Women’s active participation in the political life of their community is a hallmark of democratic society.  Today, millions of women all over the world continue to struggle for the rights that others have enjoyed for more than a generation.  Many cannot vote, run for office or participate in civic life.

Women in many areas of the world are beginning to demand change and the right to have a say in their governments.  IRI supports these women as they work to improve their communities and countries.  Through IRI’s country level programs, the Women’s Democracy Network (WDN) and Arab Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI), IRI offers trainings tailored to help them meet the unique challenges facing women.

Women’s Democracy Network

A cornerstone of IRI’s efforts is the WDN.  Launched in March 2006 to empower women in public, political and economic life, the WDN fosters relationships among women leaders and helps them develop the skills needed for professional advancement. 

Through skills-building programs and workshops the WDN provides women with the tools they need to compete effectively in politics and political campaigns.  Training topics include campaign management and message development and delivery.  Other programs focus on women in civil society and provide Network members with specialized leadership training and new skills on how to work with local elected officials.  Still other programs provide young women activists with the know-how to become active in their community.

Connecting women to exchange new ideas and information is one of the hallmarks of the WDN.  Through its mentorship program, women leaders provide guidance and support to their younger counterparts who are eager to learn and apply lessons learned in their political party, civil society organization or as an effective legislator.

The WDN also provides a unique venue through which women members of parliaments around the world can meet one another and share best-practices.  A key theme of workshops in this area is how to organize a women’s caucus so that women from across the political spectrum can find common ground to pass needed legislation. 
         
The WDN website, www.wdn.org, provides members with updates on current Network activities, acts as a clearinghouse for members to exchange information with one another and gives members a secure forum for communication.

In 2008, the WDN inaugurated the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Award to recognize those who have made significant contributions to women’s political advancement.  Recipients have been Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobrianksy, Nang Charm Tong of the Shan Women’s Action Network in Burma, Nang Yain of the Women’s League of Burma, the Honorable Kay Granger (TX-12) and the Movement of Afghan Sisters.

Since its creation, the WDN has grown to include parliamentarians, senior government officials, local elected officials, aspiring women political and civic activists, business leaders and academics from Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as well as the United States.

Arab Women's Leadership Institute

To support women in the Middle East, IRI launched the AWLI in March 2009 to increase the participation of women in public life and the political process throughout the region.  By bringing together Arab women from government, politics, civil society and academia, the AWLI serves as a forum in which women leaders can assist their peers and provide valuable skills necessary to succeed as community leaders, civil servants and elected officials.

While the status of women in the Arab world has improved in recent years, women continue to lag behind men in human, social and political rights.  Through trainings and peer-to-peer networking, the AWLI will connect aspiring leaders to their counterparts in other Arab countries and help them gain leadership, advocacy, management and governance skills enabling them to compete for leadership positions within their communities.