News
Blerim Vela, WFD’s Country Representative for Kosovo explains how WFD’s new programme will support reform of political parties. Political parties’ image in Kosovo have been tainted. Citizens’ hold a deep level of mistrust in the institutions that should represent their interests, because constructive dialogue between political parties, citizens and civil society is not happening. By […]
From alleviating extreme poverty to reducing the impact of climate change for future generations, the sustainable development goals (SDGs) – agreed by world leaders last September – comprise a broad and challenging set of commitments for all states. Steps must now be taken to ensure that the goals are implemented by 2030. But what role […]
“By deconstructing the myth that marriages under 18 years old are part of the Roma tradition, we want to ensure the realisation of children’s rights” says Nesime Salioska, the Executive Director at ROMA S.O.S, one of the 12 civil society organisations Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is working with in Macedonia. From patients with rare […]
Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) welcomes the adoption of rules of procedure by the Georgian Parliament’s Human Rights Committee (HRC) after MPs passed recommendations without amendment. Mrs Eka Beselia, Chair of the HRC, received praise from George Kunnath, WFD’s Regional Director for Europe, following the passage of the relevant legislation earlier in June. The changes […]
Written by: Anthony Smith, CEO WFD The past week has been an emotional, as well as a political, roller-coaster across the UK, including inside WFD. On both sides of the debate there has been surprise, concern, anger, and optimism at some point since the voting started on Thursday. There has been an outpouring of perceptive […]
“It’s the first time in the history of Tunisia that we have a parliamentary committee that is charged with the oversight of the management of public money,” Sofiene Toubal, chair of the financial oversight committee, says. “We believe the fruits of these achievements will come in the near future.” The committee in question – on […]
Written by: David Thirlby, WFD’s Senior Programme Manager for Asia Devolution and democratisation often go hand-in-hand. In practice, though, the process of transferring power away from central government often produces disappointing results and is always a complex business. These difficulties make it all the more important that organisations like Westminster Foundation for Democracy offer their […]
WFD is launching a new partnership in Macedonia – connecting civil society with parliament to improve human rights in the country. We’ll link up with the School of Journalism and Public Relations in the 12 months to December 2017 to facilitate a dialogue on human rights policy. The project will build on the experience of […]
This week, Georgian civil society organisations (CSOs) have been sharing with the Parliament’s Human Rights Committee the harrowing stories they’ve encountered through their work. MPs will take these grim examples to the Government in Tbilisi – with the help of Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the UK embassy in Georgia. “Currently no-one cares for […]
“The Parliamentary Labour party is a men’s club.” That was Baroness Corston’s response when talking to the chief whip about establishing a Labour Women’s Parliamentary Group in 1992. Over two decades later, women caucuses and committees are becoming more and more important in parliaments around the world. The impact they can have – and the […]
Ending sexual harassment, domestic violence and other forms of gender inequality in Uganda isn’t easy. But by helping local leaders and civil society organisations bring women together through the country’s first ever Women’s Parliament, Westminster Foundation for Democracy is helping gather momentum behind the campaign for real change. In recent years, Uganda has taken some […]
