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International IDEA’s Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Director, Daniel Zovatto, participated in a high-level panel at the World Economic Forum on Latin America, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 6-7 April 2017. (Read this news article in Spanish)

On the 20^th and 21^st of March 2017, International IDEA’s Secretary-General Yves Leterme and Daniel Zovatto, IDEA’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, travelled to Brasilia, to participate in the seminar “Models of electoral systems - international contribution to the political reform in Brazil” organized by the Superior Electoral Court and the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil, with support of International IDEA.

On 21 March 2017, International IDEA's Secretary-General Yves Leterme signed a cooperation agreement with the Electoral Court of Mexico, represented by its Chief Justice, Janine M. Otálora Malassis. The partnership will aim at promoting and implementing bilateral and multilateral projects on issues related to the development of democracy, electoral processes and electoral justice.

Throughout the world, the number of women elected to office remains significantly lower than the number of men. Different factors contribute to the existence of gender inequality in politics. An increased understanding of the issues surrounding political finance has demonstrated a link between political finance and women’s participation in politics. Lack of access to financial resources is regularly identified as a key barrier to the participation of women in politics.

Peru was elected Chair of International IDEA for 2017 by the Council of Member States on 8-9 December 2016. Taking up its new role, Peru has set "Corruption: A threat towards a democracy of quality" as the theme of its Chairship.

International IDEA and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), with the support of the Swiss Confederation and USAID, organized two BRIDGE workshops in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on gender and elections and on media and elections.

From 27-30 November 2016, International IDEA Haiti office organized a conference for the National Federation of Women Mayors of Haiti (FENAFEMH), in partnership with the South Training Institute (IFOS).

During International IDEA's Council of Member States meeting on 8-9 December, and in the presence of Yves Leterme, Secretary-General of International IDEA, Mongolia, represented by the Chargé d'affaires of the Mongolian Embassy in Sweden,  Bulgan Enkhtuvshin, handed over the Chairship of International IDEA to Peru, represented by the Ambassador of Peru to Sweden, José Beraún Aranibar. Peru will take up its role as the Chair of International IDEA in 2017.

On November 23, the book “Argentina: Una sociedad anómica” (“Argentina: An Anomic Society”) was launched at the bar association Colegio de Abogados, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The book  was presented  by its authors Antonio María Hernández, an Attorney specialised in constitutional law, Eduardo Fidanza, the Director of Poliarquía and Daniel Zovatto, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of International IDEA. 

The impact of economic resources on the political participation of women has become a prominent issue in the field of comparative political finance.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that politics dominated by money is, more often than not, politics dominated by men. It is not surprising that the issue has moved to the forefront of debates on gender and political finance.

Following the passage of hurricane Matthew that hit Haiti the 4 and 5 October 2016, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) would like to express its condolences and its sympathies with the Haitian people. It also welcomes the huge solidarity of the men and women of this country to help the victims of this natural disaster.

International IDEA is hosting the 6th High Level Meeting of the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy (IRDD), to discuss the theme of Gender Equality and Political Empowerment of Women. This year the High Level Meeting will take place on 8 November 2016, at the Headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

Colombia tiene una historia marcada por grandes batallas, innumerables aflicciones y por el estridente deseo del pueblo colombiano por lograr una paz estable y duradera. Es lamentable ser testigo de cómo, a pesar de los esfuerzos, no se ha logrado alcanzar con éxito dicho propósito que mueve a los oriundos de una tierra mística, que respira democracia, inundada de diversidad y de riquezas naturales, rodeada de mar, y rebasada de gente pujante y optimista.

On 3 October 2016, the Spanish version of "Democratic Transitions: Conversations with World Leaders” was launched in Santiago, Chile, in the presence of more than 100 participants from the public and non-governmental sector in Chile. The launch included a panel discussion focused on the lessons learned from the Chilean transition to democracy.

The Secretary-General of International IDEA Yves Leterme, travelled on an official state visit to Santiago, Chile, to inaugurate International IDEA’s new regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean on 3 October. The office is relocating to Santiago, Chile from San Jose, Costa Rica, thanks to the generous support of the Government of Chile.

Today 43 families are mourning in Mexico. In fact, the whole country is looking back at what happened exactly two years ago to the Ayotzinapa students.

On Monday, 22 August 2016, the Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice (STEJ) of Paraguay, the European Union Delegation in Paraguay and the Mission of International IDEA, gathered at the headquarters of the STEJ to coordinate joint actions with an objective of cooperating on the institutional strengthening of the electoral organ.

Financing of political parties and electoral campaigns as part of larger political reform was the main topic of a seminar held on 28 July at the Sindicatura General de la Nación in Buenos Aires, Argentina.