Introduction
The Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) is an independent, non-governmental organization, founded in November 1999 in Tirana – Albania. Its mission is to strengthen the Albanian civil society, to analyze and support the EU accession and development process in the country, and to help consolidation of good governance and inclusive policy making. IDM carries on its objectives through expertise, policy analysis, applied research, as well as through building capacities of key societal actors and developing partnerships for evidence-based policy alternatives. By combining the advantages of a knowledgeable think-tank and a resourceful operational non-governmental actor, the institute’s expertise extends in the following key sectors and thematic areas: Evidence-based and inclusive policy processes, good governance, anti-corruption reforms and integrity building; Consolidation of local democracy, accountability and transparency of local governance; Sustainable integrated development with particular focus on EU development policies; Security sector reform, specialized studies and applied research on a wide range of security issues, including violent extremism and religious radicalism; Development of civil society sector as a powerful actor to generate broad consent, values and positive change; Human capital development, management and result oriented performance; EU enlargement process with a specific focus on Western Balkans’ accession.
Background of the programme