International Women's Democracy Network

“I am excited by the potential of what I represent - the aspirations and expectations of women in Liberia, African women and women all over the world”
- Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia

The International Women’s Democracy Network seeks to build a network of solidarity among women and women’s organizations engaged in democracy activism. By providing a virtual resource center and a forum for exchange of information and knowledge, the Network supports women’s roles and agency in the development of democratic practices and institutions at the community, national, and international levels in order to ensure women’s full participation.

The Network’s Goals are to:

• Exchange experiences, share best practices, and train others in democracy work;
• Develop and support advocacy campaigns initiated by members at the local, national, and international levels;
• Build solidarity among, and support, individuals and organizations engaged in democracy activism;
• Increase interaction and communication among and between various transnational networks, including those working on women’s rights, human rights, peace, and environmental issues.

WLP took a leading role in developing the International Women's Democracy Network on the recommendation of participants at the "Networking Activists for Women's Rights" workshop at the World Movement for Democracy's (WMD’s) Third Assembly in February 2004. During the workshop, participants explored the viability of creating such a network to support women's agency in democracy work. The discussion focused on identifying existing international or regional networks that could be brought together to mutually support each other's work; exchanging ideas about the objectives, potential resources, and activities of the network; and determining its membership, structure, and initial steps.

In September 2005, WLP was established as the IWDN Secretariat in order to provide a coordination mechanism through which women can engage in dialogue and pursue the goals of the Network. Grassroots women’s organizations and activists coordinate network activities at the national and regional levels.

In order to achieve its goals, the Network is implementing the following activities:

• Creating an Online Resource Center that presents information and knowledge on the priority areas of the network.
• Supporting and assisting democracy workers in countries where political systems are undergoing transitions to democracy.
• Developing strategies for democracy activism in closed societies drawing upon the experiences of network members who have participated in similar efforts.
• Strengthening emerging democracies through exchange of experiences and training.
• Supporting efforts in established democracies on behalf of under-privileged and under-represented groups, such as women and minorities.

To join the network, please send an email to the Network Coordinators, Bunmi Dipo-Salami and Christina Halstead at iwdn@learningpartnership.org.

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