Strategies (1997-2002)

Democracy and Governance

Strategic Objective: More Participatory, Representative and Better Functioning Democracy Achieved

Strengthened Rule of Law and Respect for Human Rights

In response to strong local interest in improving the justice system and public outcries to rid the Dominican Republic of corruption, the Mission assessed the need for justice sector reform in coordination with the Dominican government, civil society partners, justice reform experts, and other international donors. The Mission’s Rule of Law (ROL) Program aims "to strengthen the rule of law and respect for human rights" through achievement of three key results: 1) effective administration of justice, 2) enhanced access of the poor to justice, 3) good governance through anti-corruption initiatives, transparency and accountability.

USAID's Strengthened Rule of Law and Respect for Human Rights program provides important institutional strengthening assistance for Dominican justice sector organizations. Assistance includes major technical assessments of the justice sector; organizational strengthening studies and strategic plan development for reform and modernization and training. Organizations that benefit from this assistance include: Judiciary; National Judicial School; Inspector of Tribunals Office; Public Ministry (national prosecutor offices); Public Defense systems; Attorney General’s Department for Prevention of Corruption (DPC), the Office of the Commissioner for Reform and Modernization of Justice and legal advocacy organizations.

Increased Development of a Free and Active Civil Society

Dominican civil society organizations and groups have agreed on the need to strengthen the democratic process by promoting a more dynamic democratic culture, increasing broad citizen participation, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the political process, and enhancing governmental accountability and responsiveness. The Mission’s objective is to support Dominican initiatives to consolidate democracy. USAID in partnership with the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCCM) supports the Democratic Initiatives Project (DIP), which promotes democratic literacy among community groups and fosters participatory grassroots democracy through activities to educate and motivate Dominican citizens in the practice of democratic values and civic responsibilities.

By funding proposals from a wide array of civil society organizations from all over the country the DI has achieved broad regional coverage. The DIP has emphasized the following areas: civic education for both adults and school-age children, local governance, and, during election years, consciousness-raising campaigns among voters. Emphasis has been given to otherwise under-represented members of Dominican society, such as women, youth, and the urban and rural poor.

The DIP project recently added an economic policy component (DIP/SER) which promotes the debate of important economic and environmental reforms recommended and/or implemented under the current GODR administration.

Consolidated Civil Society Support for a More Genuine and Competitive Electoral Process

After the fall of the Trujillo dictatorship in 1961, the Dominican Republic enjoyed its first real taste of democracy. However, the following years were characterized by repeated patterns of questionable presidential elections and lack of meaningful citizen participation.

USAID decided to support the programs of Dominican civil society organizations for widespread citizen mobilization in support of civil society networks, elections observers, civic education, voter education and development of a national agenda for political reform. Through Participación Ciudadana (PC), a local civic movement, the Mission supports selected nonpartisan civil society organizations' efforts in achieving a better-educated electorate, works with local nonpartisan partners to strengthen a national electoral monitoring network, and supports selected civil society organizations advocating for democratic reforms and modernization of the state.

For the May 2000 presidential elections, Participación Ciudadana recruited and trained more than 8,600 Dominicans (4,261 men and 4,435 women) as election day monitors, 7,500 of whom were officially certified by the Central Election Board. Other important civil society-sponsored pre-election activities included auditing the voter registration process and official registry, monitoring the internal party election campaigns, convincing the major parties to sign an Electoral Code of Ethics, and sponsoring several debates on the parties’ campaign platforms. These initiatives helped make the 2000 election more transparent, issue-oriented, credible, freer and fairer.

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Last updated on May 20, 2005