The Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy (DIPD) was established by the Danish Parliament in May 2010. The purpose of DIPD is to strengthen and complement the Danish democracy assistance, through supporting political parties and multi-party systems in selected developing countries.
The institute works with supporting party cooperation and capacity building of democratic parties in developing countries. The parties in the Danish Parliament participate in this work through party-to-party activities and by contributing to DIPD activities.
See: Act 530 on the establishment of the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy adopted May 2010.
Rasmus Helveg Petersen started as Director of the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy on January 1, 2017. He is currently on leave until the danish parliamentary election.
Rasmus Helveg Petersen served as Danish Minister for Development Cooperation from 2013-14, and as Minister for Climate and Energy from 2014-15.
Before winning election to the Danish Parliament for the Social-Liberal Party in 2011, he worked for various NGO´s.
He was head of communication and fundraising in the Danish chapter of World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF, from 2009-11, head of communications in the Danish Rheumatism Association from 2007-2009, and worked as a policy advisor in DanChurchAid from 1999-2006.
A journalist by profession, he has also been a staff reporter for a number of Danish dailies, focusing on Danish and European politics.
From October 2018 until after the danish parliamentary election Mathias serves as Head of Secretariat in the absence of Director Rasmus Helveg Petersen.
Mathias Parsbæk Skibdal joined DIPD in January 2015 as a project advisor.
Before joining DIPD, Mathias worked for several Danish NGO's and CSO's, with a special emphasis on voluntarism, youth in politics and political development in Southern and East Africa.
Mathias holds a master's degree in International Development Studies and Communication from Roskilde University.
Martin joined DIPD in April 2018. He is Senior Program Officer with responsibility for partnerships in Myanmar, Burkina Faso and Regional Asia, Human Rights and Political Parties, focal point for Monitoring and Results, liaison with Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and external partners, organizer of Multi Partner Dialogue Democracy activities, and quality-assurance and development of DIPD strategy documents and support to DIPD Party Project Coordinators in project implementation.
Martin holds a Master degree in Human Rights Law and a Master degree as Cand. Scient. Soc.
Martin has 20 years of experience with strategy development and quality assurance of development programmes in countries such as Myanmar, Ethiopia, Congo, Cambodia, Honduras, Zambia, Mali, Palestine, Bangladesh and Uganda.
Bo Karlsen joined DIPD in April 2017. He is project advisor with the responsibility to work with programmes in Nepal, Bhutan, Colombia, Swaziland and Regional Africa.
Before working in DIPD, Bo has held positions as project officer in Afrika Kontakt and country secretary in Mellemamerika Komiteen.
Bo has a master's degree in International Development and Pedagogy & Educational Studies from Roskilde University.
Rikke Sig Hansen joined DIPD in October 2018. She is the project coordinator with responsibility for the DIPD multiparty projects in Kenya and Malawi and support to party-to-party projects in Ghana and South Africa.
Before joining DIPD, Rikke spent five years working abroad in various positions in Ghana, among others with the Media Foundation for West Africa and the Ghana Civil Society Platform on SDGs, and most recently with UNDP in Uganda. Her areas of expertise include coordination and coalition building of non-state and state actors.
Rikke holds a MA in Political Science from Aarhus University and a Journalism Degree for University Graduates from the Danish School of Media and Journalism.
Marianne has since April 2018 worked (part-time) for DIPD as project coordinator for an EU-funded programme with Center for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) in Malawi, involving the Liberal Party and the Socialist Peoples Party.
Marianne has previously been working as a DIPD project consultant for the Socialist Peoples Party. When DIPD was established she had consultancy assignments for the Liberal Party and for the Social Liberal Party in relation to the initial steps for their party to party cooperation.
Since 2003 Marianne has been an independent consultant within development cooperation in areas of governance, civil society and education. Most of her assignments has been with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Danida, the Danish embassies and the Danish development organisations. Furthermore, she has worked 3 years for MS Action Aid and 9 years for Oxfam-Ibis in different positions such as regioinal director in South America, advisor to indigenous organizations, fundraiser, desk officer (Oxfam-Ibis) and Head of Knowledge (MS Action Aid). Finally Marianne has been political adviser to the Red-Green Alliance.
Her area of expertise is strengthening of networks and political parties, particularly policy development, conflict management, involvement of youth and women and multi-party dialogue.
Marianne holds a MA in Political Science and a minor in History from Copenhagen University and is currently doing a master in professional Journalism at the Danish School of Media and Journalism.
Flemming Astrup joined the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy as Head of finance and administration in March 2015.
Flemming holds a Diploma in Business Administration and a MSc in Business Economics and Auditing from the University of Aalborg. After 10 years as an accountant at Deloitte Flemming was employed for 14 years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark, dealing with accounts and administration of development aid on postings at Danish embassies in India, Uganda, and Burkino Faso and as a Consultant in the Ministry's Controller Team. Most recently Flemming has been employed as Programme Administrator in the Danish NGO, the LO/FTF Council, charged with the administration of the development activities in Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.
As Finance officer, Heidi holds the financial and accounting functions of the DIPD Secretariat. Heidi has worked with administration, financial management and accounting in the public sector for several years most recent at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has an in-depth knowledge of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' guidelines and broad practical experience in public accounting. In addition, Heidi has previously worked in the finance department with the Danish Road Directorate and also as an administrative officer in Greenland. She has studied and worked in South Korea, and holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from Roskilde University.
Petra Hekrdlova Lassen joined the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy as Finance Assistant in January 2016. As Finance Assistant she provides support to our finance department and partners and multipartners.
Petra has worked with administration and accounting in the public sector for several years most recent in Shared Service Center of the Ministry of Finance. She has a broad knowledge on finance and accounting rules in the public sector and practical experience with providing support to state institutions. Petra worked also as caseworker with tasks for the public sector in regards to international finance and payments.
Petra is educated in administration from Niels Brock College in Copenhagen. She has studied Management and Marketing in Czech Republic.
Rebecca joined DIPD as a student assistant in January 2019. She is currently studying her Bachelor in Political Science at the University of Copenhagen.
At DIPD Rebecca's work includes assisting in various communication and information tasks.
Ditte joined DIPD as student assistant in February 2018 and is currently doing her master's in Cultural Encounters and Educational Studies at Roskilde University. In the fall 2017 she did an internship with DIPD, arranging the DIPD KV17 seminar.
At DIPD Ditte's work includes monitoring of project activities and assisting in various communication and information tasks.
Khin Thazin Myint has been involved in DIPD since the preparations for the DIPD programme in Myanmar. She formally joined as Coordinator for Myanmar in November 2012. Based in Yangon and in charge of the local programme implementation, coordination and cooperation with all involved stakeholders in Myanmar.
She is a J. William Fulbright scholar and educated as a public policy analyst from the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Kentucky with double major in political economy and education policy. Upon graduating from her MPP programme in mid 2011, she returned to home country and worked for a local research think tank in the area of research and policy development on leadership, social and economic issues. Prior to that, she held various positions in an award winning social enterprise designing products and services that help Myanmar rural families achieve their goals.
Ms Shrishti Rana has served as the Representative of the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy in Nepal since February 2012. She heads DIPD's office in Nepal.
Prior to working with DIPD, she was involved in numerous international non-profit organizations, like the Danish International Development Assistance Human Rights and Good Governance Unit (DanidaHUGOU), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), International IDEA, and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). She also taught as a guest lecturer in Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu and has experience of working for the Election Commission and the Women's Commission in Nepal.
She has completed a Masters in Peace Studies with distinction from United Kingdom and a Masters in Politics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. She also has a degree in creative Nonfiction Writing from Oxford University, United Kingdom.
Ms Rana has published a number of articles in national and international publications on issues of peace, democracy, and gender equality. She has also co-authored a book – called Votes for Peace – with the former Chief Election Commissioner of Nepal, which was published in 2013 by Cambridge University Press India.
Annette joined DIPD as a student assistant in January 2019. She is currently studying her Bachelor in Political Science at the University of Copenhagen.
At DIPD Annette's work includes assisting in various communication and information tasks, but mostly monitoring project activities.
Anna joined DIPD in January 2019. She's replacing Bo Karlsen, as a project advisor, while Bo is on maternity leave. Her main responsibilities are the programmes located in Nepal, Bhutan, Colombia, Swaziland and Regional Africa.
Anna has longterm experience as a project adviser in Africa Contact and has worked with women rights in Marokko and in Egypt through the Danish Women's Council.
Anna has a masters degree in International Economy from Copenhagen Business School.
Rasmus Lindboe joined the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy as communication advisor in January 2019.
Besides his position in DIPD he works with on consultancy across Europe for The European Commission's directorate for humanitarian affairs.
The Danish Political Parties play a key role in DIPD. All 9 political parties in parliament are represented on the DIPD Board. Also, the parties are active in the project activities of DIPD through Party-to-Party Partnerships in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Click the party's logo to read more about the party and its activities with DIPD.
All current vacancies will be posted here.