<br/>One of the institutions newly founded during the first Reagan administration to spread freedom and democracy in the dark and often evil corners of the world. <br/> »Established in April 1983, IRI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to advancing freedom and democracy worldwide by developing political parties, civic institutions, open elections, democratic governance and the rule of law. For 30 years, IRI has been helping to spread democracy through workshops by volunteer experts from all over the world on political party and candidate development, democratic governance practices, civil society development, civic education, women’s and youth leadership development, electoral reform and election monitoring, and political expression in closed societies. RI has conducted programs in more than 100 countries and, along with the Women's Democracy Network, is currently active in more than 80 countries. When IRI began programming in 1984, the year after it was established, the institute worked in five countries – Bolivia, Colombia, Grenada, Guatemala and Portugal.«<ref>http://martenscentre.eu/members/international-republican-institute</ref>