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155 results found for "Women's political leadership"
WFD supported the 2019 YouLead summit – the largest youth leadership gathering in East Africa – which seeks to enable young people to be more meaningfully involved in the implementation and tracking of the region’s sustainable development goals.
Uganda | 25 November 2019
WFD has been collaborating with the Lebanese parliament since 2006 and has implemented more than 10 programmes over the last 15 years. Our work focuses on strengthening democratic practices within the parliament, enhancing financial and budgetary oversight, promoting women’s leadership, engaging young people in politics, strengthening parliamentary practices and accountability, supporting coalitions for reform, and building linkages between the parliament and civil society.
Currently, WFD is implementing a three-year programme entitled ‘Strengthening Democratic Mechanisms for Reform, Accountability and Dialogue’.
Currently, WFD is implementing a three-year programme entitled ‘Strengthening Democratic Mechanisms for Reform, Accountability and Dialogue’.
10 December 2021
In October 2019, following a parliamentary election whose results were contested, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) launched a 6-month programme in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Thanks to a grant from the then-FCO, WFD’s technical experts worked closely with the secretariat and political leadership to assist in identifying new ways that could help strengthen the parliamentary system. This included working with first-time legislators, helping to induct new MPs, and supporting them to develop their skills as parliamentarians and leaders.
This programme aimed to introduce new approaches with the potential to transform how parliament functions in the short and medium-term, building genuine support for reform among political and parliamentary staff leadership.
This programme aimed to introduce new approaches with the potential to transform how parliament functions in the short and medium-term, building genuine support for reform among political and parliamentary staff leadership.
26 November 2021
WFD, Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), and other women-focused Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) petitioned the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda to fast track discussion of crucial gender-sensitive bills before Parliament.
Uganda | 21 October 2019
The Global Equality Project (GEP), implementing by WFD and Kaleidoscope Trust (KT) between August 2021 to March 2022, will build on the accomplishments of the Commonwealth Equality Project (CEP) and ensure the momentum achieved can be sustained. Working in at least 18 countries and territories across Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Pacific, GEP will strengthen the inclusion of women and girls, LGBT+ people, and other people with intersecting identities and experiences in democratic processes.
The programme will support local decision-makers and civil society actors as they progress towards a more equal and inclusive world in which women and girls, LGBT+ people, and other people with intersecting identities and experiences are included in political and societal decision-making processes.
The programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The programme will support local decision-makers and civil society actors as they progress towards a more equal and inclusive world in which women and girls, LGBT+ people, and other people with intersecting identities and experiences are included in political and societal decision-making processes.
The programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
14 December 2021
When people are excluded from political power, or if the real concerns of citizens are not addressed, then democracy is not living up to its promise. That is why inclusion is a central part of our work.
09 December 2021
The mission focuses on the rights and opportunities of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups to participate in the electoral process. It will also consider media freedom and media and social media coverage of the election.
The Gambia | 01 November 2021
Once the Summit for Democracy is over and we move into the year of action, legislators and political leaders who want to promote respect for human rights and help build disability-inclusive societies would do well to bear this set of skills and qualities in mind – and make sure they cultivate them
03 December 2021
WFD has been working in Tunisia since 2011. Through our programmes we have worked with the Tunisian legislature on constitutional drafting and strengthening the parliament’s oversight, legislative and representative roles. WFD has also worked with Tunisian political parties to promote the leadership of women and youth, as well as supported civil society to inform and influence policy making.
Key successes include:
- The creation of a Public Accounts Committee, the first financial oversight committee in Tunisia’s history. The committee has been very active during the parliament's first and second mandates with processes and practices inspired by the UK PAC processes.
The training of civil society activists on policy making and influencing, resulting in the development of a policy paper on the employment of people with disabilities which was submitted to the parliament and was successful in securing changes to the legislation.
- WFD’s current programme in Tunisia focuses on the role of civil society in in policy making and influencing.The programme also focuses on the benefits of sharing experiences, best practices and lessons learnt with regional and international counterparts.
Our engagement in Tunisia is guided by the common vision that in democracies founded on rule of law, capable political and civil society institutions must meet the citizens needs by being (i) responsive to the public, (ii) transparent in how they operate, and (iii) effective and capable of contributing towards a stable and more prosperous society.
Key successes include:
- The creation of a Public Accounts Committee, the first financial oversight committee in Tunisia’s history. The committee has been very active during the parliament's first and second mandates with processes and practices inspired by the UK PAC processes.
The training of civil society activists on policy making and influencing, resulting in the development of a policy paper on the employment of people with disabilities which was submitted to the parliament and was successful in securing changes to the legislation.
- WFD’s current programme in Tunisia focuses on the role of civil society in in policy making and influencing.The programme also focuses on the benefits of sharing experiences, best practices and lessons learnt with regional and international counterparts.
Our engagement in Tunisia is guided by the common vision that in democracies founded on rule of law, capable political and civil society institutions must meet the citizens needs by being (i) responsive to the public, (ii) transparent in how they operate, and (iii) effective and capable of contributing towards a stable and more prosperous society.
13 December 2021
WFD has continued to mobilise and train Corps members to reach out to youths, women and PWDs with voter education messages and support the participation of marginalised groups in the electoral process.
Nigeria | 06 January 2020
To support stronger democracy in Kenya, WFD has been working in the East African country since 2009: from implementing parliamentary strengthening programmes that enhance the capacities of the National Assembly, Senate, and County Assemblies for more effective representation, legislation, and oversight; to programmes that promote youth and persons with disabilities’ inclusion and participation in politics. In Kenya, our programmes have produced successes such as helping the Senate to play a more effective role in providing national support and guidance to county governments as per its mandate; helping to pass disability bills in three counties; supporting the set-up of functional disability leagues as channels for engagement of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in politics in four political parties; and, strengthening engagement between parliament and civil society organizations (CSOs) towards greater legislative openness and structured civic engagement.
26 November 2021
At the invitation of Gambia's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), WFD's Thematic Election Expert Observation Mission (TEEOM) observed the 4 December 2021 presidential election of The Gambia from 31 October 2021. The mission assessed participation of women and inclusivity more broadly based on relevant regional and international standards for elections. It also assessed the role of media and social media in the election.
The Gambia | Report | 13 January 2022
The 9 May 2018 elections brought the first change of government in Malaysia after 61 years. Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) led the orientation of the newly elected MPs and a round-table on future reforms chaired by the Speaker. The new government vowed to ‘Restore the Dignity of Parliament’ in its manifesto Promise 16 which had paved way for parliamentary reforms. In this context and drawing on internal and external expertise, WFD is working with the Malaysian parliament to embed institutional reforms.
These reforms are aimed to strengthen parliament at the centre of the country’s political life and make it relevant to the people it serves. The reform-focused interventions of WFD include enhancing capacity of the Parliamentary staff to support Members, providing technical support and guidance to the newly formed parliamentary committees and establishing accountable and inclusive parliamentary processes and systems.
The inclusion of women’s participation in politics is also an area that is continuing to develop in the country. As part of the broader Commonwealth Partnership for Development (CP4D) initiative, WFD is working with a local CSO to promote gender equality in Sabah and creating linkages with other CSOs as they develop advocacy strategies to raise awareness about gender issues. Low political representation of women, only 10% in the State Legislative Assembly, is a key driver of WFD’s work in Sabah.
These reforms are aimed to strengthen parliament at the centre of the country’s political life and make it relevant to the people it serves. The reform-focused interventions of WFD include enhancing capacity of the Parliamentary staff to support Members, providing technical support and guidance to the newly formed parliamentary committees and establishing accountable and inclusive parliamentary processes and systems.
The inclusion of women’s participation in politics is also an area that is continuing to develop in the country. As part of the broader Commonwealth Partnership for Development (CP4D) initiative, WFD is working with a local CSO to promote gender equality in Sabah and creating linkages with other CSOs as they develop advocacy strategies to raise awareness about gender issues. Low political representation of women, only 10% in the State Legislative Assembly, is a key driver of WFD’s work in Sabah.
10 December 2021