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A meeting with Mauritanian refugees in Dakar was particularly meaningful to participants and received wide media coverage both in Senegal and Mauritania . NDI 's international observer delegation to the 1994 presidential election detected high levels of irregularities , prompting the Institute and other members of the international community to question the legitimacy of the elections . The Institute 's emphasis on engaging a broad range of political actors has allowed NDI to play a vital role in facilitating dialogue and encouraging collaboration between representatives of opposing viewpoints . While the constitution affords participation rights to all Kuwaiti citizens , election law stipulates only adult males , age 21 or over , who have been naturalized for 30 years or more , or are the descendants of men who have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 can vote . While this body has stalled due to political disputes , the " road map " that its participants outlined is considered to offer a valid reform agenda . The Institute conducted a workshop in July 2003 on the process of Applied Budget Analysis , which included participants from political parties , the government , and civil society . Networks of independent volunteer observers have helped increase public confidence in election processes by deterring and exposing irregularities , providing a constructive avenue for popular political participation , and collecting information to improve future elections . In June 2005 , NDI launched a program to establish a Focus Group Research Center to help Jordanian policy-makers better understand and value the viewpoints of citizens on a wide variety of issues related to the democratization process . NDI ceased operations in Jordan after the 1997 election , which was marked by widespread irregularities and legal manipulation and was a clear step backward in Jordan 's political development . NDI is also exploring the feasibility of conducting focus group research projects to gauge the views of citizens on constitutional and political reforms . NDI conducted focus groups to provide a basis for advocacy and trained participants on issue definition , media outreach , and public speaking .