Supporting Citizens

Freedom of speech, assembly, and association are under threat around the world. To address this evolving challenge, IRI works with citizen groups around the world to strengthen their ability to advocate for themselves within their own country.

Citizen groups can and should play a pivotal role in all countries by serving as a liaison between the people and their government, advocating for community needs and holding governments accountable. For more than three decades, IRI has supported civic engagement programs that empower citizens to secure their core freedoms.

IRI prioritizes stakeholder ownership in program design, implementation, and evaluation. IRI cultivates the capacity of local partners; works to close the governance “feedback loop”; and builds and bolsters citizen groups’ ability to effect change through collective action. By tailoring programs to the political context of each operational environment, IRI ensures that its support is targeted, uses proper incentives, and prioritizes the safety of our partners.

IRI works with a broad spectrum of civic actors that influence democratic institutions, processes, and culture, including formal organizations and non-traditional actors like community leaders and artists. IRI has developed trusted relationships with non-governmental stakeholders in closed and restrictive environments around the world, recognizing that assisting these groups can lay the groundwork for democratic reforms in the future. IRI commits the time and resources necessary to provide technical capacity development and mentorship opportunities to all partners. Leveraging decades of learning, IRI developed the Civic Organization Assessment Tool (COAT) to measure organizational and technical capabilities of CSOs.

Civic Education

IRI has developed tailored civic education curricula for young leaders around the world and has piloted virtual and in-person participatory training to equip communities with the tools they need to engage with local government stakeholders.

Organizational Development and Technical Mentorship

To develop the long-term capacity of local organizations to participate in and influence political decision-making, IRI partners with citizen groups to provide tailored capacity development support. IRI trainings cover topics including monitoring, evaluation, and learning; financial management; program management; marketing and outreach; business development; and digital security. IRI’s capacity-building programs employ a “learning by doing” approach that ensures the practicality and applicability of skills. Central to capacity building, IRI sees mentorships as a key tool for amplifying citizen voices and strengthening democratic institutions.

Issue-based Advocacy

IRI partners with citizen groups to enable citizens to advocate for themselves. By bringing together communities around shared interests and goals, the Institute helps citizens achieve meaningful reforms. For example, in Mexico, IRI supported civic coalitions in three states that aspired to advocate for the passage of strengthened anti-corruption legislation. Through tailored advocacy efforts, Mexico’s anti-corruption laws now contain policies and language provided by these coalitions – resulting in laws that go above and beyond Mexico’s federal requirements for such legislation.

To support peer-to-peer sharing and coordination for collaborative action, IRI developed the Networks Field Guide. This tool uses findings from an ex-post evaluation series, academic research, and IRI’s experience to provide guidance and resources for programs that seek to connect individuals or organizations to learn from each other and engage in coordinated action. The tool has been used to design and implement evidence-based programming in more than 20 countries, including Mexico, Laos, Moldova, Iraq, and Mozambique.

Restrictive Environments

IRI helps citizen groups in in restrictive spaces promote human rights and democratic principles; counter autocratic rule; respond strategically to repression; and build networks of support. IRI’s assistance prioritizes participant-first interventions that provide partners with the appropriate skills, tools, and opportunities to accomplish their goals. For example, in Burma, IRI worked with pro-democratic actors on the Thai-Burma border for more than 20 years, delivering robust technical assistance to citizen groups and political leaders pushing for democratic reform. Since the 2021 coup, IRI has leveraged its extensive networks within and outside of Burma to provide holistic support for non-violent resistance efforts demanding a return to democratic rule.

IRI’s history of programming in these environments enables the Institute to build upon existing, trusted relationships with key actors and forge new partnerships in response to emerging opportunities and challenges. In Syria, IRI’s long-standing relationships with local organizations allowed the Institute to establish citizen-led conflict resolution mechanisms that supported successful de-escalation efforts with buy-in from local communities, as well as tribal, religious, and governmental figures.