Verden har ændret sig siden den 24. februar i år, og siden der blev afholdt Danmarks Indsamling i slutningen af januar. Først samlede vi ind til corona-krisens børn, og derefter til Ukraines befolkning. Og derefter lod regeringen de fattigste i verden betale en del af regningen for flygtninge fra Ukraine. En svinestreg! Men måske kan udviklingen bidrage til, at vi får en anden slags indsamling i 2023.

DIPD - Dansk Institut for Partier og Demokrati - udsendte for nogle måneder siden et katalog over erfaringer fra instituttets første 10 leveår. Det giver jeg her - som direktør for DIPD i en stor del af denne periode - nogle kommentarer med på vejen,

Fredag den 16. april 2021 udkommer mine nye bog: VI TROR VI KAN MÅLE ALT. EN HISTORIE OM UDVIKLING. Et kvart århundrede efter at have boet i Zimbabwe, kører jeg flere tusinde kilometer gennem landet for at finde ud af, hvordan det er gået med de projekter, vi sammen med lokale ildsjæle søgte at bygge op. Hvad står tilbage? Hvad er der sket med Zimbabwe?

The Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy (DIPD) have just presented a new strategy for 2021-25, ten years after the institute established by the Danish parliament started its first activities in January 2011. Does the strategy make sense in the world we have today?

The Economist Democracy Index 2020 has just been released. It focuses on the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the numbers show that democracy is in trouble in most parts of the world.

Today, 15 September 2020, is the United Nations International Day of Democracy. A day to celebrate the ideas and principles of democracy that should be the framework for how we develop our societies in a peaceful manner, recognizing that we disagree on many issues.

Envoys from South Africa have visited President Mnangagwa to find ways of bringing normalcy to the situation. And former finance minister Tendai Biti from the opposition has offered his views. Is Covid-19 the worst threat to the future of Zimbabwe?

The 2019 Annual Report from the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy [DIPD] offers an interesting insight into efforts by the institute and the involved Danish political parties to contribute to democratization in various parts of the global South.

A few days ago, I received a copy of a letter in my inbox, sent on 2 April 2020 from the Minister of Finance and Economic Development of Zimbabwe, Prof. M. Ncube, to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. The letter paints a dramatic picture of the Zimbabwean economy. It looks like it could collapse, if Zimbabwe receives no help.

Numbers can be confusing. How we use or misuse the numbers equally so. Still, I think we can talk about the number of people dying from COVID-19 without forgetting the number of people dying from malaria, every year, year after year. Let us at least not forget how the world works.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, Zimbabwe on 18 April celebrated its 40th Independence Anniversary. This normally involves a lot of festivity, but not this year. And to be honest, there is not a lot for ordinary Zimbabweans to celebrate.

Bhutan is a tiny landlocked country in the Himalaya mountains, bordering China to the north and India to the south. Leadership to manage the Corona challenge comes both from the King and from the government.

It seems like a year ago, but it has actually just been one month since I met with Botswana's former President, Festus Mogae, in his office in Gaborone. One issue was his leadership during the time when Botswana had the highest percentage of HIV-positive citizens in the world - close to one in five.

Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa has decided on a 21-day lockdown. How will a country and a people having to manage multiple crises manage such a situation? Human rights activist Thandekile Moyo takes us through the options in this article first published in "Maverick Zitizen".

The corona virus has finally also reached the city of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Streets that are normally overflowing with cars and motorcycles are now deserted, empty. My close friend, Shrishti Rana, has kindly sent me a report, putting the virus into perspective.

President Mugabe was toppled in November 2017. President Mnangagwa was elected new President in June 2018, according to the Electoral Commission. But nothing seems to have changed. Poverty continues to be a killer virus. What will happen if/when the Corona virus also hits the country?

President Trump has blamed the Chinese for the virus. This is where it all started of course, but for Trump this is also a way of not taking responsiibility, as always relying on blaming others. How does this look from a Botswana perspective is my contribution today.

On 13 March, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that all Danes travelling abroad should return to Denmark. I was in Botswana, on my way to Zimbabwe, but decided to cancell this part of the trip. Here is my account of the days before I returned.

Under Presidents Festus Mogae and Ian Khama, the relationship between the two neighbours of Botswana and Zimbabwe was uneasy, to say the least. With Mugabe gone, it looks like President Mnangagwa and President Masisi have decided to improve relations.

I receive the news about President Evo Morales stepping down with sadness as well as happiness. When elected back in 2005, he was the president I felt Bolivia had deserved ever since independence in 1825, following almost 300 years of Spanish conquest and colonization, and following almost 200 military coups. But I am happy that his attempt to continue ruling undemocratically has failed.

The good news coming out of Zimbabwe has nothing to do with Robert Mugabe or the present economic and political situation. No, the good news is from the Binga Craft Centre on the shores of Lake Kariba.

I am happy to be able to comment on the 2018 Annual Report published in June 2019 by the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy, the organization I helped set in motion as the first Director 2011-16.

The 5 June 2019 election for Parliament in Denmark resulted in a dramatic victory for the parties belonging to the red bloc - with the climate agenda playing a key role. Some of the parties of the blue block lost in a manner that must be considered historic.

The 2019 edition of the Human Development Report for Bhutan deals with TEN YEARS OF DEMOCRACY IN BHUTAN, developed by the UNDP office in cooperation with the Parliament of Bhutan. It is a timely report, for now is the time to take stock and move forward.

On 15 March, I joined the thousands of students gathering in front of the Danish parliament. Inspired by Swedish Greta, they want our politicians, our leaders, to take action, not to continue to talk. They are so right!

More than 40 years ago, when I first visited Peru to collect information for my thesis, Hugo Blanco was one of the personalities I was most interested in. A peasant organizer and a rebel. Now, when he is 84 years old, he tells his fascinating story to a Danish audience.

I dag - den 24. januar 2019 - udkommer "Man bliver aldrig den sammen", som er en samling fortællinger og samtaler om Mellemfolkeligt Samvirkes historie gennem 75 år.

The Economist Democracy Index for 2018 shows that political participation has increased, and this is mostly thanks to the increased participation of women in many countries around the world. At least som light in darkness!

A new report called FRIENDSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, OWNERSHIP offers a detailed overview of the many activities that have taken place during four years of cooperation between the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy and political parties in Nepal.

For decades, the Danes have been asked about their support - or the opposite - for development cooperation. In general, a majority of the population has been supportive. In March, a selection of 1001 persons were asked their opinion about the impact of development cooperation, i.e. if people think that it works or helps?

The Druk Journal started in 2015, as a non-partisan publication, with the purpose of serving the national interest through the development of serious conversation on issues from every possible constructive point of view. In this issue, I write about the challenges presently facing political parties globally, and what needs to be done in Bhutan to avoid ending in the same situation.

During my recent visit to Nepal, I had the opportunity to meet with the Steering Committee of JOMPOPS, a platform of all the parties that today play a role in the country. In addition to their normal SC business, they had asked me to make a presentation on the way in which issues of democracy are covered by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A seminar organized by the Maoist Party on 6 May was more modest in numbers than the big meeting on 4 May, but actually very interesting from a substantive point of view. Local academics spoke about how to analyse class and caste developments in Nepal, and how to address the key challenges. I had been asked to contribute with a perspective on the Nordic [Danish] welfare state.

I was invited to speak at a conference organised by the Communist and Maoist parties in Kathmandu around the 5 May celebration of the 200 year anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx, to speak about the challenges of globalisation and global democracy.

The cover of the collection of stories from Zimbabwe is a painting I bought from the National Gallery, painted by a promising Zimbabwean artist, Benjamin Furawu. It is simply called "His Excellency". Believe it or not, Mugabe is now in exile in an apartment building in downtown Copenhagen!

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

We lived in Zimbabwe 1992-95, working for the Danish Association for International Cooperation. These were some of the best years of our lives. We now return, to visit people and places we got to know 25 years ago.

Så er den her igen, debatten om Afrika, om de hvide og de sorte, om bistandens negative eller positive rolle. Denne gang båret frem med afrikanske lyde, smukke landskaber, og karakterer ætset knivskarpt og dramatisk i den rødbrune jord. Det skal 'Liberty' have tak for.

It is sad to learn about the death of Morgan Tsvangirai, at the age of only 65. Despite all the controversies that have surrounded him over the years, he deserves to be recognized for his leadership at a time when his country needed it.

Foreningen Globale Seniorer gennemfører i foråret en række møder, hvor medlemmer præsenterer de 17 Verdensmål. Jeg har fortalt om mål nummer 16, som bl.a. handler om fred, retssikkerhed og opbygning af effektive, ansvarlige og inddragende institutioner.

The beginning of a new year also means the publication of the annual report from the US-based Freedom House, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights.

Following her victory in the election for the provincial parliament in Kathmandu, I asked Asta Laxmi Shakya from the communist UML party to present some of the key issues she would like to address in the position she will be appointed to be responsible for.

The recent issue of Druk Journal in Bhutan is about Civil Society, recognizing that this is still a new phenomenon in a society that has traditionally had a rather statist and top-down form of governance. I have written the introductory article.

On 21 November, the Danes voted in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 8 of a series of personal stories I will post during and after the election campaign.

Following the intervention of the military in the wake of the sacking of Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa, civil society organisations met and agreed on a communication to the people of Zimbabwe.

Contrary to what the South African Artist ZAPIRO seems to indicate in his drawings, both Mnangagwa, Grace Mugabe and Robert Mugabe are still alive. Hopefully the present crisis will continue to be managed in a peaceful manner.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 7 of a series of personal stories I will post during the election campaign.

Twenty-five years ago, on 15 November 1992, our son Lasse was born in Harare. Tonight we will celebrate and reminisce about the beauty of the country and the hospitality of its people. I am sure that we will also discuss how the events on 15 November 2017 will mark the end of the Mugabe era.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 6 of a series of personal stories I will post during the election campaign.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 5 of a series of personal stories I will post during the election campaign.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 4 of a series of personal stories I will post during the election campaign.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 3 of a series of personal stories I will post over the next month.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 2 of a series of personal stories I will post over the next month.

On 21 November, the Danes will vote in municipal elections, exercising their right to participate in the decision-making at the local level of our democracy. What are the issues? Are people interested? This is # 1 of a series of personal stories I will post over the next month.

A new survey indicates that the Danish fairytale story of our democracy may not be as optimistic as we have come to believe. We need to respond to the findings and work hard and focused to re-invigorate and re-design our own democracy.

This year is the tenth time the world is celebrating the International Day of Democracy on 15 November, and in his message, the new UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, focuses on the link between democracy and conflict prevention.

One hurricane after the other is slamming the coasts of islands in the Caribbean, leaving many dead and thousands more homeless. In the West, we tend to be more preoccupied with disasters on 'our own' coasts, like Harvey and Irma. But we should not forget Nepal.

Danish Kroner 15.878.000 million will be spent on development in 2018 according to the State Budget proposal from the government. In a meeting, the Minister argued that this was enough. I disagreed!

Globalt Fokus is a platform for all of the Danish development organizations, and it recently invited some of the Danish ambassadors to discuss the challenge of the shrinking space for civil society we have been  experiencing for many years in many countries around the world.

As a former practitioner inside the party-support community, I can easily see the usefullness of the thematic reflections, case studies and work sheets presented in the NDI document. However, the nature of the document also raises questions that I believe need to be asked.

Participating in the Pride Parade in Copenhagen yesterday, I understood how marginal Trump will be seen in a historical perspective, both as a person and as a president. There are more of 'us', who believe in the beauty of and need for 'diversity'.

I feel that something is rotten in the state of Denmark. with regard to the transition to a different and more sustainable society. Norway is moving from petrol to electricity powered cars. Why is the Danish government not showing leadership in this area?

The 2016 Annual Report reflects how DIPD has continued to grow in its capacity to make a difference, while at the same time accepting that we are right now working in a very difficult global environment, where support for democracy is under pressure.

The daily newspaper 'Information' has published 25 innovative models of how citizens "take back their world" - one of them is about the culture of coastal fishing. This offer a more productive view of Denmark than the superficial reference to 'the happiest people in the world'.

My experience is that the political and legal environment in which CSOs operate is of critical importance, both for the quality of democracy in general, but also for the delivery of services to the poor. Please read this new book on how bad things are!

NO, secret money does NOT play the same role in Denmark as we see in many other countries. But this does not imply that Denmark is in the front regarding openness, transparency, regulation, clarity and honesty in the field of political party funding.

The V-Dem website offers a database of 177 countries, 117 years and more than 350 indicators, as well as 52 indices measuring varying aspects of democracy - a truly unique insight into the state of global democracy.

The Danish government – represented by Development Minister Ulla Tørnæs and Minister of Finance Kristian Jensen – recently launched the Danish national action plan relating to the UN’s 17 Global...

A one day conference in Copenhagen to discuss SECURITY OR DEMOCRACY - DO WE NEED TO MAKE A CHOICE? Many argued that we must insist that democracy is a precondition for real human security.

In January 2017, the new three-party minority coalition government agreed with most other parties in the Danish parliament to adopt a new strategy. What is new?

South African cartoonist ZAPIRO is ingenious in his ability to expose the hypocrisy of the rich and powerful. He focuses mostly on South Afrina, and often on President Zuma, but like the cartoon marking the World Press Freedom Day indicates, Zapiro also covers global issues.

The democratic optimism ignited by the revolution in Portugal in 1974 has disappeared. But does that mean that democracy is on the death bed, waiting for the last oil?

KVINFO is being threatened by the Danish government through the Ministry of Culture. Support KVINFO by signing the petition.

Statistics for 2016 shows Danish ODA reaching its lowest point in 30 years. In 2015 the number was 0.85 percent of GNI – but in 2016 it was down to 0.75 percent.

During my years with the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy, I was responsible for the multi-party programme in Nepal. This turned out to be extremely rewarding for me personally.

Following my retirement at the end of 2016, I have been working on setting up a website, where I can continue to communicate with friends and colleagues around the world. Now I am ready to launch it.

I visited Botswana for the first time in 1980, when I worked for Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, a Danish NGO. At the beginning of 2002, I returned to live in Botswana as UN Resident Coordinator.

Working in Bhutan has turned out to be extremely rewarding from both a professional and a personal point of view. In particular, it has been exciting to follow the development of the women in the Bhutan Network for Empowering Women.

Populism, nationalism and isolationism is threatening the type of global co-operation that some of us believe is critically important. Will the 2030 agenda survive?

It has been fascinating to follow developments in Myanmar, and in 2014 I had the opportunity to visit, and also to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi. Much depends on her ability to lead the country.

The decision of the Minister of Culture to stop funding for the library and knowledge center of KVINFO contradicts the role Denmark has decided to play globally in the area of gender equality. This is sad.

Regeringens angreb på KVINFO har ikke sammenhæng med den rolle, Danmark har valgt at spille på ligestillingsområdet i global sammenhæng. Der er brug for mere eftertænksomhed end ministeren har udvist indtil nu.

A few weeks ago, I spent a weekend at one of the so-called People’s High School, to meet with other Danes to discuss the state of affairs of Danish democracy, and the impact of the Trump presidency. How are we doing?

I first visited Zimbabwe a few weeks after independence in 1980. I lived there with my family in the early 1990s. I would love to live in Zimbabwe again.

DIPD - Dansk Institut for Partier og Demokrati - udsendte for nogle måneder siden et katalog over erfaringer fra instituttets første 10 leveår. Det giver jeg her - som direktør for DIPD i en stor del af denne periode - nogle kommentarer med på vejen,

I am happy to be able to comment on the 2018 Annual Report published in June 2019 by the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy, the organization I helped set in motion as the first Director 2011-16.

The 2018 edition of "The Indigenous World", published by the Copenhagen-based IWGIA is a 640 page publication of high quality information of the situation of indigenous people's around the world. Amazing!

The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy [NIMD] has recently released the 2017 Annual Report, which offers the reader a good overview of the challenges facing democracy programmes.

For decades, the Danes have been asked about their support - or the opposite - for development cooperation. In general, a majority of the population has been supportive. In March, a selection of 1001 persons were asked their opinion about the impact of development cooperation, i.e. if people think that it works or helps?

The Druk Journal started in 2015, as a non-partisan publication, with the purpose of serving the national interest through the development of serious conversation on issues from every possible constructive point of view. In this issue, I write about the challenges presently facing political parties globally, and what needs to be done in Bhutan to avoid ending in the same situation.

During my recent visit to Nepal, I had the opportunity to meet with the Steering Committee of JOMPOPS, a platform of all the parties that today play a role in the country. In addition to their normal SC business, they had asked me to make a presentation on the way in which issues of democracy are covered by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A seminar organized by the Maoist Party on 6 May was more modest in numbers than the big meeting on 4 May, but actually very interesting from a substantive point of view. Local academics spoke about how to analyse class and caste developments in Nepal, and how to address the key challenges. I had been asked to contribute with a perspective on the Nordic [Danish] welfare state.

I was invited to speak at a conference organised by the Communist and Maoist parties in Kathmandu around the 5 May celebration of the 200 year anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx, to speak about the challenges of globalisation and global democracy.

Skal vi have endnu en Danmarksindsamling i 2018? Jeg synes det ikke, medmindre der laves dramatiske ændringer i konceptet.

Så er den her igen, debatten om Afrika, om de hvide og de sorte, om bistandens negative eller positive rolle. Denne gang båret frem med afrikanske lyde, smukke landskaber, og karakterer ætset knivskarpt og dramatisk i den rødbrune jord. Det skal 'Liberty' have tak for.

Foreningen Globale Seniorer gennemfører i foråret en række møder, hvor medlemmer præsenterer de 17 Verdensmål. Jeg har fortalt om mål nummer 16, som bl.a. handler om fred, retssikkerhed og opbygning af effektive, ansvarlige og inddragende institutioner.

The beginning of a new year also means the publication of the annual report from the US-based Freedom House, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights.

The recent issue of Druk Journal in Bhutan is about Civil Society, recognizing that this is still a new phenomenon in a society that has traditionally had a rather statist and top-down form of governance. I have written the introductory article.

During the summer of 2017, I published a series of short stories from my house Furukollen in Norway. I have now put the stories together in one document, to make...

The book "Making Africa Work" tells about the disastrous future the continent faces unless it acts quickly to consolidate democracy, liberalise economies, invest in people and ensure the rule of law.

As a former practitioner inside the party-support community, I can easily see the usefullness of the thematic reflections, case studies and work sheets presented in the NDI document. However, the nature of the document also raises questions that I believe need to be asked.

This is STORY 9 in my series of Stories from 'Furukollen'. This one is about the Norwegian way of moving from petrol to electricity powered cars, and the opening of a loading station at Lesjaverk. Why is the Danish government not showing leadership in this area?

This is STORY 8 - and the last - in my series of Stories from 'Furukollen'. This one is about the art of fishing trout, which is really about establishing a relationship with nature, and also part of socialization..

This is STORY 7 in my series of Stories from 'Furukollen'. This one is about being a globalist, and globetrotting with an open mind. Being able to do so in a comfortable manner is much easier if your own roots are strong.

This is STORY 6 in my series of Stories from 'Furukollen'. This one is about the connection between a brown cheese produced and sold in the vally of Gudbrandsdalen and the world famous Danish restaurant called NOMA.

The 2016 Annual Report reflects how DIPD has continued to grow in its capacity to make a difference, while at the same time accepting that we are right now working in a very difficult global environment, where support for democracy is under pressure.

I am in my house in Norway. I intend to enjoy the silence and loneliness, filling my nostrils with the smells from the pine and birch trees, and visiting the lake to see if some of the trout will swallow the colorful flies. But I will also share some of my thoughts with you, through a daily update.

During my years with the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy (DIPD), one of the very intersting partners was the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy. BCMD was one of...

The website of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a good place to start for anyone interested in democracy support in particular. Carnegie offers a unique global network of policy research centers in Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East, India, and the United States.

The Bhutan Network for Empowering Women - BNEW - has been established as an outcome of the first-ever National consultation of elected women representatives organized in March 2012, and with support from DIPD.

IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - supports indigenous peoples' struggle for human rights, self-determination, right to territory, control of land and resources, cultural integrity, and the right to development.

For those interested in the development of democracy both in the short-term and in the much longer-term, what is called the V-Dem Institute website at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden is a must.

The V-Dem website offers a database of 177 countries, 117 years and more than 350 indicators, as well as 52 indices measuring varying aspects of democracy - a truly unique insight into the state of global democracy.

I have never been a fan of the type of simplistic 'results management regime' that has been creeping into the development community over the last decades. This approach is at best naive. Here is an alternative.

It will not come as a surprise that the website of the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy is one I will recommend all of you to visit frequently.

Having subscribed to the daily online news stories from the Daily Maverick for several months I believe I have found a solid and trusted source. Please try it out yourself - it is free of charge. I don't think you will be disappointed!

This meeting in London brought together a mix of academics, policy makers and practitioners. It provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and new ways of working.

My most recent publication with articles from the work I was involved in as Director of the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy 2011-16.

This book covers political developments 2008-13 in the small Kingdom of Bhutan high up in the Himalaya Mountains.

Most of my books are in Danish. This overview provides a brief summary of all the books I have published over the years from 1975.

For easy reference to those who might be interested, I have updated my CV. This also includes a complete list of all the books I have published over the years.