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On 12 August – International Youth Day – we are announcing a new three-year programme to boost engagement between parliaments and young people in Algeria, Morocco, and Lebanon.
WFD has been partnering with the Parliament of Sierra Leone to strengthen its capacity in different areas around the Open Government Parliament. The institution’s efforts to promote openness, accountability, and participation were recognised in the maiden Africa Open Parliament Index (OPI) report, as the institution ranked among the top in West Africa.
In less than a year’s time, Nigerians will be heading to the polls. The 2023 general elections scheduled for February/March 2023 will be the 7th since the country returned to democratic governance 23 years ago. This is the longest period of democratic governance in the history of Nigeria. While this is the case, there are a few challenges to be addressed in the journey towards strengthening democracy.
Looking back at three successful years of WFD’s collaborative programme with the Algerian Parliament
Strong parliaments/legislatures are cornerstones of democracy. In 2019, WFD launched a programme that strengthened its partnership with the Algerian Parliament. Here is a summary of some of the programme’s outcomes after three years of successful implementation.
On Tuesday 24 May 2022, select members of a visiting delegation from the Malaysian Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Women, Children, and Social Development visited WFD’s new offices for meetings related to gender equality, data and budgeting.
WFD and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK recently offered a 4-day induction training to the newly elected and appointed National Assembly Members (NAMs) in the Gambia.
Dr Inaya Ezzeddine, a Lebanese MP from the Tyre province in the south, has amassed an impressive record in parliamentary work over the last four years, which has contributed to the country’s resilience and stability. WFD supported MP Ezzeddine to help respond to the Lebanon multi-crisis, in which taxpayers have been hard-pressed to meet basic needs.
In Lebanon, Law number 81/2018 on E-Transactions and Data Protection has been passed for years, but legal and institutional factors have played a significant role in blocking its implementation. A WFD affiliated network, the Digital Transformation and Governance Network (DTGN), stepped in to identify these blockages, and to carry out the advocacy work needed to overcome them.
Writing for writing for Carnegie Europe, our CEO Anthony Smith explores how best to support democracy after the invasion of Ukraine.
On June 8 1982, US President Ronald Reagan addressed UK MPs in the Palace of Westminster, proposing the creation of democracy assistance organisations. On the 40th anniversary of that speech, our Chair Richard Graham MP reflects on what "today's equivalent of Reagan's call to democratic arms" should look like and argues for a "renewed call to action to support democracy."
With WFD’s assistance, a group of civil society organisations in Bangsamoro have formed a technical working group (TWG) with increasing membership and produced a guide to engaging parliament.
To be able to design better strategies on democracy, we must apply the most up to date analytical tools to reveal and understand the discourses, practices, and actors that impact popular understandings of democracy today.
In Sierra Leone, we have helped make sure citizens can access parliament and understand its work, through initiatives from open days to apps. During the Parliament’s recent Open Day, WFD gave access to several people to learn about the work of WFD and Parliament. It was a chance for advocates to meet the Speaker
The solution to realize the achievement of PWDs rights is through political representation. WFD in partnership with Demo Finland partners with 13 political parties, 21 Disabled Persons Organizations and Civil Society organizations to strengthen inclusive multiparty democracy in Kenya.
WFD in Kenya is helping strengthen parliament’s role in holding the executive accountable. This is by providing technical support to Senate to respond to opportunities for improving democratic processes and practices.
