DemocracyNews
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POSTING NEWS: We welcome news for posting. Please send an e-mail message to: world@ned.org with the news you would like to post in the body of the message.
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DemocracyNews Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy July 2003
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The World Movement for Democracy is a global network of democrats, including activists, practitioners, academics, policy makers, and funders, who have come together to develop new forms of cooperation to promote the development of democracy.

POSTING NEWS We welcome items to include in DemocracyNews. Please send an e-mail message to world@ned.org with the item you would like to post in the body of the message. Find more information on the World Movement at www.wmd.org.
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CONTENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

1. Democracy Research News
2. Publication: DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: MOVING BEYOND A DIFFICULT LEGACY
3. Publication: EXTENDING THE DEMOCRATIC PEACE
4. Publication: LIBERAL PHILIPPINES
5. Conference: Meeting on Freedom of Religion and Belief, Vienna, July 17-18, 2003
6. CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: Workshops on Islam and Democracy
7. The Center for International Development of the State University of New York Announces New Web Site
8. Survey on State Structure and Governance in Iraq
9. Woodrow Wilson Center's Fellowship Competition Now Accepting Applications
10. Conference: Central Africa: Crises, Reform, and Reconstruction, Dakar, Senegal, October 4-5, 2003
11. NetAid Recognizes Outstanding Online Volunteers
12. Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Fellowships

CIVIC EDUCATION
13. Civic Education Textbook to be Distributed to Schools in Kyrgyzstan

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGHTHENING
14. Sharing Innovative Approaches to Democracy Promotion
15. NGOs Preparing for the Second African Union Conference on Human Rights
16. A New WWW Portal Launched for Belarusian NGOs
17. Partners for CIVICUS Civil Society Index

DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE
18. Report: "Reflections and Practices of Good Government"

ELECTIONS
19. The Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Center Organizes Workshops on Jordanian Elections

HUMAN RIGHTS
20. Democrats around the World Express Concerns about the Arrests of Aung San Suu Kyi and other democrats in Burma
21. Workshop on "Arab Human Rights Movement and the International Events"
22. The Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education Launches a New E-mail List
23. Syrian Human Rights Committee Annual Report 2003

LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE
24. Deepening Citizens' Knowledge of the Legislature in Colombia

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPERESSION
25. Creative Writer's Workshop on Forced Displacement of Population, Darjeeling, India, November 6-10, 2003
26. Conference on Media: Highway Africa, South Africa, September 8-10, 2003
27. International Database on Censorship Available Online
28. Regional Forum on the Information Society for the Middle East, West and Central

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
29. Association for Arab Youth Reports on its Activities

RULE OF LAW
30. Database on International Laws Launched

TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
31. Anti-Corruption Education Manual Issued in Bulgaria
32. South African Corruption Briefing Launched

WOMEN'S ISSUES
33. New Database on Electoral Quotas for Women
34. African Women's Leadership Institute Holds East Africa Meeting
35. Seminar on Multicultural Harmony in the European Union

36. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

______________________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

1. Democracy Research News

The Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI) released the June 2003 issue of its quarterly newsletter. The newsletter contains information on the activities and publications produced by NDRI member institutes. NDRI, a netowork of the World Movement for Democracy, is a membership association of institutions that conduct and publish research on democracy and democratic development.

Go to: www.wmd.org/ndri/ndri-newsletter.html

2. Publication: DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: MOVING BEYOND A DIFFICULT LEGACY

The Democracy and Governance research unit of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) of South Africa recently published a book, DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: MOVING BEYOND A DIFFICULT LEGACY, by Roger Southall. The author examines the political and socio-economic factors that contribute to and constrain democratization throughout South Africa and the African continent. The emphasis is on the impact of government policies, business, and civil society on inequality, poverty reduction, and community empowerment. The book raises issues of community empowerment as a way of promoting local, national and regional sustainable development on the African continent.

Go to: www.hsrcpublishers.co.za/index.html?occ_papers.html~content

3. Publication: EXTENDING THE DEMOCRATIC PEACE

World Without War announces a new publication, EXTENDING THE DEMOCRATIC PEACE: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE IDEAS, STRATEGIES, AND ACTIONS THAT CAN HELP END WAR, by Robert Woito. The book offers strategies for achieving an extended democratic peace, which, according to the author, requires nurturing and sacrifice. Among other things, the author urges cooperation among democracies, assistance to states in transition to democracy, support for the civil and political rights of activists fighting for democracy in totalitarian countries, and the development and implementation of non-military strategies for peace. Free copies of the book will be provided to World Movement participants interested in providing an evaluation of a chapter on "Aiding Transitions to Democracy: Specific Tasks," pages 248-250. The author is interested in hearing from World Movement participants particularly on the following questions: Which of the tasks listed in the chapter would you recommend and reject in the setting in which you work? What additional tasks would you recommend? Critical evaluations of the entire book are welcome as well.

Go to: www.worldwithoutwar-mw.org/book.php?member_www=f4b040247d22bf779cd5c5120f37cd3a

4. Publication: LIBERAL PHILIPPINES

A quarterly political magazine, LIBERAL PHILIPPINES, was officially launched in Manila on May 15, 2003. It is conceived by the liberal network in the Philippines as a means of effectively communicating to thousands of its affiliates in government, academia, business, and media across the nation. The participating groups include: Liberal Party of the Philippines (LP), the liberal youth organization Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas (Kalipi), the Liberal Caucus of Congressional Staff (LCCS), the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS) and the Philippine Office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The magazine covers a variety of social and political issues in the Philippines. The magazine is available in print and online.

Go to: www.liberal-philippines.com

5. Conference: Freedom of Religion and Belief, Vienna, July 17-18, 2003

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) at the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announces an upcoming conference focusing on the issues of freedom of religion and belief. The meeting will take place in Vienna, Austria, on July 17-18, 2003. Non-governmental organizations whose activities are directly related to the subject are encouraged to participate in the meeting and should submit their registration forms by July 9, 2003.

Go to: www.osce.org/odihr/meetings/2003/shdm/july/

6. CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: Workshops on Islam and Democracy

In October 2003, the Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID) will organize three 2-day workshops in Algeria, Jordan, and Turkey on "Islam & Democracy." Each of these workshops will bring together 20 to 30 political thinkers, leaders, and activists in each country to discuss challenges to democracy and develop a common platform and agenda for democratization. CSID invites interested individuals to submit an application form and a 1-page abstract of a paper (250-400 words) addressing one of the following questions: Who speaks for Islam? Can Islam and democracy coexist? How to implement Sharia in a Modern Society? The abstracts should be in Arabic (for Algeria and Jordan) and Turkish or English (for Turkey). Accepted abstracts will be compiled and circulated among the selected participants by August 31, 2003. The deadline for submitting application forms and abstracts is July 20, 2003.

Go to: www.islam-democracy.org or contact: masmoudi@islam-democracy.org

Reports on last year's workshops in Morocco, Egypt, and Yemen can be found at:
www.islam-democracy.org/documents/pdf/CSID_2002_Workshops_English.pd (in English)
www.islam-democracy.org/documents/pdf/CSID_2002_Workshops_Arabic.pdf (in Arabic)

7. The Center for International Development of the State University of New York Announces New Web Site

The State University of New York-Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) has launches a new Web site. The site contains information on the Center's mission, services, and projects; a list of online publications; and other useful links. SUNY/CID is dedicated to promoting international development by leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars, professionals, and technical experts. Project areas include: Democracy, Governance and Civil Society, Environment, Health and Education, Private Sector and Economic Development.

Go to: www.cid.suny.edu

8. Survey on State Structure and Governance in Iraq

The Opinion Poll department of the Iraq Institute for Democracy, a nongovernmental organization with offices in Baghdad and Erbil, reports results of surveys conducted in Baghdad and Mosul in June 2003. Survey respondents were asked questions regarding their preferences on state organization and governance. 60.30 percent of 816 randomly interviewed individuals preferred a secular state; 23.65 percent preferred a state ruled by Sharia's law, and 16.05 percent had no opinion on the type of state they preferred. On the question regarding the state organization, 24.30 percent of 568 randomly interviewed individuals preferred a central state; 63.03 percent preferred a decentralized state based on regions or governorates; and 12.67 percent of respondents were indifferent. Survey results were published in the June 11, 2003 issue of Al Alhali, an independent Iraqi newspaper in Baghdad.

To read the article, go to: www.alahali-iraq.com

For more information about the Iraq Institute for Democracy, go to: www.iraq-democracy.org/

9. Woodrow Wilson Center's Fellowship Competition Now Accepting Applications

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is currently accepting applications for its 2004-2005 fellowship program. The Center awards approximately 20-25 residential fellowships annually to individuals with project proposals in a broad range of the social sciences and humanities on national and/or international issues. Men and women from any country with outstanding capabilities and experience from a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis, and selection is based on basic criteria such as significance of the proposed research, quality of the proposal, and the relevance of the project to contemporary policy issues. The deadline for application submissions is October 1, 2003 and appointments are announced by early April of the following year.

For more information, go to: wwics.si.edu

10. Conference: Central Africa: Crises, Reform, and Reconstruction, Dakar, Senegal, October 4-5, 2003

Le Conseil pour le développement de la recherche en sciences sociales en Afrique (CODESRIA) plans to hold a Central Africa sub-regional conference, entitled "Central Africa: Crises, Reform, and Reconstruction," in Dakar, Senegal on October 4-5, 2003. The conference will cover a number of topics related to the Central Africa region, including political economy, civil rights, democratic governance, crisis in the Great Lakes region, and identity and citizenship. Anyone interested in participating and presenting a paper should submit a summary of their paper by August 15, 2003. CODESRIA also plans to have sub-regional conferences in East, Southern, and West Africa. The conferences are organized to celebrate CODESRIA's 30th anniversary.

Go to: www.codesria.org/Links/News/pdf/central_.pdf, or Contact: Mme Ndčye Sokhna Gučye, CODESRIA 30e Anniversaire, Conférence sous-régionale de l'Afrique centrale, BP: 3304 - Dakar, Sénégal, Tel: +221-825-98-22/23, Fax: +221-824-12-89, E-mail: ndeye.gueye@codesria.sn

For more information about CODESRIA, go to: www.codesria.org/

11. NetAid Recognizes Outstanding Online Volunteers

NetAid, a network of organizations and individuals committed to eradicating poverty around the world, recently announced the recipients of the 2003 Volunteer of the Year Award. The recipients have made invaluable contributions to help their host organizations reach their goals. NetAid, working through services managed by the United Nations Volunteer Program, connects online volunteers with organizations in developing countries. Volunteers undertake a variety of assignments for developing organizations through NetAid: translations, research, web design, data analysis, database construction, proposal writing, editing articles, online mentoring, publication design, moderating online discussion groups, or any other service that can be done through computer networks. Any non-profit organizations actively working in or for developing countries can host online volunteers via NetAid.

For more information on finding an online volunteer for your organization, go to: www.netaid.org/ov/hosts/index_html

To read more about award recipients, go to: www.netaid.org/ov/stories/ov_oftheyear.pt

12. Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Fellowships

The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is calling for fellowship applications for 2004-05. Established in 2001 to enable 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 fellowship program is based at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, the research arm of the Endowment, in Washington, D.C. While the program is intended primarily to support practitioners and scholars from new and aspiring democracies, distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Please note that a working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program. Application deadline for fellowships in 2004-05: September 15, 2003

For further details and to download a copy of our application booklet, go to: http://www.ned.org/forum/R-FApplication.pdf

The past and current Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows' presentations are available on the NED Web site. Recent presentations include Ceslav Ciobanu, "Democracy in Moldova: Challenges and Prospects;" Baogang He, "How Democratic are Village Elections in China"; and Olga Gyarfasova, "Slovakia's Road to Democratic Consolidation: A Pollster's Perspective."

For summaries of the fellows' presentations, go to: www.ned.org/forum/current.html

CIVIC EDUCATION

13. Civic Education Textbook to be Distributed to Schools in Kyrgyzstan

In late May 2003, the Kyrgyz Minister of Education approved the printing and distribution of a civic education textbook to all 2,000 schools in the Kyrgyz Republic. The textbook was developed by the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES). The first edition of the textbook, GOVERNANCE, CITIZENSHIP AND PARTICIPATION: YOUR ROLE AS A KYRGYZ CITIZEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY was piloted in 167 schools for two years. The second edition of the textbook was distributed to pilot schools earlier this year. The civic education course using this textbook will be taught to the 10th and 11th graders throughout the country. The IFES-Kyrgyzstan program provides training for teachers and emphasizes class discussion and other activities in the curriculum that teach children the importance of informed debate and respect for others' views.

For more information, contact: Keenan Howell, khowell@ifes.org

To learn more about IFES, go to: www.ifes.org

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGHTHENING

14. Sharing Innovative Approaches to Democracy Promotion

The U.S.-based New Tactics in Human Rights Project invites you to share stories about innovative human rights practitioners who are working to protect and uphold human dignity no matter what the sphere, and about creative approaches used to advance human rights and promote democracy. Submissions can be made by visiting the Project's Web site. The New Tactics database, available online, is a collection of innovative tactics, described in a way that may inspire other human rights advocates to apply them to their own situations. The database can be searched for a particular type of tactic. The Web site also features discussions on individual tactics and tactical thinking. The New Tactics Project is an international initiative led by a diverse group of organizations and practitioners and coordinated by the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) in Minnesota, USA.

Go to: www.newtactics.org/main.php

15. NGOs Preparing for the 2nd African Union Conference on Human Rights

On May 2-3, 2003, representatives of African civil society organizations gathered at an NGO Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, organized by Kenya Human Rights Comission, in preparation for the Second African Union Ministerial Conference on Human Rights, which took place on May 9, 2003, in Kigali, Rwanda. The participants discussed, and made recommendations on, a variety of issues, such as rights to development, impunity, women's rights, rights of vulnerable groups, the media, and the role of civil society. Based on the recommendations that were formulated at the Forum, participants drafted a statement that was presented at the conference in Kigali.

For more information on the forum and to read the statement, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/DemNews-July2003/AfricanCivilSocietyForumNotes.doc www.wmd.org/documents/DemNews-July2003/BackgroundInformation-AfrCivilSoc.doc www.wmd.org/documents/DemNews-July2003/NairobiForum-NGOStatement.doc

16. A New WWW Portal Launched for Belarusian NGOs

The Belarusian NGO Resource and Support Center recently launched an Information Portal on the World Wide Web for Belarusian NGOs. The Portal provides an overview of NGO news, events, and projects, and houses databases of Belarusian NGOs and of donors providing support in countries of the Newly Independent States. The Portal provides all registered NGOs with services such as hosting their Web sites and providing e-mail accounts. The Portal project is seeking to assist Belarusian NGOs in establishing contacts with their foreign counterparts, to promote information and experience sharing between domestic and international NGOs, and to increase funding opportunities for grassroots NGOs.

Go to: www.ngo.by

17. Partners for CIVICUS Civil Society Index

CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations, invites applications for national partners to implement CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) 2003. The CSI is an action-research project that assesses the state of civil society in countries around the world. Its goal is to create a knowledge base and an impetus for civil society strengthening initiatives. The CSI was piloted in 14 countries around the world, and CIVICUS has launched the first full implementation phase in 42 countries. The CSI has been implemented by civil society organizations at the country level, in close partnership with CIVICUS. The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2003.

For more information and application details, go to: www.civicus.org and/or email: index@civicus.org

DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE

18. Report: "Reflections and Practices of Good Government"

The International City/County Management Association (Asociacion Internacional de Administración de Ciudades y Condados-ICMA), in partnership with the Confederación Patronal de la Republica Mexicana (COPARMEX), announces the launch of a new report, entitled "Reflections and Practices of Good Government" (Reflexiones y Prácticas del Buen Gobierno). By identifying and analyzing best practices of good governance, the report discusses basic requirements for an effective and egalitarian public administration.

Go to: www.icma.org/mexico

ELECTIONS

19. The Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Center Workshops on Jordanian Elections

The Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Center (UJRC) is organizing a series of workshops in July 2003 to highlight the Jordanian Parliamentary elections in 2003. On July 13, 2003 it will hold a workshop focusing on "The Demographic Map and its Effect on the Electoral Performance in the 2003 Elections"

For further information, contact: ujrc@ujrc-jordan.org

HUMAN RIGHTS

20. Democrats around the World Express Concerns about the Arrests of

Aung San Suu Kyi and other Democrats in Burma A number of World Movement participants have expressed their deep concern about the recent violent arrests of Aung San Suu Kyi and other Burmese democracy advocates and have called for their immediate release. Suu Kyi, pro-democracy leader in Burma and winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, and her colleagues were detained on May 30 after a clash between her supporters and a pro-government crowd in northern Burma. She has been kept incommunicado since then.

Some of the statements and appeals from World Movement participants include:

-International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy: www.wmd.org/parliamentarian.html
-Community of Democracies: www.demcoalition.org/pdf/Democracy_Update_June_2003.pdf
-Forum-Asia: www.forumasia.org/
-Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia: www.asiademocracy.org/4-6-2003.html

21. Workshop on "Arab Human Rights Movement and International Events"

The Arab Program for Human Rights is organizing a workshop, "Arab Human Rights Movement and International Events," at Flamenco Hotel, Zamalik, Cairo, on July 6-7, 2003. The workshop, which will focus on Eastern Arab countries, is one of several other workshops in the Arab region. Among those presenting will be major human rights and civil society experts.

For more information about the Arab Program for Human Rights, go to: www.aphra.org/

22. Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education Launches a New E-mail List

The Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education (ARRC) has announced the launch of the Asia Pacific Human Rights Education Listserv. The list has been created to establish an Asia-Pacific region-specific platform for the exchange of information regarding issues in human rights education. The Asia Pacific list is part of a larger global initiative, in partnership with the Human Rights Education Associates (HREA, USA), the Cairo Institute of Human Rights Studies, the Inter-African Union of Human Rights (UIDH, Burkina Faso), the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH, Costa Rica), and the Moscow School of Human Rights, and aims to create a global virtual network of educators and activists to strengthen the human rights education field.

To subscribe, go to: www.hrea.org/lists/hre-asiapacific/

23. Syrian Human Rights Committee Annual Report 2003

The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) has issued its 2003 annual report. Topics covered in the report include "Unlawful Detention Files," "Civil Rights: Lost Freedoms and Countless Deprived," and "Arab Detainees: Settling Regional and Sectarian Accounts." The SHRC has also issued a Special Report on the 23rd Anniversary of the Great Massacre Pauses at the Gates of the Desert Tadmur Prison, the Great Massacre of June 27, 1980, and the Continuous Massacre 1979-2001.

For more information about the Syrian Human Rights Committee, or to access the annual report and the special report on the massacres, go to: www.shrc.org.

LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE

24. Deepening Citizen's Knowledge of the Legislature in Colombia

Visible Congress based at the Department of Political Science of the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, is currently developing a series of activities to deepen citizens' knowledge of and interest in activities of the legislative branch. This involves a set of regional reports that evaluate the performance of the legislature. These are based on assessment criteria developed through workshops with members of the National Congress, their assistants and political journalists, as well as other citizens. Visible Congress seeks to promote transparency in the performance of the legislative branch and raise public awareness of the legislature. Its past activities include: collecting and distributing information about candidates' political careers and campaign proposals for both the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives during the last two parliamentary elections; gathering information produced by the National Congress during the last two legislative periods and placing it in an online database available to all citizens; producing eleven periodical bulletins, permanent press releases, and pedagogical booklets; and organizing academic forums.

Go to: cvisible.uniandes.edu.co/

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPERESSION

25. Creative Wroters Workshop on Forced Displacement of Population, Darjeeling, India, November 6-10, 2003

Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) will hold a Creative Writers' Workshop on Forced Displacement of Population on November 6-10, 2003 in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. The workshop is intended for young academics, media activists, and those working in the area of forced displacement. The workshop will deliberate on patterns of media coverage of forced displacement, creative writing in response to conditions of displacement, and experimental media methods reflecting on conditions of forced displacement. Applications are invited from interested candidates who (a) have 5 years experience in the field of media or creative writing, or engaged in protection of the victims of forced displacement, or hold post-graduate degrees in Social Sciences or Liberal Arts, and (b) have proficiency in English. Women, victims of displacement, media activists, and creative writers are particularly encouraged to apply. Application must include a writing sample, a 500 to 1,000 word write-up on how the workshop is relevant to the applicant's work and may benefit her or him, and a letter of recommendation. Selected candidates will be offered accommodation, travel assistance, and workshop material, but will have to pay registration fee of Rs. 1000. Applications must reach CRG by 31 July 2003.

Mail application to: Coordinator, Creative Media Workshop, Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, 5B, Mahanirban Road, Kolkata - 700 029, India, or email to: mcrg@cal.vsnl.net.in

26. Conference on Media: Highway Africa, South Africa, September 8-10, 2003

Organized and hosted by the Rhodes University Department of Journalism and Media Studies and the South Africa Broadcasting Commission, Highway Africa is a major continental conference on new media issues for journalists, which aims to bring African media to discuss the global information society. The theme of the conference is "Mainstreaming Media in the Information Society," and is scheduled to take place on September 8-10, 2003, in Grahamstown, South Africa. It will explore journalistic, technological, and political issues related to new media development in Africa and is aimed at journalists, academics, government officials, policy makers and business people from around the world with a special interest in Africa.

Go to: www.highwayafrica.org.za

27. International Database on Censorship Available Online

Beacon for Freedom of Expression, a comprehensive international online database on censorship of books, newspapers, and literature on freedom of expression, created by the Norwegian Forum for Freedom of Expression, is now available online. The Beacon for Freedom of Expression contains more than 55,000 bibliographical sources on censorship and is searchable in two ways. It provides access to an international catalogue of books and newspapers censored by government authorities, past and present, for political, religious or moral reasons. It also allows users to find literature on censorship and freedom of expression. The project is being overseen by an international steering committee comprised of members of the International Freedom of eXchange (IFEX), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), and the Norwegian Steering Committee.

Go to: www.beaconforfreedom.org

28. Regional Forum on the Information Society for the Middle East, and West and Central Asia, Kish Island, Iran, August 26-28, 2003

The Iranian Civil Society Organizations Resource Center will hold a Regional Civil Society Forum on the Information Society for the Middle East, and West and Central Asia. The Forum will be held in preparation for the UN-held World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in December 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland. The purpose of the Regional Forum is to ensure that messages and concerns of this part of the world will be reflected in the Summit and to facilitate the participation of civil society organizations in the third Preparatory Committee meeting (to be held on September 15-26) and in the Summit. The Forum will take place on Kish Island, Iran, on August 26-28, 2003. All civil society organizations from the region are invited to participate.

For details, go to: wsis.irancsos.net

To facilitate the participation of civil society entities from developing countries in third Preparatory Committee (PrepCom-3) meeting a limited number of fellowships will be available with priority being given to participants from least developed countries. Applicants must register for the conference on www.geneva2003.org.

For application form and guidelines, go to: www.geneva2003.org/wsis/info_c01_1_01.htm

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH

29. Association for Arab Youth Report

Baladna, an association for Arab youth based in Haifa, Israel, released a report on its activities during January-June 2003. From March to June, 2003, Baladna held a Youth Leaders Course to strengthen management and leadership skills among Palestinian Youth, and to encourage their awareness of community participation and leadership. Other activities included: a youth group project; a day of discussions on the rights of Arab youth in the non-formal education system in Israel; lectures, tours, discussion groups, and art programs; and dialogues between Palestinian and Jewish youth.

Go to: www.baladnayouth.org

RULE OF LAW

30. A Database on International Laws Launched

The Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL) has developed a database covering international law in a number of areas. The subjects include: General International Law, International Criminal Law, International Economic Law, International Environmental Law, and International Human Rights Law. Users can browse through each subject category containing links to primary documents, recommended Web sites, and research guides. About eight additional subject areas are currently being developed. The EISIL database is a collaborative project with the American Society of International Law.

Go to: www.eisil.org

TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION

31. Anti-Corruption Education Manual Issued in Bulgaria

Anticorruption.bg, a portal site dedicated to anti-corruption measures and policies in Bulgaria, announces the updated edition of the ANTI-CORRUPTION EDUCATION MANUAL, originally published in 2000. The manual will be used as part of anti-corruption education programs at various education levels in Bulgaria, including high schools and universities. It is published in Bulgarian and contains chapters on: Corruption as a Social Phenomenon, Anti-Corruption Strategies in the Public Sphere, Anti-Corruption Strategies in the Economy, Civil Society against Corruption, and International Practices against Corruption.

Go to: www.anticorruption.bg/index_eng.php

32. South African Corruption Briefing Launched

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS), an applied policy research NGO with a focus on human security issues on the African continent, recently launched "Umqol" "Uphandle-SA Corruption Briefing," a biweekly e-briefing on corruption in South Africa. "Umqol" "Uphandle" highlights results of relevant research, initiatives to combat corruption, as well as snapshots of recent corruption-related stories that have appeared in the media. This newsletter also aims to promote the debate on effective anti-corruption strategies with a South African perspective.

To subscribe to the "Umqol" "Uphandle" send a blank email with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to Umqol Subscriptions umqolsub@iss.co.za.

WOMEN'S ISSUES

33. New Database on Electoral Quotas for Women The Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and the Stockholm University's Department of Political Science launched a new Web site, the Global Database of Quotas for Women. The site is the result of an ongoing collaborative research project on the implementation and impact of quotas for women in politics. It provides comparative knowledge and resources on electoral quotas for women and provides information about various types of quotas in existence today, detailing the percentages and targets in countries where they are applicable. The representation of women in national parliaments currently stands at 15 percent worldwide even though data indicates that 76 countries have introduced some type of gender quota.

Go to: www.idea.int/quota/index.cfm

34. African Women's Leadership Institute Holds East Africa Meeting

Akina Mama wa Afrika, an international, pan-African, nongovernmental development organization for African women based in the United Kingdom, will hold an East Africa sub-regional Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI) meeting on September 22-October 2, 2003 in Uganda. Young women from Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Somaliland, Uganda, and Tunisia are invited to participate. The AWLI aims to strengthen personal and organizational capacities of young African women to influence policy and decision-making. It serves as a networking, training and information forum for young women aged 25-40 years old working on gender issues. Those interested in participating should submit their applications by July 4, 2003.

For more information about the meeting, go to:
www.wmd.org/documents/DemNews-July2003/AWLI-Brochure2003.doc
www.wmd.org/documents/DemNews-July2003/AWLI-ApplicationForm.doc

To learn more about Akina Mama wa Afrika, go to:
www.akinamama.org/welcome.html

35. Seminar on Multicultural Harmony in the European Union

The Women's Association of Romania is organizing the Socrates/Grundtvig2 Seminar, "Multicultural Harmony = European Integration" to be held in Bucharest, Romania, on July 17, 2003. The seminar will focus on perspectives of multicultural societies in Europe, democracy and democratization, and the effects of European integration. Applications for participation must be received by July 10, 2003.

To obtain more information or an application form for the seminar, email: afr@afr.ro

To learn more about the Women's Association of Romania, go to:
www.afr.ro

36. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

- Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI )
www.wmd.org/ndri/ndri.html

- Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) of South Africa
www.hsrc.ac.za

- Center for Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID)
www.islam-democracy.org

- The State University of New York- Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) www.cid.suny.edu

- Iraq Institute for Democracy
www.iraq-democracy.org

- National Endowment for Democracy
www.ned.org

- International Foundation for Elections Systems
www.ifes.org

- Kenya Human Rights Commission
www.hri.ca/partners/khrc/

- CIVICUS
www.civicus.org

- Confederación Patronal de la Republica Mexicana (COPARMEX)
www.coparmex.org.mx/index.htm

- Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Center (UJRC)
www.ujrc-jordan.org/

- International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy (IMPD)
www.wmd.org/parliamentarian.html

- Forum Asia
www.forumasia.org

- Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia
www.asiademocracy.org

- Arab Program for Human Rights
www.aphra.org

- Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education
www.hrea.org/lists/hre-asiapacific/

- Syrian Human Rights Committee
www.shrc.org

- Visible Congress
http://cvisible.uniandes.edu.co

You can find more participating organizations in the World Movement Participants Database
www.ned.org/dbtw-wpd/textbase/participants-search.htm

Participating organizations are encouraged to submit the database information form by fax or online.

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DemocracyNews is an electronic mailing list moderated by the National Endowment for Democracy as the Secretariat of the World Movement for Democracy. The material presented in DemocracyNews is intended for information purposes only.

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World Movement for Democracy
c/o National Endowment for Democracy
1101 15th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005-5000
Fax: 202-293-0755
E-Mail: world@ned.org
Web: www.wmd.org

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DemocracyNews is an electronic mailing list moderated by the World Movement for Democracy. The material presented in DemocracyNews is intended for information purposes only.

To subscribe to DemocracyNews, send an e-mail to demnews-on@free.ned.org

DemocracyNews Archives, www.wmd.org/democracynews.html

For more information, contact world@ned.org.