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How governments spend taxpayers’ money is too important to be left unchecked. Elected representatives, especially at a time of great pressure on state budgets, must be empowered to scrutinise and control spending decisions. To help them do this, Westminster Foundation for Democracy has produced a series of policy briefs on parliaments and managing public money.
Briefing |
As the involvement of parliaments in the ex–post stage of law making remains under-theorised, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy has just released a new publication, providing an analysis of the main rules, practices and trends on PLS in Europe, focusing on the experience of seven national parliaments: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
Study |
Democracies need everyone to be represented in decision-making. We all lose out if women are left out. We need more women’s leadership. WFD programmes and research around the world have demonstrated what stands in the way of women’s leadership and the benefits it brings. We have also learned how we can support it.
Corruption has a negative effect on development, economic growth, and democracy. Independent Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) are often recommended as the tool to curb corruption. However, the creation of such agencies is not a panacea to the scourge of corruption. In some instances, ACAs have been a disappointment and their effectiveness has been questioned. Their efficiency depends on political will to allocate authority, powers, and resources.
Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG16) is a hugely significant commitment because it makes an explicit connection between global development and the importance of peace, justice and good governance. Democratic institutions have an important role to play in delivering the Global Goals everywhere.
WFD's CEO Anthony Smith picks out nine highlights from the new UK Government white paper on international development, which is a big step forward in the integration of democratic governance into international development policy.
To assess the extent to which legislators have been able to exert leadership during COVID-19 and the impact that legislative oversight has had on government responses, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the Developmental Leadership Programme and the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham developed the “Legislative Responses to COVID-19 Tracker”, which monitors whether the legislature sat; whether there was legislative oversight of the initial response from 1 March to 1 May 2020; and whether legislatures had ongoing oversight from 1 April to 1 September 2020. This report sets out the findings of the research, and outlines recommendations for how countries can ensure effective accountability and oversight in times of crisis.
Study |
In North Macedonia, 80% of young people think that the authorities do not care about them at all or only partially care about them and their needs and problems. This finding is a part of a recent study on the “social-political participation of youth” that Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) conducted in the country. The study is a result of WFD’s efforts to investigate the current perceptions and positions of youth in the country.
North Macedonia | Study |
WFD's Annual Report and Accounts, which were laid before Parliament on 13 July 2023.
Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) provided support to the National Assembly of Armenia. WFD’s partnership was sought by the National Assembly of Armenia as the country transitioned from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance. Until 2019 WFD supported parliament’s role in public financial management and provided technical and procedural assistance to the assembly.
Following the “Velvet Revolution” and elections of 2018, WFD worked in partnership with local and international implementers to increase its support to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. WFD led on assessing the needs of parliament and designing a substantial new package of support to increase the effectiveness of the National Assembly. Through the UNDP-led “Modern Parliament for a Modern Armenia” programme, WFD supported the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from June 2020 to 2021. In June 2021, Westminster Foundation for Democracy marked the conclusion of its most recent programme in Armenia.
Following the “Velvet Revolution” and elections of 2018, WFD worked in partnership with local and international implementers to increase its support to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. WFD led on assessing the needs of parliament and designing a substantial new package of support to increase the effectiveness of the National Assembly. Through the UNDP-led “Modern Parliament for a Modern Armenia” programme, WFD supported the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from June 2020 to 2021. In June 2021, Westminster Foundation for Democracy marked the conclusion of its most recent programme in Armenia.
WFD has been working and contributing towards strengthening democracy in Nigeria since 2012, promoting inclusive, open, and transparent governance and championing gender and human rights. We also work to promote the participation of young people, women, and persons with disabilities in elections and support the legislature to review and pass laws protecting women and girls against violence. This is in line with WFD’s strategic country focus of promoting inclusive citizens participation and accountable governance.
Partnerships at the national and state level have enhanced our democracy strengthening work. This includes working with the Nigerian National Assembly; State Houses of Assembly; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS); National Youth Service Corps (NYSC); political parties; and civil society organisations that support young people, women, and persons with disabilities.
Partnerships at the national and state level have enhanced our democracy strengthening work. This includes working with the Nigerian National Assembly; State Houses of Assembly; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS); National Youth Service Corps (NYSC); political parties; and civil society organisations that support young people, women, and persons with disabilities.
WFD launched a new programme which aims to increase the engagement of the Armenian National Assembly and political parties in climate change and energy policy.
Armenia |
Training workshops on preventing and combating the use of hate speech for youth and civic activists took place in all regions of Kyrgyzstan from 6th – 23rd September 2021. Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), jointly with the Institute of Civic Development held these events in the run up to the country’s Parliamentary elections within the framework of the Media Dialogue project funded by the European Union.