Themes we work on

Themes we work on

Across the world, WFD works on accountability and transparency, elections, participation and openness, inclusion, environmental democracy, and women's political leadership.
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A woman stands next to a flipchart, pointing to a section
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A WFD team member at the Democracy Action Partnership in Indonesia, which brought together experts and leaders from across South East Asia to consider the way forward to end violence against women in politics.
Group of people talking

Women's political leadership

We support women leaders to fully and equally participate in decision-making, an essential step in bringing about better outcomes for everyone - including women and girls.

Protestors holding up a sign that says there is no planet B

Environmental democracy

Huge changes to all levels of society, politics and businesses are required to respond to climate change. This means we need effective and responsive democratic institutions, accountable systems of governance, and strong political will.

Our environmental democracy programmes help bring about the action needed to address climate change.

people queuing at a polling station

Elections

We support electoral integrity, by encouraging reforms that contribute to free and fair elections and organising election observation.

This helps make sure everyone gets to have a say in how their society is run and can influence change for the better.

a woman sitting in a wheelchair speaks into a microphone

Inclusion

We are helping decision-makers include and consider people who are often overlooked or discriminated against.

This helps make sure governments hear everyone’s voice. When decision-makers can hear everyone's voice, they can make sure their policies do not leave anyone behind.

Our work on inclusion focuses on young people, LGBT+ people and persons with disabilities.

people standing round a wall with post-it notes

Participation and openness

We are building civil society’s ability to access decision-making.  We help to open up access to decision-making, from helping parliaments speak to citizens to advising on citizens' assemblies.

This means that when people in power make decisions about anything from education to health or the environment, they can take citizens’ views and interests into account.

people working at a table in a parliamentary budget office

Accountability and transparency

We are supporting parliaments to check how governments spend public money and assess the impact of legislation

This helps parliaments make sure the spending, laws and policies improves people lives, for example by addressing climate change or reducing inequality, while avoiding excessive public debt.

WFD works to strengthen democracy across the world. Since the fall of the Berlin wall, we have been helping to make countries' political systems fairer, more inclusive, and more accountable. We do this by working with: 

  • Parliaments 
  • Political parties 
  • Electoral bodies  
  • Civil society