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718 results found for "Women's political leadership"
Governments seeking to close political space have a number of tools at their disposal. One popular tactic is to suppress civil society by restricting foreign funding, controlling registration and imposing onerous reporting requirements. Parliaments often aid and abet executives in this process, even in purportedly democratic states. This paper examines when parliaments protect political space by rejecting restrictive civil society laws. In doing so, it identifies several factors that shape the success (or failure) of international efforts to motivate legislatures to defend democracy.
Briefing |
In March 2019, IPSA hosted the world’s first conference for international parliamentary regulators. We brought together colleagues from 13 countries on five continents: Australia, Chile, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, Scotland, Wales, Zambia and the UK. We talked about the challenges of ‘Transparency and Trust’ in deciding how much money politicians need to do their jobs, both in terms of their salaries and their business costs.
Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) promoted a new study at the roundtable "Participation and Trust - Trends Among Young People," revealing significant insights into the socio-political participation of youth in North Macedonia.
In June 2021, WFD hosted a meeting with political parties, disabled persons organizations (DPOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), Parliamentary and County Assembly Caucuses to evaluate commitments and progress of persons with disabilities inclusion by political parties in Kenya.
Kenya |
Political parties have a key role to play in addressing some of the long-standing barriers facing PWDs. To support political parties to be more inclusive, WFD Kenya facilitated the review of 11 political parties’ documents – including policies and manifestos – to identify the areas where the documents promote or inhibit the inclusion of PWDs in their activities, practices, and processes.
Kenya |
WFD is active in MENA working to strengthen inclusion of the views, perspectives, and concerns of youth in the work of parliaments. Our teams in Lebanon and Morocco are working with selected youth groups and the national parliaments to enhance their collaboration and promote the inclusion of youth in political processes.
WFD’s new study, in collaboration with the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), breaks down the various costs involved in seeking public office in Ghana.
Ghana |
No matter the analytical tools and methodologies, the evidence is clear: patriarchy, masculinity, and biased gender norms underpin violence across all times, phases or conditions. At the core are unequal relations between women and men and the concept that men should power over women and girls.
This report analyses the personal data management practices of Albania's three main political parties—the Socialist Party, the Democratic Party, and the Freedom Party—focusing on their compliance with legal standards in election campaigns. It emphasises the need to have better internal regulations to protect personal data, especially in light of technological advancements.
Albania | Study |
On 25 November 2020, the Arab League, and a group of cross-party MPs from the UK and Arab region, gathered together to stand united in reaffirming their commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and to making our societies safer, more inclusive and equitable. They called for women’s rights to be prioritised through adopting a legally binding international convention across the Arab region to tackle gender-based violence.
This PLS inquiry of the Political Parties Act, 2011 sought to unravel the effectiveness of the Act, particularly in responding to the special needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) after twelve years of the law’s implementation. The report provides insightful findings, which stakeholders can use to improve the promotion of the socioeconomic, cultural, and political rights of PWDs in Kenya.
Kenya | Report |
Excluding persons with disabilities (PWDs) from political processes means that their voices are not adequately heard and reflected in policy decisions. In October 2020, WFD commissioned a new research to better understand the challenges which persons with disabilities (PWDs) in political parties face in their daily lives.
Kenya |
The active participation of persons with disabilities in political parties is crucial for promoting social inclusion, strengthening democracy, fostering economic development, and protecting human rights.
Kenya |
The COVID-19 pandemic is testing governance systems around the world. Where democratic systems were already straining under the pressure of post-financial crisis populism, this latest crisis is pushing political institutions and norms to breaking point. Emergency measures once thought unthinkable have been quickly designed and enforced, often with little to no public scrutiny or time restrictions. The variation in responses and results has again opened the debate as to the ability of democracies to deliver in moments of crisis.
Through all this, one factor seems to dictate the extent to which governments have been able to respond successfully to the pandemic: political trust.
Through all this, one factor seems to dictate the extent to which governments have been able to respond successfully to the pandemic: political trust.