Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS)

ERIS is committed to encouraging and contributing to the debate on the promotion of democracy. To do so we publish reports, arrange lectures and conferences, and organise a major democracy award.  

We do this by:

• Organising meetings on key democratic themes. In the last two years we have held:

- small ‘Task Group’ discussions for ERIS consultants on specific subjects such as ‘Media and Elections’;

-  a major high-level conference over several days on much broader themes. These included the best way to promote political freedom in countries where it does not exist or is severely constrained and to deepen democracy in countries where it does; on key democratic themes.

• Commissioning publications by ERIS experts on issues of concern for those involved in promoting democracy;
 
• Holding an Annual Democracy Lecture to provide a platform in the UK for those who are working for democracy at the grassroots – often in very difficult circumstances – and who have valuable insights to pass on to a wider audience;
 
• Organising a Democrat of the Year Award to recognise a civil society activist from a non-OECD country who has made a substantial contribution to promoting the cause of democracy.