Center for Democracy and Development (CDD)
From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations
Center for Democracy and Development (CDD)
Lagos Office
Two, Olabode Close, Off Association Avenue
P.O. Box Ilupeju Estate, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: 23418043221
Fax: 23415556812
Email: cdd@cddwestafrica.org
Website: http://www.cddwestafrica.org/
Abuja Office
Four Kikuyu Close, Off Nairobi Street, Off Parakou Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Way
P.O. Box 14345
Wuse 2, FCT, Abuja Nigeria
Tel: 23496716454
Fax: 23495233226
Email: cddabv@cddwestafrica.org
London Office
Unit 2L Leroy House, 436 Essex Road
P.O. Box N1 3QP London,
United Kingdom
Tel: 442073597775
Fax: 442073592221
Email: cdd@cdd.org.uk
Contact: Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Director
Description
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) was established in the United Kingdom in 1997 out of the need to mobilize global opinion for democratic development. It wanted to provide an independent space to examine critically the challenges that face West Africa subsequent to democratization and development processes. Although the focus is primarily on West Africa CDD’s work cuts across continents and acts as a global catalyst towards conflict prevention and management for sustainable regional security, promotion and consolidation of democracy and responsive development.
As its mission states CDD is to be the prime catalyst and facilitator for strategic analysis and capacity building for sustainable democracy and development. Its goals include, serving as the ultimate catalyst in the transformation of the West African sub-continent into an integrated, economically vibrant and democratically governed community that assures holistic security to the population and is capable of permanent peaceful conflict management. Its activities started with a roundtable discussion organized in London on the democratic future of Nigeria. CDD has since been operating in sub-Saharan Africa doing capacity-building work, policy advocacy, and as a research reference point on governance, security, human rights, the environment, etc.
CDD works in the following program areas: Governance; Human Rights; Peace and Security; Environment; Gender and Social & Economic Development. These programs are implemented by three main delivery mechanisms: Research & Documentation, Training & Empowerment and Policy Analysis & Development.
Through the program areas CDD engages West Africa in capacity-building projects, research and public policy work on security sector transformation initiatives; training for leaders of community based organizations and civil society institutions, local legislators, security agencies, women and youth. Training covers managerial and organizational skills, human rights awareness and public policy formulation. CDD also co-ordinates programs for scholars and activists from Africa.
CDD is a registered educational charity and a company limited by guarantee in the United Kingdom. It is governed by its International Governing Council, which is comprised of spectrum of West-African scholars and civil society workers with esteem in the fields of democratic development The IGC is the policy-making organ of CDD, ensuring accountability and transparency in the organization’s activities.
Track Record
CDD has been fortunate enough to receive financial support in its work from numerous organizations and governments. CDD counts Comic Relief / Charity Projects, Commission of the European Union, International Centre for Rights & Democratic Development Canada, International Development Research Centre, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Lotteries Charity Board, Swedish International Development Agency, The Body Shop International, Ford Foundation, Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Department for International Development as its main supporters.
CDD is also a founding member of The Afrobarometer, an international collaborative enterprise of three core partners - the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa), the Ghana Center for Democracy and Development (CDD-Ghana), and Michigan State University in the United States - that collaborate with national partners in sixteen African countries. Founded 1998, Afrobarometer measures the social, political, and economic atmosphere in more than a dozen countries in Africa. Because there is a standard set of questions, countries can be systematically compared and, ultimately, trends in public attitudes can be tracked over time.
In line with its work and mission, CDD works with sponsoring research from Universities including UMASS Boston and Stanford. The Stanford in Government (SIG) is a nonpartisan, student-run organization that promotes political awareness and involvement among the Stanford community. SIG seeks to accomplish this mission by organizing a variety of civic education, public service, and community involvement opportunities for the student body. The SIG fellow will works closely with a supervisor(s) on research projects and initiatives related to democratic development in Africa. Its work with UMASS is affiliated with the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies and again organized research entities associated CDD’s mission.
