What We Do

Networks

Democracy is a team effort. We deeply value our wide network of trusted partners in international organisations, regional bodies, government, civil society, academia and the private sector. By working together, we can multiply each other’s research, advocacy and activities to advance democracy worldwide.

Here are some of our most trusted partners and networks we actively participate in:

WEPS – Women’s Empowerment Principles

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles offering guidance to business on how to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. Established by UN Women and UN Global Compact, the WEPs are informed by international labour and human rights standards and grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and a responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
WEPs are a primary vehicle for corporate delivery on gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By joining the WEPs community, the CEO signals commitment to this agenda at the highest levels of the company and to work collaboratively in multistakeholder networks to foster business practices that empower women. These include equal pay for work of equal value, gender-responsive supply chain practices and zero tolerance against sexual harassment in the workplace.

Team Europe Democracy Network

The Team Europe Democracy Initiative has three main pillars: research on democracy support best practices and policies; the creation of the ‘TED Network’ and providing expertise at country level.
The TED Network will facilitate exchanging information and engaging in strategic dialogue. It will enhance cross-regional collaboration on democracy support and will support joint initiatives on thematic priorities. The three priority themes are: accountability and the rule of law, political and civic participation, and media and the digital domain.
Support to selected partner countries will be provided through a pool of experts. The experts will support EU Delegations to operationalise and develop actions, with the aim of strengthening the coordination and complementarity of European interventions for democracy support.

Nets4Dem

Nets4Dem is a network of networks, creating a hub for collaboration and advanced research in the field of democratic innovation, civic deliberation, participation and citizenship education.
Nets4Dem unites policymakers, practitioners and researchers, to strengthen our joint capacity to implement innovative democracy initiatives at local, national and European levels.

Global Network on Securing Electoral Integrity

The Global Network for Securing Electoral Integrity (GNSEI) convenes election stakeholders around a shared vision: to inspire and inform action to advance electoral integrity in the face of critical threats to democracy. Specifically, GNSEI brings together leading international electoral integrity actors to establish a broad-based platform to develop, advance, and promote adherence to norms, guiding principles, and codes of conduct that address emerging and long-term threats to electoral integrity. While there are other platforms and forums that focus on specific election integrity issues or bring together sub-communities of election integrity actors, there has not been a standing platform for these electoral integrity actors to regularly and systematically cooperate.

Global Democracy Coalition

The Global Democracy Coalition is an agile, inclusive, and action-oriented multi-stakeholder Coalition that seeks to advance democracy globally. As a multi-stakeholder solidarity network, the Global Democracy Coalition explores and seizes opportunities for collective action and influence for the global democracy agenda.

GADN – Gender and Development Network

GADN is an influential network of UK-based NGOs and experts collaborating internationally to promote gender equality and the rights of women and girls in all their diversity.

FairShare

The FAIR SHARE Monitor and commitment focuses on increasing the number of women in leadership positions within the global social impact sector. When we say women, we mean everyone identifying as a woman ­­- transgender, intersex, cisgender- from all corners of the world and no matter their journey towards leadership. With FAIR SHARE we seek to contribute to a wider debate on diversity, inclusion and intersectionality, and ultimately open the doors for a new generation of leaders that change their organisations and the world.

European Partnership for Democracy

The European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) is a network with a global remit to support democracy. In 2008, several organisations came together to create EPD as a partnership to reinforce European democracy support by building a community that advocates and acts for democratic values around the world. EPD works inside and outside Europe because we recognise that democracy is a universal aspiration and that the contemporary challenges and opportunities for democracy are global in scope.

Declaration of Principles for Election Observation Group

Election Observation and Democracy Support (EODS) is the capacity-building project for EU Election Observation, funded by the European Commission. The current EODS project focuses on five key areas: strengthening the EU Election Observation Mission methodology, enhancing the capacity of EU election missions to assess the impact of social media on elections, coordinating communication strategies for EU election missions, training election observation specialists in EU methodology and key election principles, and developing tools to support the operational aspects of EU election observation.

Programmatic Partners

Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki

A dedicated hub for expertise and projects to promote the rule of law, particularly in developing countries. It connects Finnish experts with international institutions, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and experience. The Centre engages in various activities, including research, training, and collaborative projects, to strengthen the rule of law globally.

Regard Citoyen

A coalition consisting of four active civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was established with the mission to enhance electoral processes. This coalition aims to collaborate on election observation and to advocate nationally for more inclusive elections.

Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition (RPR Coalition)

Ukrainian association of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to support and promote reforms in Ukraine. It was established in 2014 during the Revolution of Dignity to consolidate the efforts and expertise of the public in order to work through legislative changes and implement reforms

Hivos

Hivos is an international development and human rights organisation with substantial expertise in coordinating and leading multi-regional and global programmes supporting CSOs across a range of enabling environment aspects.

GISF – Global Interagency Security Forum

The Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF) is a member-led NGO forum that drives change through our global network of over 130 member organisations. We influence good security risk management practice that works for the whole humanitarian sector, improving the security of aid workers and operations for sustainable access.

Fundação Getulio Vargas

Founded in 1944, FGV plays a key role in training highly skilled leaders, promoting applied research and contributing to public and private policies through educational programs, specialization courses and strategic consulting.

European Youth Parliament

The European Youth Parliament is one of Europe’s largest youth platforms for civic education, intercultural encounters, and the exchange of ideas – run by young people, for young people. Our mission is to inspire and empower a young generation of informed, open-minded, responsible, and active citizens that shape society and drive impact.

EU Code of Practice on Disinformation

We are a diverse group of online platforms, advertising industry players, fact-checkers, researchers, and civil society organizations united by a common mission: to counter the threat of disinformation and misinformation. In response to the European Democracy Action Plan and the European Commission’s Guidance, we collaboratively drafted and signed a new Code of Practice on Disinformation in June 2022. Through this Transparency Centre, we provide access to comprehensive information about the Code and the concrete actions we are taking to implement it.

CIVICUS

is a global alliance of civil society organisation that produces timely and world-class knowledge and analysis on aspects of the enabling environment and analysis on global events and the state of civil society around the world.

Centre of Policy and Legal Reform (CPLR)

Ukrainian non-governmental think tank that was established in 1996. It focuses on supporting the implementation of institutional reforms in Ukraine to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, and good governance.

Are we Europe

Are We Europe is a non-profit media collective dedicated to innovation and diversity in the European media landscape. We support emerging creative talent in Europe and promote the creation of inclusive pan-European media initiatives.

Europe

  • Amnesty International
  • Carnegie Europe
  • The Centre for Policies and Reforms –
  • Moldova
  • The Center of Policy and Legal Reform
  • Centro de Estudos Sociais (CES)
  • The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties)
  • Civil Society Europe
  • Coglobal
  • Commissie Meijers
  • The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe
  • Demos Helsinki
  • Electionwatch.eu
  • Eurocities
  • The European Center for Press and Media Freedom
  • The European Civic Forum
  • The European Commission – Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers
  • The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
  • The European Implementation Network (EIN)
  • The European Network of National Human Rights Institutions
  • The European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
  • The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE)
  • The European Policy Centre (EPC)
  • The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
  • The EU Media Advocacy Group
  • The Finnish Rule of Law Centre
  • Forum Transregionale Studien (FTS)
  • The German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)
  • Good Lobby Profs
  • The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland)
  • The Hungarian Helsinki Committee
  • IFDT, University of Belgrade
  • Institut Royale des Relation Internationales (Egmont)
  • The International Federation for Human Rights
  • Open Source Politics (OSP)
  • The Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition
  • Recharging Advocacy for Rights in Europe (RARE)
  • Resilio
  • Ruleoflaw.pl
  • The Stefan Batory Foundation
  • Team Europe Democracy (TED)
  • The Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA)
  • Transparency International EU
  • Verfassungsblog
  • The World Justice Project 

Tunisia

  • Global Institute 4 Transitions (GI4T)
  • Mourakiboun
  • Munathara
  • The Tunisian Association of Alternative Media (ATMA) 

Lebanon 

  • Akkar For Development (AND)
  • Al Midan
  • The Beity Association
  • The Development For People and Nature Association (DPNA)
  • Engagement Global
  • Environment for Life (EFL)
  • Expertise France
  • Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de
  • Administración y Políticas Públicas (FIIAPP)
  • The German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)
  • The Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace (LFPCP)
  • The Smart Municipalities Academy (SMA)
  • Sustain the World (STW)
  • Tamadon
  • TERRE Liban
  • Tiro Association For Arts   

Middle East and North Africa - Regional 

  • Alhayat Center – Rased
  • The Institute of Press and Information Sciences (IPSI)
  • The Jordan Open Source Association (JOSA)
  • Maharat Foundation
  • Mourakiboun
  • The Sudanese Development Initiative (SUDIA) 

Sri Lanka   

  • The CSO Collective 

Sub-Saharan Africa  

  • The Center for Democratic Development (CDD)
  • Gambia Participants (GP)
  • The Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON)
  • National Election Watch (NEW)
  • Yiaga Africa
  • Réseau national d’observation et de la surveillance des élections au Congo (RENOSEC)
  • Rien-Sans-les-Femmes (RSLF)
  • Réseau Gouvernance économique et Démocratie (REGED)
  • Réseau des Organisations de Droits Humains et d’Education
  • Civique d’Inspiration Chrétienne (RODHECIC)
  • Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO)
  • Eglise du Christ au Congo (ECC) 

Libya 

  • Due to security concerns, we cannot list our local partners in Libya. 

Trusted Partners

Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki

A dedicated hub for expertise and projects to promote the rule of law, particularly in developing countries. It connects Finnish experts with international institutions, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and experience. The Centre engages in various activities, including research, training, and collaborative projects, to strengthen the rule of law globally.

Regard Citoyen

A coalition consisting of four active civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was established with the mission to enhance electoral processes. This coalition aims to collaborate on election observation and to advocate nationally for more inclusive elections.

Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition (RPR Coalition)

Ukrainian association of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to support and promote reforms in Ukraine. It was established in 2014 during the Revolution of Dignity to consolidate the efforts and expertise of the public in order to work through legislative changes and implement reforms

Hivos

Hivos is an international development and human rights organisation with substantial expertise in coordinating and leading multi-regional and global programmes supporting CSOs across a range of enabling environment aspects.

GISF – Global Interagency Security Forum

The Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF) is a member-led NGO forum that drives change through our global network of over 130 member organisations. We influence good security risk management practice that works for the whole humanitarian sector, improving the security of aid workers and operations for sustainable access.

Fundação Getulio Vargas

Founded in 1944, FGV plays a key role in training highly skilled leaders, promoting applied research and contributing to public and private policies through educational programs, specialization courses and strategic consulting.

European Youth Parliament

The European Youth Parliament is one of Europe’s largest youth platforms for civic education, intercultural encounters, and the exchange of ideas – run by young people, for young people. Our mission is to inspire and empower a young generation of informed, open-minded, responsible, and active citizens that shape society and drive impact.

EU Code of Practice on Disinformation

We are a diverse group of online platforms, advertising industry players, fact-checkers, researchers, and civil society organizations united by a common mission: to counter the threat of disinformation and misinformation. In response to the European Democracy Action Plan and the European Commission’s Guidance, we collaboratively drafted and signed a new Code of Practice on Disinformation in June 2022. Through this Transparency Centre, we provide access to comprehensive information about the Code and the concrete actions we are taking to implement it.

CIVICUS

is a global alliance of civil society organisation that produces timely and world-class knowledge and analysis on aspects of the enabling environment and analysis on global events and the state of civil society around the world.

Centre of Policy and Legal Reform (CPLR)

Ukrainian non-governmental think tank that was established in 1996. It focuses on supporting the implementation of institutional reforms in Ukraine to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, and good governance.

Are we Europe

Are We Europe is a non-profit media collective dedicated to innovation and diversity in the European media landscape. We support emerging creative talent in Europe and promote the creation of inclusive pan-European media initiatives.