DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE


Objective

Current Situation

Program Focus

Successes

Program Activities

Assessments and other Publications

List of Activities



OBJECTIVE

Governing Justly and Democratically

USAID supports democracy and governance by encouraging broad-based citizen engagement, promoting media freedoms, supporting elections, and strengthening the rule of law and democratic processes.


CURRENT SITUATION

Through USAID?s Media Advancement project, the Problems/Solutions television production discusses the problem and offers a resolution.

Since independence, Azerbaijan has experienced a number of upheavals that have impeded its democratic progress. Political turbulence in the early 1990s made it difficult for democracy to take root. President Ilham Aliyev's government came to power in 2003 with the promise of a reform agenda. Five years later, challenges in implementing democratic reforms remain and the pace of change is very slow. 

Limited numbers of citizens actively participate in the political system. Civil society organizations and political parties are not yet able to effectively represent constituent interests or contribute to the public policy-making process. Obstacles include insufficient leadership skills, poor fundraising and organizing capabilities and a lack of public trust of such organizations as well as understanding of their important roles in a society.. Independent media is gradually developing, but pluralism and access to objective information remains a serious challenge. Defamation remains a criminal rather than civil offense, effectively limiting freedom of expression.

USAID democracy and governance assistance programs include rule of law, anti-corruption programs, capacity building of parliamentary staff, MPs and civil society organizations, work with the electoral processes and administration, and political party development, support for independent media, citizen engagement through community development activities and promotion of greater institutional transparency throughout government. 

USAID has worked to forge constructive relationships with the government and implementing partners in order to bring the benefits of economic growth and political pluralism to an ever-increasing proportion of the Azerbaijani population.


PROGRAM FOCUS

In order to create a more representative, participatory and better functioning democracy USAID's Democracy and Governance program aims to:

1. Promote and support free and fair elections;
2. Strengthen democratic political parties;
3. Advance civil society organizations and increase their dialogue with the Government;
4. Support media sustainability and professionalism;
5. Encourage and support anti-corruption reforms;
6. Promote rule of law
7. Mobilize and support community groups; and
8. Reinforce Legislative Strengthening.


SUCCESSES

USAID's Media Advancement Project succeeded in bringing together Members of Parliament (including opposition parties) as participants in a weekly informational TV program to discuss pros and cons of pending legislation. The program is broadcast during prime time on the Ictimai (Public) Television service.  The talk show aims to analyze recent activities of the Azerbaijani Government's legislative wing by discussing topics from the current Parliamentary agenda.  This is the first time in Azerbaijan that this type of open, public dialogue is being broadcast on nationwide television. 

USAID’s Civil Society Project hosted a study tour for senior Azerbaijani government officials to Budapest, Hungary to learn international experience in supporting constructive government-NGO relationships. The study tour coincided with President Aliyev's decree to create a government body and assistance fund that will support development of Azerbaijani NGOs. The officials returned with a better understanding of government-civil society relationships, and held a first ever round-table with international and local NGOs to seek feedback and recommendations in support of the President's NGO initiative. This support culminated in the recent approval of a new NGO financing decree which calls for a supervisory council with majority NGO participation to oversee GOAJ grants to the NGO sector; and mandates the competitive allocation of grants on a transparent basis. The Civil Society Project is implemented by Counterpart International, in partnership with the International Center for Not for Profit Law (ICNL), the organizers of the study tour.

USAID, in partnership with the Council of Europe (CoE), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) to launch a two-year Anti-Corruption Strategy Assistance (AZPAC) Project. This strategic USAID-CoE partnership represents a significant opportunity for assisting the GOAJ with the implementation of its recently approved 2007-2011 National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan.  The plan will help Azerbaijan fulfill its CoE, OSCE, UN and other international commitments in reducing and preventing corruption. Azerbaijan ranks 150 among 179 countries included in Transparency International's 2007 Corruption Perception Index.

Rule of Law

Through its implementing partner American Bar Association/Rule of Law Initiative (ABA/ROLI), USAID works on legal and policy reform issues to promote effective and just legal institutions. Rule of Law Program is comprised of the following key components: legal education reform, with an emphasis on curriculum development, teaching methodology reform, clinical education and Street Law which provides practical and participatory education about law, democracy, and human rights, using law students as instructors to educate primary and secondary school students; access to justice through Traveling Lawyers Project; legal profession development through providing targeted substantive and practical training on legal issues and procedures and support for a women's bar association.

Civil Society

This is a 5-year project in Azerbaijan to support Civil Society Organizations' (CSOs) ability to bring benefits of the country's economic growth and political pluralism to the maximum number of Azerbaijani people. The project has a small-grants component for a number of different activities such as on-the-job training, in-country and international internships, advisory services, etc.  The goal of this project is to assist the citizens of Azerbaijan and the Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) develop a more representative and better functioning democracy.  Reaching this objective is carried out through aggressive implementation of two major project components:

- Strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to effectively advocate their cause; and
- Promoting civic activism by increasing citizens ability to come together to identify and prioritize concerns.

The project works throughout the country. (www.ngo.az) 

USAID-Azerbaijan has partnered with the Council of Europe (CoE) to implement a project "Support to the Anti-corruption Strategy in Azerbaijan", which is aimed at joining efforts and resources to contribute to democracy and the rule of law through assisting the Government of Azerbaijan in the prevention and control of corruption in accordance with European and other international standards. The project is designed to achieve this goal through improving the strategic anti-corruption framework; improving domestic legislation and benchmarking against international standards in the fight against corruption and increasing capacity for the efficient implementation of the relevant legislative framework; establishment of a network and system to prevent the use of the financial system for money laundering and terrorism financing purposes and enable the authorities of Azerbaijan to cooperate nationally and internationally in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing in accordance with European and international standards; and enhancing capacities for the prevention of corruption through micro-system studies and institutionalizing efficient management of ethics' provisions and conflict of interest in the public service. On December 10, 2007 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the launch and implementation of the two-year Anti-Corruption Strategy Assistance Project was signed by the Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ), CoE and USAID.


Parliamentary Program

Through its new Parliamentary Program USAID is helping Azerbaijan improve the transparency and professionalism of its parliamentary procedures and legislative and oversight functions, primarily through the provision of assistance on internal parliamentary functions and procedures.  This is achieved by training MPs and parliamentary staff, assisting in the establishment of constituency offices, helping establish new transparency mechanisms in the legislature and enhancing the capacity of the Parliament to effectively address civil society concerns.

Community Development

Free and Fair Elections

The goal of this project is to strengthen electoral processes and administration in Azerbaijan and fulfillment of the Government of Azerbaijan's (GOAZ) international and national election commitments through targeted support to key elements of the country's electoral systems and processes.  IFES programming can be broken down into two broad but interrelated areas: 1) Assisting in the improvement of the Legal Framework for Elections; and 2) Assisting in the improvement of Electoral Administration. In both cases, IFES works with the official bodies primarily responsible for these areas, including most prominently, the Presidential Apparatus and the Central Election Commission. IFES also works closely with the international community in achieving these electoral improvements.  These institutions include the Council of Europe (COE), the COE's Venice Commission and the OSCE's office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Advice and analysis for legislative drafters, political parties, and NGOs on legislation and amendments concerning electoral and political processes is also provided. (www.ifesaze.org) 

Media Advancement

Within the 2-year extension period, USAID's Media Advancement Project will mainly focus on 1) initiating civic journalism through promoting and helping to establish alternative media outlets; 2) establishing and strengthening legal watchdog institutions to protect journalists from unjustified court cases, 3) organizing public awareness programs on Parliamentary activities and re-introducing the culture of debates on Public TV in preparation for the 2008 Presidential elections, 4) improving journalism students' skills through academic exchange programs at Georgia Institute of Public Affairs; and 5) completion of the regional TVs' capacity building through provision of quality programming, training, and introduction of an audience measurement system. The project will also work with the Broadcast Council to improve their capacity, assist other USAID projects in Civil Society and Community Development in producing TV programs on successes and lessons learned, and assist the journalist training center in regional Ganja. The Media Advancement Project will continue working throughout Azerbaijan but primarily in Baku, Ganja, Sumgayit, Zagatala, Lenkoran, Mingachevir, Guba, Tovuz and Khachmaz.

Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

The Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) was transferred to USAID from the State Department in 2007.  IATP consists of a network of Internet access sites located throughout 10 countries of Eurasia:  Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.  IATP provides civil society organizations (CSOs) and community leaders with essential tools that are otherwise either largely inaccessible or under-utilized. The resulting assistance and collaboration improves the effectiveness of local civil society initiatives, expanding their reach and allowing them access to the latest international expertise.  IATP began operating in Azerbaijan in 1998.  At present, there are 4 regional IATP supported  access sites (and 2 self-sustainable sites) operating throughout the country which employ 8 professionals, trainers, and volunteers to train, assist users access the Web, and organize various Internet-related events. In October 2007, 1, 533 residents of Azerbaijan visited IATP access sites 4, 792 times, and 260 people attended training courses.  IATP's server in Baku hosts 592 non-commercial websites.  Through these sites, thousands of individuals per month receive free-of-charge access to the Internet as well as to a wide variety of computer-related training programs. (www.wham.iatp.az)

 ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Azerbaijan Civil Society Assmnt-FINAL        [ 857 KB]

AZERI LEGAL ASSESSMENT June 2000        [ 290 KB]

Azeri National Survey of Voters-Executive Summary 3-03        [ 293 KB]

Criminal Law Assessment-Boylan Jan 02        [66.5 KB]

FINAL-joint assessment az election code 11-12-02         [760 KB]

Legal Database Assessment (ALPI) report           [324 KB]

LG Baseline Assessment of Municipalities          [565 KB] 

Political Party Development Report.Final-Jul22         [160 KB]

Voter Registration Assessment 2002            [177 KB]



LIST OF ACTIVITIES

• Azerbaijan Rule of Law Program
• Political Party Strengthening
• Political Party Building, Election Assistance & Civic Programming
• Election Administration Assistance Program
• Civil Society
• Parliamentary Program
• Community Development Activity in Azerbaijan
• Media Advancement
• Small Grants and Synergy
• Support to Anti-Corruption Strategy in Azerbaijan
• Small Project Assistance
• Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)
• Community Connections