Background and Overview:

Around the world, democracy is facing intense pressure to meet citizens’ needs for social services and economic opportunity. CIPE’s approach is to meet this challenge head on by promoting good grassroots-level governance that builds on true democratic values. Democratic governance is key to making democracies succeed, as it allows countries to develop social and economic policies that benefit all levels of society, not just the elites. In short, CIPE and its local partners work to build 'democratic governance that delivers.'

Democracies are not defined by elections alone, although they are an essential component. Democracy-building is a lengthy process that requires full participation by citizens, civil society groups, and the private sector. The key to building successful democracies and economic reforms is democratic governance, which comprises the traditions, institutions, and processes that determine – on a daily basis – how government decisions are made.

After free and fair elections are held to put a government in place, the government has a responsibility to govern – and be governed – democratically. Strong democratic political systems need a system of checks and balances and must be transparent and responsible. This requires mechanisms of accountability and information sharing that build wider support among citizens – not just because people will feel represented, but because active citizen participation leads to qualitatively better decisions by government. This, in turn, engenders greater support from citizens.

Building mechanisms of good democratic governance is an ongoing challenge that requires a multitude of initiatives from both the public and private sectors and civil society organizations. Vital institutions cannot be built overnight - they require time and commitment – but the payoff is a sustainable democratic system that guards the rights of every citizen and opens the door for growth and opportunity.

Programs and Resurces:

• Making Your Economy Work: A Handbook for Political Parties

• "Promoting Government Accountability and Social Participation" - A Case Study from Georgia

• "Sustaining Policy Reform" - A Case Study of the Romanian Advocacy Academy

• "Training Political Parties on Economic Platforms" - A Case Study of Political Parties in Iraq

• World Movement for Democracy

• Strenthening Democracy in the Philippines: Civil Society Solutions to Public Governance (a CIPE roundtable discussion with Dr. Jesus Estanislao, President, Institute for Solidarity in Asia)

• " Democratic Governance: The Key to Political and Economic Reform" by (also available in Russian and Arabic)

• "The Imperative of Good, Democratic Governance" by Larry Diamond