Written evidence submitted by the Westminster
Foundation for Democracy
Key Points
· Westminster Foundation for
Democracy is the UK's primary organisation in supporting democracy development.
· The British Government has
a strategic interest in having a democracy institute based in Westminster.
· Countries such as
Bangladesh welcome support from the UK as historical links mean that political
systems are similar to the Westminster model.
· DFID invests significant
funds in supporting the improvement of governance around the world and its
approach is becoming more focused on providing support to political
institutions and processes. The Westminster Foundation for Democracy is a
natural partner. A strategic partnership would benefit the development of this
work.
Westminster Foundation for
Democracy
Introduction
Established in 1992, Westminster
Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is an independent public body sponsored by the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from which it receives an annual grant. It is
the UK's primary organisation in supporting the development of democracy; specialising in
parliamentary strengthening and political party development.
Working with and through partner
organisations, we seek to strengthen the institutions of democracy, principally
political parties (through the work of the UK political parties), parliaments
and the range of institutions that make up civil society. We believe that, for
a democracy to flourish, all of these institutions must be strong and
sustainable.
WFD
currently receives a core grant from the FCO of £4.1 million and also attracts
funds from the Department for International Development (DfID), other FCO
sources, the British Council and others.
WFD has moved from a predominantly
grant making body to one which designs, develops and implements major
parliamentary strengthening programmes around the world. Established to support the consolidation
of democratic practices and institutions in the newly emerging democracies of
Central and the Middle East and Asia.
WFD
is uniquely place to support the development of political parties through party
to party projects. This work aims to build Eastern Europe WFD now also operates
in Africa, the capacity of like-minded parties to develop effective policy
based platforms, which give voters a real choice; to build party structures and
enable elected representatives to engage more effectively with their
electorates; and to learn new communications and campaigning techniques. The
political parties draw upon elected representatives, party staff and members to
provide training.
In
2008, the Foundation brought together
a formal consortium of partners, the Westminster Consortium for Parliaments and
Democracy, to deliver parliamentary strengthening programmes in five countries
over five years under DfID's Governance and Transparency Fund. This is a
£5million programme working in Mozambique, Uganda, Ukraine, Georgia and
Lebanon.
Bangladesh
Westminster
Foundation for Democracy are in close discussion with both DfID and the
government of Bangladesh to deliver a six year £1.5million parliamentary and
party support programme, although the duration and total funding has not yet
been finalised. The parliamentary and party support programme is aimed at
providing strategic and technical assistance to the parliament of Bangladesh as
part of a wider programme of political modernisation. It will complement the
USAID and UNDP in- country parliamentary and party programmes. The WFD
programme will engage on party policy development; inter-parliamentary party
relations; strengthening the capacity of parliamentary staff and the work of
parliamentary committees.
Government support
WFD has earned a reputation
as a successful provider of long term, sustainable democracy strengthening
programmes around the world. We have built close and effective partnerships
with other UK and international agencies working in similar fields.
Although we are and
independent body we work closely with the FCO to ensure that there is good
alignment between our work and their strategic priorities in the area of
governance. A senior official at director level is nominated to oversee the
relationship and there is regular contact between our staff and relevant FCO
officials in the Human Rights, Governance and Democracy Department.
We are also very keen to
build a more strategic relationship with DfID to support the Government's
strategic goals in promoting good governance and democracy around the world and to
strengthen the UK's commitments to international democracy assistance. We believe
it would be appropriate for DFID to identify a similar level official to take
forward our mutual aims.