America/Caribbean region. We will greatly miss her dedication to the mission of the World Movement, and, of course, her friendship, collegiality, and positive spirit. It has been a great pleasure to work with her, and we wish her all the best in her studies and future work. Her last day was July 15.
We are pleased to tell you, however, that Mr. Leo Shinohara has joined our staff as Rachel's replacement as Project Coordinator, and we look forward very much to working with him. Leo recently obtained an MA in Law & Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Originally from Brazil, he has an extensive background in event organization and Latin American issues, a combination of knowledge and skills that we believe will serve us quite well. We welcome him to the staff of the World Movement Secretariat.
DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS
1. 68 Burmese Refugees Detained in Malaysia
On July 7, 2005, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) issued an alert on the situation of 68 Burmese refugees detained on June 16, 2005 for demonstrating peacefully in front of the Burmese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The protesters had gathered to call for democracy in Burma and show their support for Aung San Suu Kyi, who was to celebrate her 60th birthday on June 19. The detained, including four asylum seekers in possession of "temporary protection" letters from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and two 17-year olds, were charged for illegal assembly, failure to obey orders by the police, and for other offences under the Immigration Act. If convicted, these refugees face imprisonment (up to five years), high fines, and caning with up to six strokes of the rattan. The AHRC considers this case a violation of the rights to assembly and asylum, and calls on its colleagues throughout the world to send letters of appeal demanding an immediate release of all 68 refugees.
For sample letters and more information, go to: http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1162/
2. Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition Calls for Investigation of Reported Torture and Mistreatment in the Federal Prisons in Nigeria
On June 24, 2005, the Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NCSC) issued a statement calling for an immediate reaction from the Nigerian Federal Government regarding reports that prisoners at the Federal Government prison in Port Harcourt are being tortured in an attempt to extract information about the recent jail break that occurred on Friday, June 17, 2005. The NCSC, whose membership is drawn from human rights, environment, women, and community-based civil society organizations, urges the government to treat these reports seriously and to ensure that the matter is immediately investigated. It calls for an immediate release of information on the status of prisoners, including those injured and killed, and requests access to the prisons for outside observers so that the allegations can be openly investigated.
For further details, contact: anyakwee@yahoo.com
3. Venezuelan Court Orders Trial of Civil Society Leaders
On July 7, 2005, a court in Caracas, Venezuela ordered that
Maria Corina Machado and Alejandro Plaz be tried on treason charges brought by a public prosecutor because their nongovernmental organization, Súmate, accepted foreign funds for a program that encouraged citizen participation in a referendum on President Hugo Chavez's presidency in 2004. Two other Súmate leaders, Luis Enrique Palacios and Ricardo Estévez, will also be tried on charges of complicity with this alleged crime. The Human Rights Watch issued a statement regarding the court decision which stipulates that "in ordering the trial of four civil society leaders on dubious charges of treason, a Venezuelan court has assented to government persecution of political opponents."
For more details, go to www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/07/08/venezu11299.htm
or contact Americas@hrw.org
For more information and background on the case, go to: www.wmd.org/alert/july1504.html
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
4. New Publication on the Role of Nonviolence in Singaporean Political Struggle
Dr. Chee Soon Juan, the Secretary General of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party
and the Chairman of the Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA), has written a new book, entitled THE POWER OF COURAGE: EFFECTING POLITICAL CHANGE IN SINGAPORE THROUGH NONVIOLENCE. The book explains to readers the concept and philosophy of nonviolent action and why it is important in Singapore. The book was launched on July 9, 2005, at a peaceful gathering in Singapore. However, the speakers and organizers of the book launch were harassed by the police.
Go to: www.singaporedemocrat.org/
5. Master of Arts Program in Sustainable Development with Intensive Year-long Practicum in Sri Lanka
The School for International Training (SIT), in collaboration with Sri Lankan development organization, Sarvodaya, provides a 12-month Master of Arts Program in Sustainable Development. This intensive program will combine the SIT curriculum with an intensive practicum experience in Sri Lanka. The program will run from January to December 2006. The prospective students who will benefit and contribute most to this program are working professionals in early- to mid-career in development, government, non-profit, and humanitarian fields; those with sensitivity to working in an intercultural context; and those capable of living and working in difficult conditions. The application deadline for this program is November 15, 2005.
Go to: www.sit.edu/graduate/srilanka/
6. Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships
The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the Washington, DC-based National Endowment for Democracy welcomes applications from candidates throughout the world for fellowships in 2006-2007. Established in 2001, the program enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change. The program is intended primarily to support activists, practitioners, and scholars from new and aspiring democracies; distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Projects may focus on the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural aspects of democratic development and may include a range of methodologies and approaches. A working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program. The application deadline for fellowships in 2006-2007 is Tuesday, November 1, 2005.
For more information, including the application, go to: www.ned.org/forum/reagan-fascell.html or email: fellowships@ned.org.
7. Serbian and Montenegrin NGOs Commemorate Anniversary of Bosnian Deportations
The first public commemoration of the 1992 deportation of Bosnian refugees from Montenegro was held in Podgorica, Montenegro, on May 30, 2005. The event was organized by the Belgrade-based Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) and the Group for Changes, Podgorica. The organizers promoted a book by Ĺ eki Radoncic titled KOBNA SLOBODA as a special tribute to the memory of the victims and their dignity. They also asked the Montenegrin Government and Parliament to declare May 30 as a day of remembrance in Montenegro of the 1992 deportation of the Bosnian refugees who were later killed in Republika Srpska.
Go to: www.hlc.org.yu
8. Grant Opportunity for Scholars in the Study of Democracy in Latin America
The Latin American Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Ford Foundation announced a competition for Junior Post-Doctoral Scholars in the Study of Democracy in Latin America. This grant does not anticipate residence in the Woodrow Wilson Center. Grantees may continue residence at their home institutions or in any other location. Eight grants of US$10,000 will be awarded for studies of democracy in Latin America that deal with one or more of the following subjects: citizenship and rights; poverty and inequality; reforms of the state; representation and accountability; local governance; and the international context - the effect it has on Latin American democracies. Citizens of any country in the hemisphere -- Canada, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean-- are eligible to apply. Applicants must have received their PhD within five years from the date the competition closes. In very exceptional cases, applicants from Latin America who have not completed formal doctoral studies will be considered if they are in an equivalent stage of their academic careers. Application deadline is September 30, 2005.
Go to: www.wilsoncenter.org/lap
9. Internship Opportunity in Baku, Azerbaijan
The Center for Political and Economic Reforms (Reform-Center), based in Baku
(Azerbaijan), is accepting applications for an internship position. The intern is expected to assist the organization in its public relations and fundraising activities. The intern will write and submit proposals, contact various international donor agencies, and assist the center in developing its fundraising strategy. The Reform-Center works to promote democracy and institutional reforms in Azerbaijan. The three-month long internship will start on September 1, 2005. Applications are due by July 29, 2005.
For more information about the internship and to apply, contact reform.center@azeri.com
10. National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Honors Afghan Activists with 2005 Democracy Award
On July 13, 2005, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) honored three democry activists from Afghanistan with its 2005 Democracy Award. The Democracy Award is given annually by the National Endowment for Democracy's Board of Directors to recognize the courageous and creative work of individuals and organizations that have advanced the cause of human rights and democracy around the world. The recipients of the 2005 Democracy Award are: Ms. Sakena Yacoobi, the founder and president of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), a leading Afghan women's organization focused on providing more than 350,000 Afghan women and children with education, health care and human rights training, both inside Afghanistan and in refugee camps in Pakistan; Mr. Mohammad Nasib, the director of the Welfare Association for Development of Afghanistan (WADAN), an NGO working to advance the spread of democratic principles and strengthen local governance by training a network of more than 1000 Maliks (key local power brokers) in the concepts and practices of human rights and democracy; and Mr. Sarwar Hussaini, the chairman and director of the Cooperation Center for Afghanistan (CCA), a well established NGO working to promote citizen participation and democratic institutions in Afghanistan by empowering women and strengthening democratic practices in traditional institutions.
Go to: www.ned.org/
11. New Publication: PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES, edited by Morton H. Halperin (OSI Director of U.S. Advocacy and Executive Director of the Open Society Policy Center), and Mirna Galic (National Security Analyst at the Center for American Progress), is a comprehensive guide to preventing and responding to threats to democracies. The first chapter of the book is available online.
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/washington/articles_publications/publications/protecting_20050613
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
12. Fellowship Opportunity for South Asian Professionals and Scholars
Women in Security, Conflict Management, and Peace (WISCOMP), an initiative of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility established by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, invites applications from South Asian professionals and scholars under the age of 45 for its Scholar of Peace Fellowships awarded for academic research, media projects, and other special projects. WISCOMP seeks to promote an inclusive, gender sensitive discourse on issues related to peace and security in South Asia. This year the fellowship program will focus on the intersection of gender and issues such as human security, multi-track peace initiatives, regional cooperation, and human rights within the fields of peacebuilding and conflict transformation. The fellowships cover a period ranging from three months to one year. The deadline for applications is August 12, 2005.
For more information on the fellowship and the application form, go to: http://www.furhhdl.org/wiscomp/html/Brochure_Summer05-06.pdf
To learn more about the Foundation for Universial Responsibility and the Women in Security, Conflict Management, and Peace (WISCOMP), go to: www.furhhdl.org
13. New Publication: "Choosing to Engage: Armed Groups and Peace Processes"
The latest publication of the Conciliation Resources’ Accord series makes the case for a policy shift towards more committed dialogue with armed groups and other non-state actors to end violent conflicts and strengthen the rule of law. The issue offers lessons and insights emerging from the engagement of armed groups in peace processes. The project has focused on armed groups operating primarily within state borders that use violence to challenge or reform the structures of political and economic power. Criminal organizations and international terrorist networks such as al-Qaeda are outside the primary focus of this issue. The term 'engagement' refers to initiatives by either the warring parties or intermediaries to explore, enable, or sustain opportunities for contact with or between the parties. Conciliation Resources (CR) works to prevent violence, promote justice and transform conflict into opportunities for development. Its 2004 annual report was released in June and is available online.
To access the latest issue of Accord as well as previous issues, go to: www.c-r.org/accord/series.shtml
For the Conciliation Resources 2004 Annual Report, go to: www.c-r.org/
ELECTIONS
14. Electoral System Design: The New IDEA Handbook
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) recently published the revised English edition of its handbook on "Electoral System Design." The handbook describes the factors to consider when modifying or designing an electoral system. It provides simple explanations and the pros and cons of the electoral systems in use in more than 200 countries. Other topics include a categorization of electoral systems and an analysis of measures to promote the representation of women and minorities. The book draws on 18 case studies from Brazil, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Mexico, New Zealand, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, the British Columbia Citizens’ Assembly for Electoral Reform, and the European Parliament.
For more information, visit www.idea.int/esd
HUMAN RIGHTS
15. "Measuring Human Rights" ”Training in Kampala, Uganda, July 18-22, 2005
The Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, based in Kampala, Uganda, is convening a five-day training for human rights NGOs in Uganda on July 18-22, 2005. The training will enhance the capacity of the participating NGOs to collect, verify, organize, and report high quality information in order to make credible claims and effectively advocate for improved respect for human rights in Uganda. Training sessions will include: introduction to human rights information management; qualitative approaches and skills to human rights interviewing and research; strategies on how to collect the and verify sources of information; introduction to accurately quantifying human rights violations; introduction to data security and the Martus Human Rights Bulletin System (www.martus.org) for secure data storage and management; discussions and strategy for advocacy and awareness-raising; and networking and joint work among NGOs.
For information, contact: fhri@starcom.co.ug or fhri@spacenet.co.ug or go to: www.fhri.or.org
16. Civil Society Leaders Urge Democracies to Lead UN Human Rights Reform
A group of leaders of human rights and pro-democracy organizations from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas is calling on the world's democracies to spearhead efforts to fundamentally reform the United Nations, especially its human rights mechanisms. In a letter to the UN Democracy Caucus, the group urged governments to ensure that the UN General Assembly enact UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s proposal for replacing the widely discredited UN Commission on Human Rights with a smaller Human Rights Council composed of rights protectors, not abusers. Such an elevated body would meet
year-round, instead of the current six weeks, and be charged with tackling the most urgent human rights violations by UN member states. Signers of the letter call for universal scrutiny of all UN member states' human rights records, including those who are elected to sit on the Human Rights Council; a transparent voting process; and increased funding for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The letter also urges the Democracy Caucus to support establishment of a new Democracy Fund at the United Nations to assist countries committed to strengthening democratic institutions
around the world.
For full text of the letter, go to: www.democracycaucus.net/html/appea.html
INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
17. International Symposium on Local E-Democracy, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, July 26-27, 2005
The conference will explore leading e-democracy trends around the world and will cover a broad range of issues and perspectives relevant to all levels of governance with an emphasis on local communities. Plenary panel themes include: Informed Elections--From e-voting to voter education online; e-Government and Democracy--Leading e-democracy practices in governance and civic education; Local Citizens and Community Online-- citizen e-activism, local blogging, and media online; and e-Democracy at Home and Abroad-- Researchers Roundtable. Everyone interested in governance and citizen
participation in the information age is welcome to attend.
Go to: www.dowire.org/wiki/International_Symposium_on_Local_E-Democracy
18. The APC Betinho Communication Prize Accepts Applications from Groups in Latin
America and the Caribbean The 2005 Betinho Communication Prize of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) will recognized the community initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean that use the Internet and other Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to access markets, skills, and opportunities to derive real economic benefits. Civil society organizations, community-based groups, networks, and social movements anywhere in Latin America and the Caribbean are eligible for the prize, which recognizes and documents outstanding examples of how the Internet can make a real difference for the world's communities today. The $7,500 USD prize commemorates the inspirational life and work of Herbet de Souza (Betinho), a visionary Brazilian social activist. The APC works with non-governmental organizations, activists, and social movements to facilitate their work through the use of information and communication technologies. Deadline for nominations and applications for the prize is October 16, 2005.
Go to: www.apc.org/english/betinho or write to betinho@apc.org
19. Online Publication: MEDIA MONITORING NEWSLETTER February Issue
Memo 98, based in Bratislava, Slovakia, has recently issued the latest (June 2005) issue of MEMO-MEDIA MONITORING NEWSLETTER. The newsletter includes information on the deteriorating media situation in Belarus; interview with Olexander Chackmishev, the head of Equal Access Foundation, co-head of Ukranian Monitor, prominent media watchdog, and the deputy-head of Kiev's Institute of Journalism; report on media monitoring in Kazakhstan; recent media developments in Serbia; report on the case of Georgiy Gongadze, Ukrainian journalist who was murdered in 2000. MEMO 98 documents and disseminates information about media violations in Central and Eastern Europe and New Independent States. In Slovakia, MEMO serves as a watchdog and as an advocate for media reform, and it monitors and disseminates information on media's depiction of minorities as it strives to promote tolerance among both media and the public in Slovakia. MEMO also shares its skills and experiences in monitoring with its counterparts in Belarus, Serbia, Montenegro, Ukraine, and other countries in the region.
Go to: http://www.memo98.sk/en/index.php?sm4=on&base=data/newsletter/10
POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
20. Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) Launches Publication on Globalization
Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) recently launched a publication on globalization, "Debating Globalization: Youth Perspectives on the International Economic and Social Order." It is a compilation of selected articles from an international competition among youth who have expressed their voices on the global world order.
For more information, go to: http://france.youthlink.org/fr/publication.htm
RULE OF LAW
21. Bulgarian Center for the Study of Democracy Launches the National Crime Prevention Commission
On 17 June, 2005, the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, Bulgaria, launched National Crime Prevention Commission. The Commission, which brings together public institutions and nongovernmental organizations, will meet the need for wider community participation in tackling crime. Its task will be to identify crime trends and find effective remedies to the proliferation of crime in everyday life. The Commission will give priority to improving coordination between all stakeholders, developing new prevention initiatives, raising public awareness about crime and crime prevention, and engaging in advocacy campaigns to alleviate the negative impact of crime on community life.
Go to: www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=6109
TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
22. CIPE Feature Service Article: "Practical Approaches to Anti-Corruption Reform in Russia"
The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) recently published the latest article in its Economic Reform Feature Service, "Practical Approaches to Anti-Corruption Reform in Russia." In his interview with CIPE, President of the Russian INDEM Foundation, Georgi Satarov, discusses the current state of corruption in Russia and some of the strategies that INDEM has undertaken to combat this important problem. Instead of considering corruption to be solely a criminal problem, INDEM focuses on the underlying institutional causes of corrupt behavior in both the public and private sectors.
For this and other Economic Feature Service articles, go to:
www.cipe.org/publications/fs/index_date.htm
WOMEN'S ISSUES
23. WLP's Africa Leadership Institute Participants Take on New Leadership Roles in Sierra Leone
Three months after the completion of the Women's Learning Partnerships(WLP) Africa Regional Learning Institute for Women's Leadership, two participants from Sierra Leone were appointed to major national leadership positions. Daphne Olu-Williams, Coordinator of African Kind Hearts Organization, was appointed Chairperson for the West African Civil Society Forum - Sierra Leone Chapter. Ms. Williams will incorporate the participatory leadership methodology of the Institute in her future work. Christiana Thorpe, founding member of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Sierra Leone Chapter, was appointed Commissioner of the National Electoral Commission. Ms. Thorpe is the first woman to hold this position.
For more information on WLP's Africa Institute go to:
http://www.learningpartnership.org/events/2005/05africainst.phtml
24. Proceedings of WLP Symposium on Gender Violence in Muslim Societies Now Available Online
The proceedings of a recent symposium on "Leading to Change: Eliminating Violence against Women in Muslim Societies" are now available online. The symposium, organized by the Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) and held in conjunction with the United Nation's 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, provided a forum for women activists from primarily Muslim-majority countries to discuss their experiences in facing challenges and creating effective strategies to eliminate violence against women. It was also an opportunity for sharing and reviewing international governmental and nongovernmental action plans, programs, and campaigns. Among the speakers were Yakin Ertürk, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Noeleen Heyzer, Director of UNIFEM, and Hilary Fisher, Director of the "Stop Violence Against Women" campaign, Amnesty International. WLP serves as the Secretariat of the World Movement's International Women’s Democracy Network.
Go to: www.learningpartnership.org/events/2005/vawsympreport.pdf
25. 2005 International Women's Rights Prize Honors Work in Burma and Thailand
The Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN), which runs community-based programs for refugee women and children who have fled the civil war in Burma’s Shan State, and the Women's League of Burma, an association of eleven women’s groups that SWAN helped to establish, have been selected to receive the 2005 Women's Rights Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation. The Shan Women's Action Network is a World Movement participating organization.
http://petergruberfoundation.org/Women%27s20Rights/women_frameset.htm
26. Meeting on "Empowering Women in Public Life and Democratic Development in the Broader Middle East/ North Africa (BMENA) Region"
On June 20-21, 2005, the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) held the first issue-focused meeting of the Democracy Assistance Dialogue. The symposium, entitled "Empowering Women in Public Life and Democratic Development in the BMENA region," focused on the role of women in promoting reforms and modernization in the Broader Middle East and North Africa Region. More than 120 civil society representatives and official representatives from 23 countries took part in the meeting. Three panel sessions focused on Women, Political Participation, and Democracy; Women, Violence, and Democracy; and Women, Socio-Economic Life, and Democracy. The plenary session focused on the future of the women's movement in the region. The Democracy Assistance Dialogue is an initiative that brings together
democracy foundations, civil society groups, and governments from the G-8, the Broader Middle East region, and other countries to promote and strengthen democratic institutions, and to initiate, coordinate and share information on democracy programs.
Go to: www.tesev.org.tr/eng/events/Symposium_Report_Final.doc
27. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE
* Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) www.ahrchk.net/index.php
* Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) www.cipe.org
* Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria) www.csd.bg/
* Chee Soon Juan, Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA) www.asiademocracy.org/
* Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (Uganda) www.fhri.or.ug/back.htm
* Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) www.hlc.org.yu/english/index.php
* International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) www.idea.int/
* Memo 98 www.memo98.sk/en/
* National Endowment for Democracy www.ned.org
* Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN) www.shanwomen.org/
* Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) www.tesev.org.tr/eng/
* Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) - www.learningpartnership.org/
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The WMD's DemocracyNews
Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy - www.wmd.org
