Reflecting on his 22 years with IFES, Senior Program Manager for the Caucasus and Central Asia Anthony Bowyer still firmly believes that the work of IFES matters. “I would ask younger colleagues to not be daunted by what they are hearing in the news; our work is important and needed, not only in emerging democracies, but here at home as well. Be open-minded, don’t be discouraged, have faith,” he says.
Sri Lanka looks to hold local government elections in early 2018, which will introduce thousands of new women leaders as the country implements its first-ever women’s quota. There is a critical need to mitigate violence against women in elections (VAWIE). To address this need, IFES is working with the Election Commission and civil society partners to implement a series of initiatives that aim to engage a diverse group of electoral stakeholders in comprehensively addressing election violence against women.