“Like a rising tide lifting all boats, civic education has the potential to create a groundswell for
democracy in countries around the world.”
                        -Margot Wallström, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden and former Minister for Foreign Affairs

A young, non-binary person with a disability echoed these barriers that women face, specifically in their hometown of Canada, in IFES’s new publication In Their Words: A Practical Guide for Engaging Young People in Civic Education. 

“There are threats of violence (especially of a sexual nature), and women are not taken seriously, especially if they are young, due to stereotypes about young women ‘knowing nothing’ in life,” the person said. 

In South Asia, the history and remnants of the caste system continue to affect the lives and participation of those at the bottom of the hierarchy, IFES’s new publication, Political and Electoral Participation of Dalits in South Asia, explores.

Young people and members of marginalized groups around the world face many barriers when trying to participate in electoral and political processes. For democracies to deliver for everyone, their institutions and systems must be inclusive and accessible. 

Use the QR Code to learn more about the youth behind "In Their Words: A Practical Guide to Engaging Young People in Civic Education." 

STRONGER TOGETHER: WOMEN AND MEN UNITE FOR EQUALITY IN ECUADOR

Virginia, Ercilia, and Andoni couldn’t come from more different paths—an interior designer-turned-politician, an Indigenous vice-mayor, and a political consultant—but each led them to participate in an IFES program that promoted the equal participation and political leadership of diverse women and male allyship in Ecuador.  

Throughout the program, they spoke with one another about the culture of gender in politics and how to guarantee true gender equality in elections. They each walked away with a widened perspective on how they can make a difference. 

“I feel fulfilled with a greater focus to analyze a broader context of reality for women,” Ercilia said. 

Read more about “Building Technical Capacity and Public Confidence in Ecuador’s Electoral System.”

WELCOME RICHARD NASH TO IFES

Richard Nash, a governance and anti-corruption expert, is the new head of IFES’s Center for Anti-Corruption and Democratic Trust.  

“Democratic legitimacy is impossible without trust in elections and public institutions. As many governments face declining trust, global democracy faces a crisis,” IFES CEO and President Tony Banbury said. “I am pleased to welcome an anti-corruption and governance expert of Richard’s caliber so that the Center can develop new, innovative transparency and accountability methods to address the global democratic trust deficit.”  

Read the announcement here. 

The Voice is a monthly newsletter from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) that keeps you informed about elections worldwide and how IFES is advancing democracy for a better future. Get this newsletter sent directly to your inbox by subscribing here. 

To stay up to date with the latest news and blog posts from IFES, visit ifes.org. To keep track of upcoming elections, visit IFES’s electionguide.org.