Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Amid Tension in Israel, USIP Grantee Helps Improve Policing in a Divided Society
On the heels of last summer’s Israel-Gaza war, tensions between Jewish and Arab citizens within Israel have escalated significantly. In such a context of deep divisions, the extent to which police internalize fair and effective policing—and that citizens see that as a reality—are crucial factors in preventing a downward spiral of violence. Supported by a USIP grant, The Abraham Fund Initiatives (TAFI) has been tackling this issue through its Arab Society-Police Relations Initiative.
Wielding Technology to Combat Dangerous Speech in Myanmar
Myanmar continues to experience intermittent violence and power struggles that threaten its progress toward sustainable peace, even as the country has made progress in its democratic transition. To help address the tensions, the U.S. Institute of Peace recently linked technologists with civic activists to bolster efforts aimed at countering the kind of dangerous speech fueling the flames of inter-religious conflict.
Letter from Kabul: Afghans Show Hope and Grit
As the United States draws down its troops and contemplates its future role in Afghanistan, this country’s progress and prospects are nowhere clearer than in the electricity of a meeting room filled with enthusiastic Afghan university students.
People, Power and Politics: A New Approach to Rule of Law Training
The prosecutor has the sort of confidence wrested from 15 years of experience against the odds in a country beset by external and internal security threats. When I ask him to describe his justice system in just three adjectives, he quickly declares: “good, needs improvement and practical.” Asked to describe it from a very different perspective, though, his face turns into a grimace.
Connecting Young Activists Across the Middle East and Africa: Generation Change
Amid Yemen’s turmoil, a 27-year-old woman living in the capital Sana’a works against the odds – political and personal – to strengthen the ability of the country’s young women to promote a more inclusive society. Through a program called Generation Change, the U.S. Institute of Peace aims to support young leaders like her across the Middle East and Africa who face obstacles, even beyond the obvious security risks, that threaten the effectiveness and longevity of their work.
In Cambodia’s Schools, Breaking a Silence Over the 'Killing Fields'
A generation after the Khmer Rouge seized power in Cambodia and exterminated an estimated 2 million of its people, that brutal history is largely hidden from young Cambodians. While the country remains heavily scarred by this legacy, the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s is still largely unacknowledged in the nation’s schools.
The Perilous Path to Elections in the DRC
Sighs of relief resounded throughout Central Africa and far beyond when Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), announced his decision to take a step back in the December 23 presidential elections. His support of Emmanuel Ramazani Shadari (former interior minister and loyalist of Kabila’s PPRD) as the ruling party candidate removes the possibility that Kabila would ignore or eliminate term limits, which would further destabilize the fragile country.
Ukraine's Long, Busy Elections Season
Ukraine is in a long, busy election season. Six months before presidential elections in March, posters of Yulia Tymoshenko already dominate the streets of Kyiv, indicating that campaigning is well underway. Parliamentary elections will follow next October. International analysts and Ukrainian media have widely reported on the fear of Russian interference—whether through cyber attacks, other forms of meddling or even military movements in the Donbas.
Afghan Women Defy Violence and Vote
On October 20, 2018, Afghanistan held parliamentary elections amid very challenging circumstances. Despite significant voter turnout in several provinces, local officials and police were unable to realize a fully credible and peaceful election. The increased engagement of women in the election process presents one of the few bright spots.
Afghan Voters Exhibit Enthusiasm Despite Election Flaws
On October 20, Afghanistan held its third parliamentary election since the fall of the Taliban, after a three-year delay. Several USIP Afghan staff members observed the process at polling centers in Kabul after casting their own votes. Their observations provide a snapshot of the process.