Following years of democratic liberalisation after the early 90s, the authoritarian backlash is seemingly in full swing, imposing restrictions on civil society and individual rights in countries in every region of the world. For some groups, women most notably, access to political participation and rights has always faced constraints. WFD’s research in this area looks at the distribution of power, be it political, social, or financial; how political elites limit democratic space and access to politics to maintain existing power structures; and how democracy support actors can provide an effective counterbalance through their programmes.
Open parliaments are the cornerstones of democracy. They represent people’s voices, pass laws and oversee governments’ actions. Opening parliaments has many benefits including effective outcomes in key policy areas, better quality legislation and most importantly improved trust relationships between citizens and the parliament. Morocco officially joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in 2018. The House […]
The COVID-19 pandemic is profoundly affecting work and businesses across the world, notwithstanding its health effects. Planned activities are delayed or cancelled, and meetings are complicated, whilst digital technology is now facilitating communication between co-workers and helping institutions to reach out to their audiences. Parliaments are among the institutions that cannot postpone their work and commitments. They play a crucial role […]
What do we mean by open democracy and a transparent and reliable government in times of crisis and how can we make it a reality? Participatory democracy and civic tech could be part of the answer.
