About the Liberia Democratic Institute
Liberia Democratic Institute
What Are We?
The Liberia Democratic Institute is a pro democracy and policy advocacy organization working to engender diverse public participation in decision making, stimulate dialogue between duty bearers and marginalized communities/groups and promote democratic governance. Our work enables marginalized groups/communities to claim stake in policy formulation and democratic processes in ways that promotes coexistence between divided groups and communities.
About LDI
The Liberia Democratic Institute (LDI) is a nonpartisan pro-democracy and policy advocacy organization founded on June 11, 2000. LDI considers the eradication of poverty as the surest way to promote sustainable democratic governance. LDI was organized to reach a consensus on what are the root causes of Africa’s development crisis and the poverty rife within it.
We strive to pursue these goals through six key program entry points including: Law Reform and Decentralization, Community Governance and Advocacy, Gender and Development, Conflict and Security, Economic Justice and Constituency Outreach and Citizens’ Participation. Pursuant to this goal, LDI works in alliance with international and national partners including working to strengthen CBOs and citizen groups with the view to increase their voices in the decision making process.
In much deference, the past three years mark noteworthy changeover years for the Liberia Democratic Institute. Away from its strides in addressing its multifaceted organizational and programmatic challenges and reassessing its service delivery approaches and task in promoting networking and cooperation amongst its constituents, LDI’s work in the last years focused largely on the consolidation of peace, the promotion of democratic tenets and partners in an increasing number of areas.
Amongst the numerous accomplishments of LDI have been the: deepening of indigenous communities’ participation in public policy debates and dialogues at the community level. Though marred with a few isolated challenges, the unwavering quest of local actors to begin demanding accountability of their political leaders represents a milestone achievement in engendering participatory governance. Another milestone gains is the development of a civic education master plan for Liberia as well as the promotion of women and other marginalized groups participation in political life and leadership.
On the overall, LDI’s wide-ranging programmatic works sought to make a considerable divergence within civil society organizations including CBOs and to citizens’ experiences of their participation in national policy issues.
LDI Board of Directors
The Liberia Democratic Institute is managed by a five member Board of Directors drawn from diverse professional backgrounds. The Board meets every six months to review the programmatic output of the institute and make appropriate recommendations to advance the growth and development of the institute. All members of the Board are Liberians with one of them residing outside of Liberia on professional assignment.
Our Staff
LDI has strived over the years to maintain standards and quality in its programmatic output. By this, the Institute takes seriously its policy on recruitment in order to ensure the best staff or consultant is hired for a given task. LDI currently operates six different program areas and are all managed by MSc and BA degrees holders. Our programs are supported by three levels of staffs including full time staffs, consultant staff that are often brought for short time and interns.
Field Office
LDI is a national NGO with mandate to work in all fifteen counties of Liberia and the sub-region at large. Pursuant to this mandate, LDI previously operated two field offices – one in Gbarnga, Bong County covering Nimba, Bong, Lofa and Margibi (Central Region) and another field office in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County covering Sinoe, River Gee, Grand Kru, Maryland and Grand Gedeh Counties (Southeastern Region). At the moment, only the Zwedru Field Office is being operated due to funding problem.