Strengthening democracy around the world

Strong democracies are good for security, economic growth, and human development. Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is the UK public body dedicated to strengthening democracy around the world. Through our programmes, expertise, and international partnerships, we help solve problems of democracy so that democracies can address challenges – from climate change to corruption.

Discover our strategy

Discover WFD at 30

Where we work

We operate directly in more than 30 countries and territories across the world.

What we do

Information about our programmes, research and policy.

Research

We produce research that aims to build an evidence base for and improve the quality of democracy support.

Resources

Our resources, including practical guides, reports, briefings and studies.

Events

Browse through the latest upcoming events, or access content from past events.

Who we are

Read about our history and values.

Themes we work on

Accountability and transparency

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

Elections

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

Environmental democracy

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

Inclusion

Our work on inclusion focuses on the political participation and leadership of young people, LGBT+ people, and persons with disabilities.

Openness and participation

We help to open up access to decision-making, from helping parliaments speak to citizens to advising on citizens' assemblies.

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.

Latest

Forum in Ukraine on democratic resilience

News

Six strategic conclusions from our forum on Ukraine’s democratic resilience

The event gathered representatives of political parties, government bodies, civil society, international organisations and experts to discuss strategies that would support the country’s democratic development and serve as a foundation for its effective recovery during and after the war.

A photo of the Democracy Action Partnership event in action - a group of people are talking in groups, sat at tables or standing, concentration on brainstorming actions. In the centre is an orange banner which says strengthening democracy around the world.

Commentary

Cashing out: Is the cost of politics unsustainable?

The high and often growing costs that individuals bear in seeking and maintaining political office are excluding people from politics, fuelling corruption, and fundamentally reshaping the way in which citizens and their elected representatives interact.

A group of people with two in the foreground shaking hands.

News

Sri Lankan lessons for elections in Bangsamoro

From 21–24 January 2025, representatives from all 16 regional political parties in the Bangsamoro travelled to Sri Lanka for a learning visit. This immersion provided valuable insights into how a whole-of-society approach contributed to peaceful elections in Sri Lanka.

A woman wearing a headscarf stands speaking in front of a table of post-it-notes. Two men in face masks listen with concentrated expressions

News

WFD’s role in award-winning project in Bangsamoro

A project that WFD delivers in Bangsamoro, an autonomous region in the southern Philippines, has won a UK Government Project Delivery Award, which recognises complex and ambitious projects across Government.

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