In partnership with the Centre for Democratic Development (Ghana), Westminster Foundation for Democracy’s new research report explores the impact the 59% increase in average spend by candidates from 2012 to 2016 to secure their political parties’ nomination at the primaries stage and contest the parliamentary election has on women and young people.
Dr Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner at the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland, reflects on his time in Georgia as part of Westminster Foundation for Democracy’s Multi-Party Office work with the DUP.
On 19-20 March, UK political parties – Conservatives, DUP, Green Party, Liberal Democrats, Labour, Plaid Cymru and SNP – in partnership with WFD, will convene legislators and activists from 20 countries for a two-day conference in London to identify practical means to address violence against women in politics.
On 7 March, over 3 million Sierra Leoneans will go to the polls to elect the President, Parliament and local councils. As part of a broader programme to make the electoral process more inclusive, WFD trained 35 Youth Peace Ambassadors to promote peaceful political participation.
Less than one year after democracy was restored to The Gambia, WFD and the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, agreed a partnership programme with the National Assembly at a function in the House of Commons.
WFD’s new study, in collaboration with the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), breaks down the various costs involved in seeking public office in Ghana.
As part of WFD’s work with the Coalition of Women MPs, individual advice is given to members of the Coalition to initiate
change in their own countries. WFD worked with lawmakers in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine to champion changes to
discriminatory laws that perpetuated violence against women and girls.
Representatives from 13 Arab countries, the Tunisian Ministry for Women, Family and Childhood, and the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries Combating Violence Against Women gathered in Tunis for a two-day summit on 16 and 17 November.
A WFD seminar brought together leading experts in parliamentary procedures, policy development and gender equality from more than six countries to explore what best practice might look like in integrating gender analysis and post-legislative scrutiny – two key aspects of good governance. Together, they identified six recommendations to lawmakers in every country.
On 6 November, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, endorsed a recommendation by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) that “Parliaments should use updated Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Benchmarks on Democratic Legislatures as a tool to ensure their contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (on inclusive and accountable governance)”.
On 16 November, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) launched a Regional Road Map on Good Governance for the Western Balkans to support democratic institutions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia become more transparent and accountable.
On 26 September 2017, the research collaboration between the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the University of Birmingham launched a new policy paper at the European Endowment for Democracy in Brussels. WFD Research Fellow, Susan Dodsworth reflects on the discussion at the event.
On 19 September 2017, the Parliament of Lebanon passed a new law with strong ring-fencing measures that will help get a better deal for the country from extractives.
On 15 September, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the UK Embassy to Macedonia launched an enhanced partnership with the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia.