Democracy sector assessment : El Salvador

The report is organized into four sections. The first reviews progress and current status in several key areas, including civil society, the media and alternative information sources, the legislative branch, administration of justice and rule of law, human rights, financial management and accountability, local government and participation, political parties, the electoral process, women"s participation, and civilian control over the military. The first section also reviews some of the current dynamics and undercurrents affecting the democratization process. The second section analyzes the tasks involved in implementing policy reforms, and illustrates the process through a case study of a legal reform. The case study also serves to provide a common vocabulary for the implementation process. Section three discusses the evolution of political parties and civil society organizations (or pressure groups), and their role and effectiveness in the democratic political process. The fourth section analyzes stakeholders in key areas: local participation and municipal development, legal reform and rule of law, opening the legislative process, and electoral reform. The purpose here is to identify support for and opposition to reform in these areas and to assess the institutional capabilities of key actors involved in moving the process forward. Incorporated into this discussion is a brief analysis of options and/or strategies for assisting in the consolidation process. Appended are charts that identify the interests, resources, and capacities of certain stakeholder groups in the justice, municipal development, and electoral reform and political parties sectors. (Author abstract, modified)