Armenia - Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD)

Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) provided support to the National Assembly of Armenia. WFD’s partnership was sought by the National Assembly of Armenia as the country transitioned from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance. Until 2019 WFD supported parliament’s role in public financial management and provided technical and procedural assistance to the assembly.

Following the “Velvet Revolution” and elections of 2018, WFD worked in partnership with local and international implementers to increase its support to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. WFD led on assessing the needs of parliament and designing a substantial new package of support to increase the effectiveness of the National Assembly. Through the UNDP-led “Modern Parliament for a Modern Armenia” programme, WFD supported the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from June 2020 to 2021. In June 2021, Westminster Foundation for Democracy marked the conclusion of its most recent programme in Armenia.

2021: final year of WFD programme

WFD worked to enhance the National Assembly’s overall effectiveness through increasing parliamentary oversight capacity, transparency, and accountability as well as increasing participation and engagement between the National Assembly and civil society. WFD analysed the secretariat of the National Assembly, gave recommendations to the management and produced two e-learning modules on post-legislative scrutiny and gender-responsive budgeting. WFD worked closely with civil society representatives to enhance gender-responsive budgeting tools and introduce them. In June 2021, Westminster Foundation for Democracy marked the conclusion of its most recent programme in Armenia.

Country Data

Population:

2.9

Million

GDP:

$13.7

Billion (USD)

GNI per capita:

$4680

(USD)

Media freedom:

63/100

(not free)

Democracy index:

45/100

(partly free)

Key Results

Created two e-learning modules on post-legislative scrutiny and gender-responsive budgeting for the newly established Research and Training Center of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, which can be used during the inductions of new MPs

Reviewed financial and budgetary practices as well as whistle-blower and witness protection regulations, while sharing good international practices with the National Assembly

Conducted institutional and functional analysis of the secretariat of the National Assembly, and made recommendations for reform to help the assembly become more effective

Equipped local civil society organisations with practical skills, knowledge and gender-responsive budgeting tools so they can scrutinise the national budget from a gender equality perspective

Produced a digital engagement guide on e-tools for citizen engagement in order to support parliamentary openness

Trained civil society organisations on Open Governance Partnership (OGP) principles and worked closely with them on drafting OGP commitments for the National Assembly

Produced a comprehensive review of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) that resulted in the development of the ‘Human Capacity Development Strategy’ for the PBO

Successful technical support to parliamentary budget office staff in the National Assembly enabling it to more effectively support parliamentarians and committees in exercising their financial and budgetary responsibilities

Deployed 12 short-term and 2 long-term observers to monitor parliamentary elections in Armenia in December 2018

Conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of the National Assembly (NA) that led to producing the ‘Needs Assessment Report of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia’

Implementation

Supporting Public Financial Management

Completed

Programme end: March 2017

Supporting Public Financial Management (phase 2)

Completed

Programme end: November 2018

Modern Parliament for a Modern Armenia

Completed

June 2021

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