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What's Being Done On . . . Using Advocacy to Achieve Democratic Reform?
This section provides examples of organizations and projects that take the needs and problems of the people directly to the government, particularly the legislative branch, and proposing concrete legislation for democratic reform. The organizations and projects listed below bring citizens together with parliamentarians and other officials to advocate for democratic reform and raise awareness of a particular issue in their respective countries. Association Central Asia - Uzbekistan Contact: www.harakat.net/ Association Central Asia is a nongovernmental group consisting of exiles from Central Asia committed to advocating for democratic reforms across the region. Currently, the Uzbek government is refusing to register opposition parties for the December 2004 parliamentary election. In response, Association Central Asia is assisting citizens in ten regions of Uzbekistan to form groups to promote legislation allowing nomination of opposition candidates. Association Central Asia will also monitor the implementation of the proposed legislation. China Labor Bulletin- China www.china-labour.org.hk/iso/index.adp The China Labor Bulletin (CLB) promotes independent, democratic union organizing, and works to protect labor rights and standards in mainland China. CLB supports laborers through a number of modes, including an open forum for laborers to discuss their demands and opinions on labor and economic issues. Community Revitalization through Democratic Action - Serbia www.adf.org.yu The Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) is a civil society program that focuses on community development activities to build trust among different ethnic and religious groups, to demonstrate the value of citizen participation, to support grassroots democratic action, and to bring immediate improvement in people's living conditions in communities. CRDA helps the local community plan and manage local initiatives by engaging in dialogue with local government authorities through public meetings and the use of numerous workshops and subcommittees. Ghana Center for Democratic Development- Ghana Contact: www.cddghana.org/ The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD) is a nonprofit think-tank and policy advocacy organization based in Accra, Ghana. CDD is dedicated to promoting society and government based upon the rule of law, checks of power on the state, integrity in public administration, and a free multi-party democratic state. CDD is conducting a public education and advocacy program designed to raise public awareness and promote policy and legislative reform, particularly with the relationship between the Ghanaian government and the state-owned enterprises throughout Ghana. CDD is taking the official steps to reform the state-owned enterprises by introducing a Public Directors Accountability Act, which encompasses the principles of transparency, accountability, direct liability, and fiduciary obligation to the state-owned enterprise sector. Ultimately, CDD aims to institutionalize good governance in Ghana and a check on the use of taxpayers' money. Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor - China (Hong Kong) Contact: www.hkhrm.org.hk/english/ The Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, a membership NGO, uses three main inter-related activities in its work to strengthen civil liberties protection and work for the establishment of fully democratic institutions in Hong Kong. Coalition-building and public rallies: The Monitor has taken a leading role in coordinating the activities of the Civil Human Rights Front, the broad coalition of more than 40 Hong Kong groups, which was responsible for the unprecedented turnout of more than 500,000 pro-democracy demonstrators at marches on July 1, 2003 and again a year later on July 1, 2004. The marchers made clear their opposition to proposed anti-sedition legislation that would diminish civil rights in Hong Kong, their support of civil rights and freedoms, and their demands for further democratization, especially direct election of the chief executive and the entire local legislature. Research and publicity: The Monitor also publishes frequent reports on necessary reforms in government policies and institutions, publicized via press conferences and articles for the local media. The Monitor also maintains pressure on the Hong Kong government to live up to international standards with the preparation and presentation of reports before UN monitoring bodies. Human rights and democracy education: Finally, the Monitor helps maintain public pressure for respect for civil rights with public education programs, including programs for schools, conferences, a leadership camp for youth, voter education and mobilization efforts, film screenings, and traveling educational exhibits. Parliamentary Advocacy Forum - Uganda www.ndi.org/worldwide/safrica/safrica.asp In Uganda, the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO) is working with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) to advocate for good governance and a strong legislature. PAFO, a caucus that brings together members of parliament from different political parties in an effort to strengthen the legislature, gathers information on parliamentary initiatives aimed at electoral and legislative reform. Through this project, NDI and PAFO seek to increase the capacity of existing parliamentary issue caucuses to address constitutional, electoral, and political changes required to hold competitive multiparty elections. In addition, NDI is conducting a series of meetings with members of parliament to assess the status of existing parliamentary initiatives aimed at electoral and legislative reform. NDI will then facilitate two roundtables for members of parliament to discuss issues of electoral reform, the role and status of political parties, funding for political parties, and a constitutional amendment on presidential term limits. Proyecto Varela (Varela Project)- Cuba www.cubaproyectovarela.org In May 2001, Cuban democracy activists delivered to their National Assembly a petition containing 11,020 signatures calling for open elections, freedom of speech, freedom for political prisoners and free enterprise. Known as the Proyecto Varela, the effort draws upon a provision in the Cuban Constitution that enables citizens to introduce legislative initiatives when accompanied by at least 10,000 signatures. Proyecto, working with the National Democratic Institute for International Affiars (NDI), seeks to build international support for the effort. As a tool for the international campaign, it created a Web site to provide information about the activities of its supporters, and developments within the island. Proyecto hopes to host, on the Web site, more than 20,000 signatures to the petition to afford the signatories additional protection. Youth Human Rights Group - Kyrgyzstan www.yhrg.elcat.kg/index.htm Contact: youth@elcat.kg The Youth Human Rights Group (YHRG) is an independent, nongovernmental, nonprofit organization working to lobby for children's rights and educational reform. YHRG has been working to change Kyrgyz attitudes by focusing on young people and highlighting their role in promoting democracy within society. Currently, the YHRG is running a civic education program to defend young people's rights in Kyrgyzstan. The program consists of a wide range of educational activities, including research; monitoring of detention facilities for youth; provision of pro bono legal consultations; classes for secondary school students; training for teachers; and seminars for students in regional colleges and universities. About "What's Being Done On . . . " For three months at a time, we highlight the activities of various organizations in different global regions, and links to important resources, that are focused on a particular theme or area of democracy work. Each new theme is announced via DemocracyNews, and the information from the previous installment is placed in the archives below. We hope to receive and post information about the work you or others may be doing that is focused on these issues. Send information via e-mail to the or by fax to (202) 378-9889. |
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