Foreword
of a democratic political system. Success in this field largely depends
on working alongside elected officials to ensure proper administration
of the institutions of government to deliver an array of services and
meet the needs of their citizens, while also working with civil society so
that local actors have opportunities to participate in shaping their own
democracy and, equally important, their country’s future.
Despite the many contemporary challenges and occasional setbacks
in its democratic history, Latin America offers interesting experiences,
perspectives and best practices in its regional portfolio of democratic
governance efforts. Having worked in the region for nearly 30 years
and supported the implementation of numerous innovations in the
field of democratic governance, IRI thought it timely to gather the
voices of prominent partners, academics, innovators and leaders so
they might contribute ideas and perspectives to the ever-growing
global conversation on democratic governance. IRI seeks, through
this publication, to stimulate broader discussions on democratization
and governance in Latin America, to develop insights that can inform
policy development and to promote the replication of best practices. It
is through the work noted and conducted by the prominent partners,
academics and innovators featured herein that democratic governance
is alive and ongoing throughout the region.
To IRI, democratic governance is a system in which citizens participate
in government planning and decision-making, while those in office
respond to citizen needs with accountability and transparency. It
involves the participation and leadership of many actors and institutions
within a society; accordingly, this collection of essays has been
structured to examine the role and responsibilities of government, civil
society, the media and think tanks, exploring how these institutions
can work independently and collectively to further consolidate and
institutionalize democratic governance in the region. The authors
expound upon and evaluate best practices and common challenges in
Latin American democratic governance, allowing readers to gain an
appreciation for a range of strategies and associated mechanisms that
can protect and advance democratic gains while bringing government
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