Our Stories

Guaranteeing equal protection to vulnerable communities in Iraq

Laila, a mother of two, was physically abused for years by her husband, and even forced to seek treatment for injuries on a number of occasions. The 28-year-old did not want to denounce her husband to the authorities out of fear he would take away or hurt their children. In cooperation with the Kur more

Paralegals bring justice to women in South Sudan

In a young democracy like South Sudan, most disputes are still resolved through traditional, customary structures and institutions. Alice Adye witnessed how breakdowns within state institutions, including police as well as statutory and customary courts, undermined and victimized women in rural area more

Afghanistan: Bringing the police closer to the people

Farza, Kabul Province—Colonel Noor Aqa Ibrahimkhail, the district Chief of Police for Farza, located 45 kilometres north of Kabul, is a veteran officer who has experienced many brushes with violence and unrest throughout his career. But compared to his previous postings, he says, Farza is a haven of more

Legal aid helps vulnerable in Darfur protect their rights

In the small town of Garssila in Central Darfur, 13-year-old Aisha had her childhood cut short when she was brutally raped by a man while on the way to the market. Unfortunately, Aisha’s case is not an isolated one. As law enforcement agencies in Darfur have insufficient resources and incentives to more

In Montenegro, legal aid services make justice accessible for all

A.S.,* a middle-aged housewife and mother of two in Montenegro, was divorced and on her own. For three years, she received no support from her ex-husband and lacked the means to raise her children. But through a new legal aid program Montenegro rolled out in 2011, she was able to access legal aid, a more

Young indigenous and disabled people gear up for election in Cambodia

When local elections were held in the province of Mondulkiri, eastern Cambodia, Bunthoeun Tola, a 20-year-old indigenous person and first-time voter, was turned away at the polling station because his name on the voter list did not match with his identification card. “It was spelled incorrectly and more

Mobile phones connect voters in Angola

When Manuel Senduca, a 20-year old cleaner working for a private company in Luanda, headed to a polling station for the first time, he felt a great sense of responsibility. As a young citizen, voting gave him the chance to have a say in his country’s future. Also based in Angola’s capital, João Pedr more

Vulnerable people get free legal aid in Ethiopia

Abebe Ayalew, who is blind, couldn’t afford a lawyer to represent him when a dispute arose over inheritance of his father’s house in September 2011, so he turned to a UNDP-supported Free Legal Aid Centre for help. “I came to this Legal Aid Centre and Andualem, a lawyer and instructor in Hawassa Univ more

Drafting laws that reflect the needs of ordinary people in Viet Nam

Tran Thi Hy is the head of Cho Lau town’s study promotion association in the Viet Nam province of Binh Thuan. Recently, she attended a public consultation on a proposed measure to raise school fees. "I was given a questionnaire to fill in and invited to speak,” she said. “I believe it is import more

In Pakistan, women work to strengthen democracy

Zameer Akhtar, 28, is participating in the electoral process for the very first time. Being a woman and living in a joint family in Pakistan, getting consent from her elders for her decision wasn’t simple at first. But she felt compelled to take part in election training due to lack of public confid more

Indonesia: Fighting for Social Justice

Three years ago, Indonesian housewife Ibu Odah had little knowledge of legal affairs. Now, the mother of two is at the forefront of a legal fight against domestic violence in the remote island of Ternate, in the North Moluccas province of Indonesia. With the knowledge and expertise that she has acqu more

Local governance in Rwanda

Murengerantwari Syldio is a farmer in Rwanda’s Rulindo district. Until recently, had no way of selling his crops because poor roads restricted his access to neighbouring districts. Fortunately, however, a United Nations (UN) initiative, supported in part by the United Nations Development Pro more

Supporting democratic elections in the new Tunisia

by Jamel Haouas, first place winner, UNDP's storytelling contest Sumaya Al Arounony, a second year student of informatics from the coastal town of Ben Arous in Tunisia, had never voted before. But, on the morning of 23 October 2011 that was not the only reason for her eagerness to vote. more

Cambodian councils cooperate to provide community with school

Several years ago, Soy Pheap, a 39 year-old mother of seven, was forced to make a tough decision; send her daughter away, or forfeit the young girl’s education. Until recently, Pheap’s village, part of the Tuol Pongro commune in Banteay Meanchey Province in northwest Cambodia, lacked an adequate sec more

Nigeria: A boost for women's participation in politics

For Anthonia Bashorun and millions of other Nigerian women, taking part in elective politics is not easy. Women often do not receive the support and mentoring they need to compete with their male counterparts. In turn, many voters do not fully appreciate the benefits of having a mix of men and women more

Georgia: Building a culture of informed voters

As October’s parliamentary elections near in Georgia, 18-year old Alex Shatberashvili wants his first vote to be educated and informed. "I feel responsible for my vote and want to have a clear picture before I make a decision,” said Alex. However, news coverage and reporting is often unbalanced more

Kenya: Preparing women for leadership

As Kenya prepares for the general election in March 2013, UNDP is equipping women with critical skills to help them run for office. Women remain underrepresented in political leadership positions in Kenya despite Constitutional quotas, with women’s political representation standing at 9.8 percent ve more

Lao PDR: Revamped market creates brighter future for local vendors

Soutsady, a 48-year-old mother of six who prefers to be addressed by her first name, has always depended on her meagre income from selling fried bananas at Khangkhai village market in the central Lao PDR province of Xiengkhouang. But the small, poorly-equipped community market did not provide enoug more

Libya's historic elections: Youth activists pave way for future role

When Ayman Ramdan, a student at the University of Tripoli in Libya, left his home early on 28 June, he had a long day ahead of him. With just over a week before the country’s first free multi-party elections in six decades, he was joining 15 other student activists for the Open Day to Encourage Elec more

Building a sustainable democracy in Libya

A year ago, Khadija Baba would not have considered engaging in any independent civil society or political activities in her home town of Tripoli. Not only was such activity forbidden under the former regime in Libya, but it would have likely landed the university student in prison. Now, with support more

A new opportunity for the disabled in Timor-Leste elections

By Louise Stoddard Car mechanic Joel Fernandes paid no attention to the two steps that he climbed as he entered the polling station for local elections in 2005. His mind was on one thing - casting his vote. As he posted his ballot into the box Joel did not know that this would be the last vote he wo more

Croatia: Witness support offices help to deliver justice

By Sunčica Pleština Vukovar, Croatia – “As an employee of a retail chain, to my greatest regret, I was the witness of an armed robbery. It was an extremely traumatic experience that forced me to change my job,” writes M. K., who requested anonymity in her letter to the President of the Vukovar Court more

"Now I exist": Delivering identity cards in Burundi

By Aaron Nsavyimana, second place of UNDP's storytelling contest. Those of us possessing an identity card can imagine how things would be without one. Those of us who don’t possess one don’t need to imagine. We know. We know we can’t vote, can’t be heard, and certainly can’t run for office. But it more

More than 50,000 Timorese finally land property rights

Teresa de Jesus clutched her land papers and gave a shy grin. The 60-year old woman from Liquica, an hour east of the capital Dili, was one of 16 landowners who earlier this month received the first land certificates ever issued in independent Timor-Leste. “I’m very happy,” she said. “And I wa more

Ion casts a vote of hope for Moldova's future

"Lume, lume", "Voteaza, lume!". « People, people », « vote, people! ». Spurred by a campaign based on a popular folk song, the people of Moldova cast their votes during the early parliamentary elections on 28 November 2010. Thanks to the introduction of an adv more

Women play major role in building Liberia's peace

Nearly 1.7 million Liberians, almost half of them women, had a chance to vote in the October 11th elections in 2011, the first organized nationally since the end of the country’s civil conflict in 2003. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) worked with UN and other partners to support Libe more

Women play major role in Tunisia's historic election

Azza Badra was one of thousands of women in Tunisia who competed for a seat in the country’s national elections on 23 October, the first since the dramatic pro-democracy shift in January this year and since its independence in 1956. Badra, a mother of two, ran as a Green Tunisia Party candidate more

New bridge improves links, livelihoods for Cambodian villages

When 26-year-old So Phorn gave birth to her first child three years ago it took her two strenuous hours on a motorbike, a ferry and a rickshaw to get to the nearest health centre in the neighbouring commune of Beoung Preav, in south-western Cambodia. Following completion six months ago of a joint in more

More than 30 million Congolese register to vote

Bernadette Ntumba, 61, travels with her new voter’s card everywhere she goes. She is one of some 30 million people registered to vote in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s second ever national elections, scheduled for 28 November this year. “I always have it with me because it also serves as an more

Philippines heeds call of citizens in breakthrough land reform plan

“With a piece of land titled in our names, we will be able to make long-term plans for a better life for our families,” said Belen Nana, president of the Organization of Farmers and Tree Planters, a cooperative in Antipolo in the northern Philippines province of Rizal. “Now I plan to send my childre more

Riding a radio wave in Lao PDR

At sunset in the village of Houay Jaek, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a group of villagers are performing a dialogue about the importance of good hygiene. Recording their voices is 30 year-old Khamboun, a fellow villager and volunteer with the local Khoun Community Radio station. Khoun Radio was more

In Nepal new voices speak through people's constitution

Citizens of Nepal, particularly women and indigenous and disadvantaged groups, have been given a new platform from which to promote their aspirations for their country. As part of the process of drafting Nepal’s new constitution, regional consortiums of non-governmental organizations have mobilized more

Local governance paves way for poverty reduction in Lao PDR

The rainy season used to mean a loss of revenue for Timchai, a farmer in the southern Lao province of Saravene. Rainfall during this five-month period would often make the road running from her village to the nearest market impassible, causing her produce to rot before she had an opportunity to sell more

Justice for all in Georgia

After being charged with theft, Kakha Kisishvili from Gori, Georgia, faced a potential five year jail term. Though certain of his innocense, Kakha could not afford a lawyer to defend his case and received a prison sentence. Fortunately, however, after just a year in prison, the United Nations Develo more

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