WFD produces research that aims to build an evidence base for and improve the quality of democracy assistance. We also generate policy that contributes new tools for democracy support, as well as guides for parliaments, civil society and democracy support practitioners.
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An audience member reads WFD research on access to health services in Sri Lanka,
Browse our archive of resources below.
This report examines how states that are committed to strengthening democracy engage with authoritarian states – and how this can strengthen authoritarianism. It outlines how pro-democracy governments can better engage with authoritarian states to avoid doing democratic harm and ultimately strengthen democracy around the world.
On 14 February 2021, a snap election took place in Kosovo. The short timeframe for holding the elections, the political and judicial controversies that led to it, and Covid-19 meant that the electoral system was under pressure. Due to the pandemic, the presence of international observers was limited, and domestic observers were also forced to reduce their presence. These circumstances presented potential challenges to the acceptance of the legitimacy of the results and the identification of technical improvements required in future elections.
When women take part in politics, the whole of society benefits. That is the main finding of this report, which is produced in partnership with the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.
Youth is an essential part of every country's social and political future. However, there is often a need for more focus on what the youth's role in the social and political present. WFD researched the role young people had in the Montenegrin elections of 2020 and summarised our conclusions.
This paper examines the implementation of recommendations made by several leading international observers in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Uganda. It reveals both similarities and differences in the factors that shape the implementation of recommendations between these countries.
This framework clarifys what electoral commission independence is and offers a framework for election observers, civil society groups, parties, journalists, and the public to use to assess the independence of a specific electoral commission.
Parliamentary digital transformation is a relatively underfunded area of work, but a vitally important one in achieving the very common overarching goals of open, accountable, inclusive and participative government. Improvements in how parliamentary digital capacity building can be done better are possible with better strategy, funding and cooperation, and when parliaments are enthusiastic and willing to take the opportunities offered to them to improve themselves.
This guide is designed to provide democracy practitioners and other interested readers with an explanation of what civic space is, and what attempts to close civic space look like in practice; An overview of data sources that can be used to measure changes in civic space; An explanation of some of the underlying risks; Practical action points for incorporating the issue of civic space into projects; and more.
Westminster Foundation for Democracy, within the framework of EU-funded Media Dialogue project, conducted an analysis of the legal framework for the Right to Information (RTI) in Kyrgyzstan.
Corruption has a negative effect on development, economic growth, and democracy. Independent Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) are often recommended as the tool to curb corruption. However, the creation of such agencies is not a panacea to the scourge of corruption. In some instances, ACAs have been a disappointment and their effectiveness has been questioned. Their efficiency depends on political will to allocate authority, powers, and resources.
The Covid-19 pandemic has created many health, economic, and social difficulties in Albania, where different categories of populations have faced different challenges and problems. According to the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), 6.2 % of the Albanian population belongs to the group of persons with disabilities (PwD).
Since the start of the democratic transition in Albania in 1990, the country has gone through many reform processes. However, there has not yet been a significant growth in the number and social power of civic movements. Nevertheless, in recent years social movements arising around new causes are propelling progressive ideas into the public domain.
To assess the extent to which legislators have been able to exert leadership during COVID-19 and the impact that legislative oversight has had on government responses, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the Developmental Leadership Programme and the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham developed the “Legislative Responses to COVID-19 Tracker”, which monitors whether the legislature sat; whether there was legislative oversight of the initial response from 1 March to 1 May 2020; and whether legislatures had ongoing oversight from 1 April to 1 September 2020. This report sets out the findings of the research, and outlines recommendations for how countries can ensure effective accountability and oversight in times of crisis.
