WFD 2011-2012 Business Plan Evaluation

Introduction In March 2011, WFDs Board of Governors approved a new, four year strategic direction for the organisation, which set out three new strategic objectives from 2011-15. 1. Contribute to democracy, stability and good governance in post-conflict countries and fragile states 2. Improve engagement in political processes in weak, emerging or developing democracies 3. Be a results and learning orientated organisation delivering programmes of the highest quality This evaluation considers how the organisations projects and programmes have contributed to these strategic objectives and the key milestones (see tables on pages 4 to 6) set out in the 2011-12 Business Plan. The Business Plan 2011-12 was developed by WFD staff and the political officers of the Westminster parties around our core business of political party development and parliamentary strengthening in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This evaluation highlights key achievements, rather than providing a robust measure of progress under outcomes and objectives. It seeks to avoid repetition with the already published Annual Review for 2011 and WFDs Annual Reports and Accounts, laid before Parliament in July 2012, although some cross-over is inevitable. Approach to evaluating the 2011-12 Business Plan In a break with previous evaluations, WFD has this year decided to pull out some specific examples of how our work has contributed to the milestones set out in the Business Plan 2011-12, show how they contribute to our corporate plan and then table the remaining outcomes, in an attempt to communicate progress in a more reader-friendly format. Extra-budgetary funded programmes During 2011-12, in addition to the FCOs grant-in-aid, WFD also received funding from other donors and remained committed to expanding extra-budgetary funded programmes in line with its Corporate Plan. At the end of the financial year 2011-12 WFD had 12 extra-budgetary programmes totalling 2.3 million. These included the five-year, 5 million parliamentary strengthening programme delivered by The Westminster Consortium 1 (TWC), which WFD leads and is funded by DFIDs Global Transparency Fund; a programme in Bangladesh funded by DFID in-country (implementation was deferred pending completion of an in-country assessment of programme priorities by donors and parliament); a programme in Lebanon funded by the EU (completed June 2012); programmes in Albania (completed May 2012); on-going parliamentary strengthening programmes in Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia and Montenegro jointly funded by grant-in-aid and Embassy funds (due for completion 2013); new
1

TWC: a Consortium managed by WFD which also includes the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch, House of Commons Overseas Office, International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute, National Audit Office, Thomson Reuters Foundation and the Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution, Essex University. TWC is currently delivering a 5-year programme across six countries (2009-14).

programmes in Tunisia and Egypt funded by the Arab Partnership Fund; a programme in Pakistan, in partnership with the British Council, funded by the EU; and a programme in Sierra Leone funded by the British Council. Whilst these extra-budgetary programmes have enabled WFD to successfully extend its work in a number of countries and regions, its ability to manage and run additional programmes was constrained by staffing and resource levels and core programme commitments. The challenge remains to ensure that WFDs investment delivers the biggest impact in a constantly changing political environment. Key organisational development 2011-12 Although this is an evaluation of the 2011-12 Financial Year, bearing in mind that this report was not submitted until September 2012, it seems appropriate to include an update on progress under Strategic Objective 3 considering the new initiatives now underway. An internal Change Agenda was developed during the year to assist WFD in developing a more rigorous approach to strategic planning, deepen its technical expertise and professionalism, and reform its structure and governance arrangements. Key changes implemented to date include: Strengthening strategic planning through the introduction of an annual strategic planning cycle including an annual review of all regional strategies to inform programme choices, looking at political developments and potential new opportunities for democracy assistance; retention of an annual business plan and annual evaluation reports; improved programme design (new programme templates, more detailed budgets, log frames and clearer outcomes). The role and work of the Board of Governors and its various sub-committees have been reviewed and changes made. The Board and the Projects and Programmes Committee are focusing on more strategic issues. A decision on the size of the Board is subject to further discussion with Ministers in 2012. The political parties staffing needs and office costs were reviewed and strengthened. A review of WFD staffing requirements (programme teams in London and overseas, and corporate staff) is being undertaken in 2012 to ensure that WFD has the flexibility to scale up in response to new opportunities (e.g. post Arab Spring) and the inhouse technical capacity (e.g. M&E) to deliver its portfolio of programmes.

Rationalising future programming looking to the future WFDs programme teams completed their last year of smaller one-off projects work and looked ahead to more consolidated programming. The organisation spent time rationalising its longer-term work to focus on where it could achieve greatest impact, based on its 20 years experience in the field and building on the network of relationships and programmes delivered in recent years.

Strategic Objective One (purple denotes which programmes are highlighted in this evaluation; red denotes approval after the Business Plan was developed):
Expected Outcomes by the end of the four year period (2014 2015) 1. Contributed to the stability of parliament in 5 postconflict / fragile states Key Milestones 2011 2012 Risk of current programme countries sliding into conflict decreased Projects/programmes that contributed to this Objective 2011-12 DRC (GIA) Kenya (GIA & DfID) Sierra Leone (British Council) Pakistan (GIA) Kenya (GIA & DfID) Iraq (GIA) think-tank Lebanon EU funded programme 2 MENA-wide Regional Initiatives on Conflict Resolution (GIA) Pakistan (GIA & FCO) Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) MENA (post assessment visits) Nigeria (GIA) Iraq (GIA) MENA-wide Regional Initiatives (GIA) Iraq-Kurdistan (GIA & KRP) Jordan (GIA) Conservative Party Africa Programme Labour Party Africa Programme Labour Party MENA Programme Liberal Democrats Africa Programme Liberal Democrats Europe Programme Smaller Parties Africa Programme Sierra Leone (GIA) Bangladesh (DfID) delay in programming due to objectives being realigned did not get underway Macedonia (GIA & FCO) Albania (FCO

2. Supported pluralistic and participatory policy-making processes that contribute to moving away from monopolies of power

Mechanisms in place in 2 programme parliaments to foster better political dialogue

3. Smooth democratic transitions of power in relevant programme countries 4. Womens experience in political participation and reconciliation is inspiring current and future women leaders

WFD has supported Sierra Leone through peaceful elections in 2012 Women focused programmes run in 3 countries

5. Strengthened organisation and capacity of political parties in post-conflict, weak and fragile states

Increased awareness of modern techniques in party organisation (by party)

6. Elected representatives strengthened in their representative role through better engagement with their constituencies and wider civil society in postconflict, weak and fragile states

Improved skills of elected representatives in post-conflict, weak and fragile states (by country)

Strategic Objective Two (purple denotes which programmes are highlighted in this evaluation; red denotes approval after the Business Plan was developed):
Expected Outcomes by the end of the four year period (2014 2015) 1. Strengthened capacity of parliament to review and scrutinise the Executive and to promote and protect the rights of their citizens in 10 countries Milestones 2011 2012 3 programme parliaments strengthened in their legislative, oversight and representative roles Projects/programmes that contributed to this Objective 2011-12 EALA (GIA) Moldova (GIA) Ghana (GIA) Iraq-Kurdistan (GIA & KRP) Albania (FCO) Jordan (GIA) Macedonia (GIA & FCO) Bangladesh (DfID) Montenegro (GIA & FCO) Tunisia (APF) Serbia (GIA & FCO) Egypt (APF) TWC 3 programme - (parliamentary study centres launched in Lebanon; Mozambique (Uganda to follow 2012). Sierra Leone (British Council) EALA (GIA) Sierra Leone(GIA) Macedonia (GIA & FCO) Montenegro (GIA & FCO) Iraq-Kurdistan (GIA & KRP) Bangladesh (DfID) Kyrgyzstan (FCO) Conservative Party Africa, Europe & RoW Programmes Labour Party Africa, Europe, MENA & RoW Programmes Smaller Parties Europe Programme Jordan (GIA) Tunisia (APF) Conservative Party Africa, Europe & RoW Programmes Labour Party Africa, Europe, MENA & RoW Programmes Conservative Party Africa, Europe and RoW Programmes Labour Party Africa & RoW Programmes Liberal Democrats MENA Programme

2. Created a network of local organisations able to deliver innovative and valued training programmes to parliaments in 7 countries 3. Strengthened political dialogue, including with civil society and the media, by ensuring proper mechanisms are in place in 5 programme country parliaments

Network of local organisations created in 2 countries Political tensions dealt with in Parliament rules and procedures in place for Speaker to follow in 2 programme parliaments

4. Strengthened policy development of political parties in weak, emerging or developing democracies, providing the electorate with real choice 5. Strengthened media and communication skills, strategy and techniques of political parties in weak, emerging or developing democracies 6. Increased regional cooperation between political parties from the same political family in weak, emerging or developing democracies
3

Increased awareness of the importance of ideology and policy (by party)

Increased awareness of the importance of media and communication skills (by party) Number of regional workshops and study visits (by party)

TWC assists parliaments to create their own sustainable centres of learning for staff and members. The Consortium is delivering programmes over five years, from 2008-13, to strengthen parliaments in Georgia and Ukraine, Mozambique and Uganda and Lebanon. This year it added Morocco as a sixth programme country.

Strategic Objective 3
Expected Outcomes by the end of the four year period (2014 2015) 1. Created a training model that achieves behavioural as well as institutional change in parliaments, parties and civil society Milestones 2011 2012 Political incentives tool taken forward in 3 programme counties (1 in each region) Progress 2011-12 Work continued on this under The Westminster Consortium programme which is developing A Guide to Best-Practice in establishing Parliamentary Training Centres, due to be published in 2012-13. A political analysis tool was developed by WFD and Global Partners, and disseminated in all WFD country programme offices for use by programme managers as a tool to collect and consolidate results of stakeholder mapping. A Value for Money model was piloted in parliamentary strengthening programmes in Georgia, Lebanon and Tunisia. A Guide to Legislative Analysis was developed for the Lebanese Parliament and 23 MPs trained in its use (see page 7 for more information). Work on developing appropriate M&E tools and benchmarks to measure impact made across projects and programmes was postponed until 2012 pending decisions on the future funding and the appointment of a specialist M&E advisor. In the meantime, WFD maintained its internal M&E processes including monthly/quarterly monitoring of all major programmes and continued internal and external programme evaluations. Cross-party 4 programmes were delivered in several countries including Ghana, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Kenya, Iraq-Kurdistan, Tunisia and Turks and Caicos. Achieved New funding from DFID secured 2012-15 and continuation of three year funding from FCO. Achieved. This work continued, building on TWCs previous three years of partnerships and programming. New partnerships were developed for other WFD programmes with UK, international and local partners. Greater participation by WFD staff in international fora to share and learn from best practice; Key conference held in partnership with the British Council on the Arab Spring in July 2011.

2. Appropriate M&E tools and benchmarks in place that measure the impact made across the full range of projects and programmes 3. Known for innovative, responsive cross-party programmes and has a strong reputation as the UK leader in the democracy assistance field 4. Developed a wider funding base to support democracy overseas (significantly from FCO, DFID and EU) 5. Developed strong partnerships with other UK and international organisations ensuring it has the capacity and skills to deliver programmes of the highest quality 6. Chaired a number of crossorganisational democracy assistance meetings, leading to better quality programmes

Tools developed

3 case studies from cross-party work (1 from each region) Strategy to deliver this in place Led and successfully implemented the Westminster Consortium programme WFD Annual Conference organised and successful in developing new partnerships

Cross-party defined as programmes involving two or more of the UK parties working with multiple local political parties.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS 2011-12 LEBANON

Corporate Plan SO 1 (outcome 2): Supported pluralistic and participatory policy-making processes that contribute to moving away from monopolies of power Key Milestone 2011-12 Mechanisms in place in 2 programme parliaments to foster better political dialogue Programmes/projects and country Lebanon 5: Parliamentary strengthening EU funded

WFD implemented a 21-month, EU funded programme in Lebanon from January 2011to June 2012, which enabled it to take forward an Advisory Unit, established in its previous programme, to provide technical and professional expertise to the Lebanese Parliament. Support was also given to the work of two key committees Administration and Justice, and Finance and Budget. Two quotes below illustrate how the programme has fostered improved political dialogue in the parliament. The Administration and Justice Committee is the kitchen of the parliament as we say in Lebanon. Every proposed bill takes a lot of time, and we issue many new laws each year, and receive hundreds of bills and propositions. There has been an urgent need to have experts who sole purpose is to help this committee, to prepare proposals and projects in a professional and legal way, away from politics. We are saving time and working in a more professional and expert way following the establishment of the Advisory Unit. Nawar al Sahili MP, Administration and Justice Committee Rapporteur A focus for the programme was to improve the quality of legislative analysis in the parliament. Following a working group session in Lebanon by local and international experts, a formal framework for analysis the Guide to Legislative Analysis was developed and 23 MPs trained in its use. It is now in wide use by the parliament. A similar guide is being produced for Tunisia (September 2012) and there is potential for it to be tailored for other parliaments in the region. Commenting on the guide, Dr Wassim Mansouri, from the Lebanese University, a key partner of WFDs programme in Lebanon said, Democracy requires efficient, popular participation through its representatives in the Parliament and its role is crucial in the legislative process. The Guide is uniting technical discussions in parliamentary committees on a bill or proposal as they are becoming faster, simpler and more accurate. It also helps to maintain a continued legislative procedure in Lebanon which helps us to achieve a tradition in legislative analysis with time, and when new representatives arrive they find some tools they can rely on. Another example of the programmes contribution to improved political dialogue followed a visit by the members of Lebanons Budget and Finance Committee, including the Chair and staff from the Lebanese Court of Audit (CoA), to the UK in January 2012. They met with staff from the National Audit Office to consider the importance of collaboration between the Lebanese CoA, as the countrys supreme audit institution, its role in post-expenditure scrutiny, and its relationship with the Budget and Finance Committee. A result of the visit was that a MP in the delegation presented a complaint to the CoA and the Lebanese Ministry of Public Works asking contractors and companies to account for a project to extend waterways under the roads in his constituency, which had caused damage to cars and harm to the citizens passing on the roads.

Although Lebanon is considered as an emerging democracy moving away from conflict, there are ongoing challenges to the countrys political stability that would justify Lebanon sitting within Strategic Objective 1.

Mr Jaber, the Speakers appointed representative for WFDs programme, has since confirmed that the Budget and Finance Committee has adopted the UK system of accountability, whereby the NAO receives a request to investigate the use of public money in projects, post-expenditure. There has also been acknowledgment of the importance of building relations with the Lebanese CoA similar to the tight relations between the NAO and the Public Accounts Committee. As of September 2012, WFD is continuing to support the Advisory Unit for a further six months, until March 2013. One example of the work being undertaking is follow-up on guidance that sets out the principles of operations and the Rules of Procedure between the Lebanese Court of Audit and the Budget and Finance Committee to strengthen their working relationship. This should also contribute to further improving political dialogue. WFD has been operating 6 in Lebanon since 2006. Its contribution from its previous programme is still being felt in 2012 with the ongoing development of a Pensions Bill. Back in 2008 WFD contributed to a key technical output on the draft bill, highlighting shortcomings of the initial draft regulation, which lacked consistency. A framework was then established to help improve the drafting and key decisionmaking process developed. WFD attended all meetings of a Special Parliamentarian Committee established, and advised on the bills future drafting. A working group was also established, and attended by WFD, to issue a final paper on the Bill. A committee has since been working on a revised and final draft regulation based on sound technical thinking that takes into consideration the economic and social interests of Lebanon.

WFD also has an on-going programme in Lebanon under the TWC programme until 2014. Its remit is to assist the Lebanese Parliament to establish a regional training centre aimed at building the capacities of parliamentary staff in the Arab world.

Sierra Leone
Corporate Plan SO 1: (Outcome 1). Contributed to the stability of parliament in 5 post-conflict / fragile states Key Milestone 2011-12 Risk of current programme countries sliding into conflict decreased Improved skills of elected representatives in post-conflict, weak and fragile states (by country) Political tensions dealt with in Parliament rules and procedures in place for Speaker to follow in 2 programme parliaments Programmes/projects and country Sierra Leone (2 programmes): 1. Parliamentary strengthening programme (British Council) Strengthening MPs Engagement with their Citizens (parliamentary strengthening; civil society)

SO 1: (Outcome 6). Elected representatives strengthened in their representative role through better engagement with their constituencies and wider civil society in post-conflict, weak and fragile states SO 2: (Outcome 3). Strengthened political dialogue, including with civil society and the media, by ensuring proper mechanisms are in place in 5 programme country parliaments

2.

WFD implemented two programmes in Sierra Leone in 2011. The first was a programme to assist parliament in turning policies into technically correct bills. This was seen as vital to support the development of a justice system which addresses impunity and poverty, which have contributed to civil war in this West African state. Through WFDs 20-month programme, funded by the British Council, to strengthen the parliament, the country witnessed post-legislative scrutiny in 2011 for the first time ever through a newly established Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). Staff are now better equipped to support MPs in committee enquiries, and their much improved technical ability has made a significant difference to MPs ability to do their jobs. One of the programmes challenges was a delay in establishing the service, which made it difficult for parliament to develop a well defined staffing structure. WFD organised a trip to Uganda to show the parliamentary leadership the functions and benefits of an established independent service. This proved to be an effective way for the leadership to take ownership of advancing the PSC. Activities have contributed to the development of a critical mass of well-trained staff, MPs and a Parliamentary leadership that is capable of steering the establishment of the Parliamentary Services Commission. WFD identified parliamentary strengthening as an important peace-building and democratisation requirement for postwar Sierra Leone, and addressed it with credibility and expertise from Westminster and other sub-regional parliaments. The linkages between the Sierra Leone and UK parliaments, as well as with the sub-regional parliaments of Ghana and Uganda, have been greatly enhanced. A report on the programme, published in September 2011 During 2011-12 WFD also implemented a 12-month pilot project to increase communication between communities and their MPs. It helped MPs understand their role and responsibilities so they could better address local issues and concerns, and also helped constituents learn more about the roles of MPs. The Strengthening MPs Engagement with their Citizens project saw 47 constituency offices opened

across the country where people could express their concerns, issues and ideas to their MPs. A constituency caretaker was employed to manage each office, and to give people the chance to have their say by recording their views and issues in a written ledger or through a suggestion box, which were then passed on to the MP at regular intervals for action and feedback. One community now has pipe born water as a direct result of concerns raised through its constituency office, and another saw mosquito nets distributed to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children. The nature of interaction between me and the constituents was not cordial before the opening of the constituency office. The problem was that there was no centralised forum to channel concerns, problems, complaints, and a condition that slowed down immediate responses from me. Now I am happy that I can serve my people without fear of being swamped by individual demands. Honorable Dr Bernadette Lahai of Constituency 13, Kenema District The Honourable Veronica Sesay MP, commented that through the project, and understanding better how local district plan developments relate to her constituency, she had been able to mobilise resources to complete infrastructure projects including rehabilitating bridges and completing a road linking agricultural villages to the town. Kenya:
Corporate Plan SO 1 (Outcome 1): Contributed to the stability of parliament in 5 post-conflict / fragile states. SO 1 (Outcome 2): Supported pluralistic and participatory policy-making processes that contribute to moving away from monopolies of power Key Milestone 2011-12 Mechanisms in place in 2 programme parliaments to foster better political dialogue Risk of current programme countries sliding into conflict decreased Programmes/projects and country Kenya: Parliamentary strengthening programme

In Kenya, the focus in 2011-12 7 was to develop the curriculum for 16 training modules to support the institutional development of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST). 8 More than 60 parliamentary staff were trained using the curriculum during 2011-12. It resulted in staff and MPs having access to quality, cost-effective and accessible training, which is not only preparing them for the implications of the countrys new constitution (enacted in 2010) but leading to greater engagement and participation in decision-making, and improved political dialogue. An international peer review of the modules was due to be undertaken in Kenya in 2012. We are now at the threshold of full operation of the parliamentary centre with well structured and implemented training curricula expected soon and training programmes being mounted. It is our belief that the centre will be a resource centre for all parliamentary capacity building needs for Kenya, the region and the rest of the world, Clerk of the Kenya National Assembly Patrick Gichohi speaking on the importance of the CPST.

WFD began collaborating with the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST) in 2009 to support the development of a parliamentary curriculum. 8 The CPSTs role is to enhance the capacity of honourable members, staff of parliaments and others, by offering learning and training opportunities/courses through suitable modules. It was created in 2008 by Kenyas Parliamentary Services Commission.
7

10

East Africa Legislative Assembly

Corporate Plan SO 2 (Outcome 1). Strengthened capacity of parliament to review and scrutinise the Executive and to promote and protect the rights of their citizens in 10 countries. SO 2 (Outcome 3). Strengthened political dialogue, including with civil society and the media, by ensuring proper mechanisms are in place in 5 programme country parliaments. Key Milestone 2011-12 3 programme parliaments strengthened in their legislative, oversight and representative roles. Political tensions dealt with in Parliament rules and procedures in place for Speaker to follow in 2 programme parliaments. Programmes/projects and country EALA parliamentary strengthening/regional integration

WFD in partnership with the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative and the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) launched a new Handbook on Human Rights and Parliaments in Arusha, Tanzania. The Handbook was developed through The Westminster Consortium programme. The launch was attended by the EALA Committee on Legal Affairs, representatives from East African Community (EAC) institutions, civil society organisations from the five EAC partner states, and Trademark East Africa. The event strengthened EALAs focus as an institution well placed to support human rights in the region and provided an opportunity for civil society organisations to share methods of defending human rights in their countries. The Westminster Consortiums staff in Uganda participated in the subsequent one-day roundtable to disseminate the Handbook within EALA and the wider EAC. This platform gave participants the opportunity to discuss EALAs role in promoting and protecting human rights in the region, explore opportunities that could strengthen the functional relationship between EALA and national parliaments in the implementation of human rights standards, and to better understand the role of civil society in the legislative process both at the regional and national level. The participants agreed on several recommendations on how to enhance human rights obligations in the region, which will now be taken forward as part of the continuing programme.

11

Iraq
Corporate Plan SO 1 (Outcome 2). 2. Supported pluralistic and participatory policymaking processes that contribute to moving away from monopolies of power. SO 1 (Outcome 4). Womens experience in political participation and reconciliation is inspiring current and future women leaders. Key Milestone 2011-12 Mechanisms in place in 2 programme parliaments to foster better political dialogue. Women focused programmes run in 3 countries. Programmes/projects and country Iraq - Parliamentary strengthening.

In Iraq, WFDs programme contributed to establishing a parliamentary think-tank in May 2011 with local and regional partners to provide specialist advice in parliamentary affairs and public policies to Iraqi MPs. Called the Iraqi House of Expertise, this unit has been providing technical advice to the Council of Representatives and has published policy recommendations on health, education, transparency and womens rights. Also this year, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in January 2011 with the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, a programme was launched to develop its skills and expertise, with the overall aim to build democracy in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. WFD organised five workshops in Erbil with participation from UK MPs from all political parties to foster better political dialogue. Topics included; supporting parliamentarians in holding the executive to account; the role of MPs in enhancing transparency and accountability including a code-of-conduct for parliamentarians; the role of government and opposition; financial accountability and the roles that audit bodies can play. Also during the year, WFD supported a programme to bring together women leaders from 10 MENA countries and representatives from Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Kenya and Rwanda in Iraq to discuss and share experiences on the role of women in peace-building and reconciliation. This was seen as a milestone in empowering women regionally and helping them develop their own action plans for change, and directly contributed to Outcome 4 of SO 1. WFD also facilitated a workshop to enable UK MPs to share their experiences with women counterparts in the Kurdistan Parliament. In the spotlight was building relationships with constituents and civil society organisations to consult and communicate better on issues, and working collectively in parliament to promote issues of concern to women. An outcome was to consider setting up a womens lobby group of all women in parliament to achieve greater influence. The parliament has a committee on womens rights but they are not organised into a formal caucus. The formation of a womens lobby group would have the benefit of bringing women together to fight for issues of concern to them, and also create a supportive network so they are better able to have their voices heard. Overall, strengthening womens political rights and increasing their participation in political life was a core focus for WFDs regional work in the Middle East in 2011-12, which falls under WFDs Strategic Objectives 1 and 2. For example, WFD and its local partners provided a Training of Trainers workshop for experienced former women parliamentarians from the MENA region, delivered by Thomson Reuters Foundation. The project aimed to create a bridge between generations and enable women leaders of the future to benefit from the knowledge and know-how of experienced women politicians.

12

The Balkans and Kyrgyzstan

Corporate Plan SO 2: (Outcome 1). Strengthened capacity of parliament to review and scrutinise the Executive and to promote and protect the rights of their citizens in 10 countries; SO 2: (Outcome 3). Strengthened political dialogue, including with civil society and the media, by ensuring proper mechanisms are in place in 5 programme country parliaments Key Milestone 2011-12 3 programme parliaments strengthened in their legislative, oversight and representative roles Programmes/projects and country Parliamentary strengthening in: Montenegro Macedonia Albania Serbia Working with civil society in Kyrgysztan* Ukraine

Political tensions dealt with in Parliament rules and procedures in place for Speaker to follow in 2 programme parliaments

WFDs parliamentary strengthening programmes in Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia were complemented by work with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Albania, and Kyrgysztan 9 and Ukraine aimed at increasing CSOs impact in the policy-making process, particularly around EU integration. WFDs work in Macedonia and Montenegro during 2011-12 continued to build on the strong partnerships it has established with both parliaments. WFD worked closely with MPs and senior parliamentary officials to improve their effectiveness in parliament, and continued to provide expertise to help build the capacity of their respective parliamentary services to better support MPs in their oversight and legislative roles. Both Parliaments made changes to their rules of procedures to shift MPs work from plenary to committees, enabling greater parliamentary oversight in the future. MPs have also noted improvements in parliamentary support, remarking that innovations such as a briefing note system helped them better prepare for committee meetings. In Montenegro this involved the UK National Audit Office and House of Commons experts helping the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget to design a briefing note on the budget. This has been embedded into parliamentary budget practice and is now produced on a regular basis for MPs. An evaluation of WFDs parliamentary strengthening programme in Montenegro found that, There was clear political will for reforms in the Parliament from all key stakeholders: the President of the Parliament, the Secretary-General and MPs. They recognised the need to increase capacity amongst staff to support the functions of Parliament to meet the challenges of the future. The programme also provided training to increase the ability of staff to support MPs, which resulted in more effective scrutiny of the budget passed in parliament at the end of 2011. Kyrgyzstan WFD opened an office in Kyrgyzstan in 2011 with two staff members to run a one year programme on civil society involvement in parliamentary policy-making. The 12-month programme laid the ground
Kyrgyzstan was not mentioned in the 2011-12 Business Plan as it was an extra-budgetary programme approved during the year.
9

13

work for improving access and methods of consultation between parliament and civil society. This followed a new regulation added to the parliaments Rules and Procedures - which gives CSOs an official mandate to engage with parliament. Work during the year focused on: A workshop for 16 civil society organisations in November 2011 to develop effective policy briefs for parliamentarians. A three day training-of-trainers workshop was also held on campaigning, lobbying and advocacy for potential future CSO leaders. A workshop for MPs was held in December 2011which focused on building relationships between parliamentary officials and CSOs in policy-making and policy implementation. It also considered effective methods of interaction between MPs and CSOs and international bestpractice.

WFD has developed a more strategic and region-wide approach to working in the Western Balkans from 2012-15. This approach, building on WFDs country programmes in Albania, Macedonia, Moldovo, Montenegro and Serbia, will look to further strengthen the role of parliaments in South East Europe and promote regional co-operation in human rights and the rule of law or investment and transparency, with current programmes in Macedonia and Montenegro aligned into this. New country programmes in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan will be developed over three years from 2012-15 with a focus on strengthening citizens engagement in democratic processes.

14

Tunisia and Egypt

Corporate Plan SO 2: (Outcome 1). Strengthened capacity of parliament to review and scrutinise the Executive and to promote and protect the rights of their citizens in 10 countries SO 2: (Outcome 4): Strengthened policy development of political parties in weak, emerging or developing democracies, providing the electorate with real choice. Key Milestone 2011-12 3 programme parliaments strengthened in their legislative, oversight and representative roles Programmes/projects and country Tunisia and Egypt Parliamentary strengthening (APF funded)

Increased awareness of the importance of ideology and policy (by party)

Tunisia

Following the Arab Spring, a new programme in Tunisia started this year, which also contributed to Outcome 1 and 4 under SO 2. It delivered several successful activities with the National Constituent Assembly and the Tunisian political parties. Its work with the Constituent Assembly focused on parliamentary organisation and procedures; on the mechanisms of parliamentary oversight and accountability; and on legislative and constitutional drafting drawing from the UK's model and from other Constituent Assemblies and Parliaments in the region (Lebanon and Morocco) and elsewhere (South Africa and Macedonia). It also focused on issues of interest to the Tunisian political parties, especially on their youth and women wings. These activities looked at party structures and the importance of youth wings and the role of women, how they participate in strengthening the parties and their capacity to communicate and campaign better. The APF has since committed to a further three year WFD programme in Tunisia from 2012-15 that will continue to work with the Tunisian Constituent Assembly and parties to strengthen the countrys democratic institutions. WFD will work with Tunisian parties on a multi-party and party-to-party basis to develop their skills in working in Parliament, in building coalitions and in engaging women and youth. WFD will encourage partnerships between British parliamentarians and political parties and their counterparts in Tunisia. WFD will support newly elected parliamentarians and encourage the development and adoption of a parliamentary code-of-conduct. WFDs new programme this year in Egypt, where it first began working in 2008, has focused on support to the new Parliament. As elections were twice postponed, much of the scheduled programme was deferred to 2012. A key priority was induction training for MPs, which was planned to take place from May until the end of July 2012. Since more than 80% of the 508 MPs are serving for the first time, this was to be a significant piece of work which was hoped would feed into a longer term programme of parliamentary support. WFD developed a core curriculum for training new MPs, which was delivered in the first few months of the 2012-13 financial year. Regional projects on enhancing public policy in the region also got underway in 2011-12, contributing to Strategic Objective 2 (Outcome 1). The National School of Government and Issam Fares Institute are establishing a benchmark for policy development. Researchers, activists and experts from Tunisia and Egypt are being trained to write policy analysis and policy recommendations to develop a pool of expertise to work across both countries. Also during the year, WFD and its local partner, the Arab Region Parliamentarians against

15

Corruption, launched an Arabic version of a handbook on parliamentary ethics. The handbook, developed by WFD and the Global Task Force on Parliamentary Ethics and Conduct, provides a how to guide for parliamentarians on developing their own codes-of-conduct, aimed at strengthening parliamentary transparency and promoting best practice in this area. This contributed to Strategic Objective 2, Outcome 1. There remains significant demand for assistance in building strong democratic institutions in MENA and WFD has developed new strategic programmes in the region from 2012-15 in countries that are well placed to receive help in their transitions. These include programmes in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia as well as two regional programmes - womens leadership and better policy making. An ongoing challenge is to ensure that our investment delivers real support where it is needed, in what is still an evolving political environment.

16

The Westminster Consortium Programme

Corporate Plan SO 2: (Outcome 2). Created a network of local organisations able to deliver innovative and valued training programmes to parliaments in 7 countries. Key Milestone 2011-12 Network of local organisations created in 2 countries Programmes/projects and country The Westminster Consortium (TWC) programme led by WFD was established 2009 with a 5 million grant from DFIDs Governance and Transparency Fund (GTF).

During 2011-12, TWC continued its mandate to help parliaments create their own sustainable centres of learning for staff and members. The Consortium is delivering programmes over five years, from 200813, to strengthen parliaments in Georgia and Ukraine, Mozambique and Uganda and Lebanon. This year it added Morocco as a sixth programme country. During the year, the TWC programme underwent a mid-term review 10. It received specific praise for: Managing a complex programme involving seven international partners and 22 local partners; Sharing with parliaments international knowledge and ways of working from the UK; Delivering training courses with good technical materials; Preparing quality parliamentary handbooks on financial oversight, human rights and the rule law and access to information; Providing focused, practical, job-related follow-up support to training participants which is beginning to demonstrate results. Some highlights of the TWC programme, that contributed towards its key milestone in 2011-12 were: A training programme with MPs from the Ugandan Parliament on Legislative Oversight of the Extractive Industries in Uganda. This was in advance of developing draft legislation on managing the countrys fledging oil and gas industry. A workshop on strategic planning with the Georgian Parliament, as it planned the parliaments relocation to Kutaisi. Commenting on the workshop, Micheil Machavariani, First Deputy Chairman of Parliament of Georgia said, This is the first time the Parliament has had such open discussions and put ideas on paper on the issues relating to the relocation of the Parliament. The establishment of Parliamentary Study Centres in Mozambique and Lebanon, with support from the broader donor community. A further parliamentary study centre in Uganda will be launched shortly. The further development of the Lebanese Institute for Legislative Studies and Parliamentary Training. The Institute, launched in July 2011 and based in the parliament, is providing expertise, guidance and encouraging communication and debate between MPs and parliamentary officials. TWC has been supporting its early work through its staff based in the Lebanese Parliament. In time the Institute aspires to improve the transparency and effectiveness of 22 Arab parliaments and help in developing democracy and fighting poverty in more than 20 Arab states. Holding a Financial Oversight workshop in Lebanon bring together MPs, Supreme Audit Institutions, staff and Ministries of Finance to develop strategies to improve financial oversight in TWC countries. Developed the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) to produce evidence-based

10

(Source: Delta Partnership. 2011. Strengthening Human Resource Development in Southern Parliaments - Mid-Term Review (31 March 2011 - TWC / DFID).

17

research to influence policy making in Ukraine. For example, the programme assisted the Human Rights Committee draft a new law on combating human trafficking. A new law was passed in parliament in September 2011 that set out how victims of human trafficking would now be entitled to receive support from one of 22 centres to be created in every region of Ukraine. The centres would make the re-integration process easier and help educate society. In January 2012, in accordance with the new law, the Ministry of Social Policy was appointed the national coordinator for anti-trafficking, responsible for developing national policies and coordinating activities about the issue. CSOs have also developed a set of standards for victim assistance to be considered by the government. However, although the legislation is in place, the government failed to allocate sufficient funds in the 2012 budget, due to country wide limitations. The parliamentary strengthening programme sought help from CSOs, who will continue to work with the parliament to support and monitor the developments in the new legislation.

18

Party development work 2011-12

SO 1

Corporate Plan SO 1 5. Strengthened organisation and capacity of political parties in postconflict, weak and fragile states

Key Milestones 2011-12 Increased awareness of modern techniques in party organisation (by party)

Programmes/projects and country Conservative Party Africa Programme Labour Party Africa Programme Liberal Democrats Africa Programme Smaller Parties Africa Programme

SO 2

Corporate Plan SO 2 3. WFD has assisted 5 countries to develop programmes that contribute towards reducing poverty and towards achieving the MDGs 4. Strengthened policy development of political parties

Key Milestones 2011-12 2 cross-party programmes focusing on MDGs designed / being delivered

Programmes/projects and country Conservative Party Africa, Europe & RoW Programmes Labour Party Africa, Europe, MENA & RoW Programme. Smaller Parties Europe Programme Conservative Party (Africa Programme) Labour Party (Africa Programme) Labour Party (MENA Programme) Liberal Democrats (Africa Programme) Liberal Democrats (Europe Programme) Smaller Parties (Africa Programme) Conservative Party Africa, Europe & RoW Programmes Labour Party Africa, Europe, MENA & RoW Programmes Conservative Party Africa, Europe and RoW Programmes Labour Party Africa & RoW Programmes Liberal Democrats MENA Programme

Increased awareness of the importance of ideology and policy (by party)

5. Strengthened media & communication skills, strategy & techniques of political parties. 6. Increased regional cooperation between political parties from the same political family in weak, emerging or developing democracies

Increased awareness of importance of media/ communication skills (by party) Number of regional workshops and study visits (by party)

The UK political parties programmes in 2011-12 Political parties are pivotal to a healthy functioning democracy. Without well-functioning parties, governments and legislatures have little chance of representing wider society in a meaningful way. Through the work of the UK political parties, WFD helped support emerging democracies to make the transition between personality-led parties and winner takes all elections to genuine multi-party democracies.

19

Strong multi-party democracies which deliver good governance and development outcomes for their citizens require effective political parties which articulate collective interests into policy platforms, and provide channels for opposing opinions to be debated peacefully. During 2011-12, the political parties delivered projects across five key themes, as well as contributing to the specific outcomes developed in 2011-12 plan. The five key themes were: Political party building and organisation development Development of party campaigning and communications Message and policy development Regional co-operation Development of nationally and locally elected representatives

The political party programmes during 2011-12 continued to be implemented on a peer-to-peer basis, which helped to promote trust and openness. These programmes were successful in providing choice to the electorate, strengthening political dialogue and supporting peaceful elections. The Conservative Party The Conservative International Office continued its work during 2011-12 with members of the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA), including in Ghana, Uganda, Liberia and the Ivory Coast. It supported DUA member parties to work on a bilateral basis with one another, for example to share expertise through party leaders, campaign managers, women and youth, and utilised the skills of DUA trainers in Conservative Party WFD work not just in Africa but across the world. This contributed to SO 2, Outcome 6. A winter youth school in November 2011 provided a platform to discuss centre-right principles and policy discussion for young leaders from centre-right parties from across Africa, contributing to Strategic Objective 2, Outcome 5. Projects were also undertaken in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and South Asia which covered party building, strengthening campaign and communications, policy and programme development, and consolidation of political and party identities (SO 2, Outcomes 5, 6). A central element of the Conservative Partys work was building regional networks of centre-right parties to increase inter-party co-operation and support (SO 2, Outcome 6). A key event which contributed to Outcome 2 under SO2 was an economic round table - involving participants from political parties in Bosnia, and across the Balkans region. In Bosnia, and the Balkans more generally, economic thinking is still largely dominated by ideas of the big state. Political parties seek to take control of the state and then use it as a mechanism of patronage to reward their supporters. With these structures and this way of thinking dictating political actions there is little incentive for politicians to think about new forms of economic activity involving control of state spending and the free-market. This seminar sought to introduce some new thinking on economic issues into the debate on the economy within Bosnia and the Balkans region. Feedback shows that participants felt this was a useful way of exchanging information about potential responses to economic challenges. There was interest in discussing practical steps which could be used to successfully attract foreign investment. Another key event was the Balkans and Eastern Europe Regional Youth Conference held in London. This reflected on the Conservative Partys experience in its 2011 campaign and looked to the challenges of implementing the new governments programme of legislation and reform. Themes discussed included

20

campaigning methods and techniques, developing policy messages, public speaking and communication, and the use of new media in politics, policy development and implementation. The conference ended with a discussion of how parties across Europe could seek to regain the confidence and trust of voters, and increase the level of public engagement in political life. The conference brought together young political representatives from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro and Serbia. Feedback from participants included I found the media in political campaigning very useful and found the press conference simulation an excellent experience and Organization was perfect! Very interactive and we learned lots of useful things! It was an interesting chance to meet each other. In Georgia, a project to assist a relatively new political party, helped with party organisation and internal management. It also assisted with improving internal communications and the partys internal structures with a focus on how women and youth could increase their participation and have their voices heard. A project to develop understanding amongst young activists from sister-parties in Serbia and the Montenegro assisted with knowledge on the mechanisms used to develop policies; how these policies can be used to appeal to young voters; and how these policies can be communicated to the electorate. Also during the year the team implemented a cross-party project with the Labour Party in Egypt that involved training up to 70 women candidates in key election campaign skills to mobilise women voters. The Labour Party The Labour Party worked with sister-parties in Africa, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, to help build their capacity. This work included looking at the effective organisation of parties, campaigning, communications, developing policy platforms and, crucially, regional co-operation, contributing to all Outcomes under SO 1 and 2. This work has been complemented by several regional projects, including workshops, which have proven an effective tool for maximising capacity building support. Not only have they reached a wider audience but they have also promoted regional dialogue - essential in post-conflict environments, contributing to SO 1 and 2. In particular, the Labour Party hosted a study programme in the UK for representatives from its sister parties in the Western Balkans. This took place in the run up to the UK local elections in May 2011.It was an excellent opportunity to expose sister parties to the final stages of the Labour Party's campaign (Outcome 6). Over three days, the participants observed different aspects of the Labour Party campaign, met with key strategists involved in the campaign's delivery and learnt about the implementation of the first national referendum in more than 30 years. Most importantly, the visit provided a forum for the participants to learn from each other and share their own campaign experience. Projects during the year in Serbia improved the skills of campaign organisers in using the internet as an effective campaign tool, to increase awareness of social democratic values and principles. The Labour Party also supported a project which trained 750 candidates for the 2012 elections in the effective use of online media as a communications and campaigning tool. A further project helped to improve the campaign organisation skills of up to120 students in Albania and enhanced awareness of social democrat principles amongst the group. All this work contributed towards SO 2, Outcome 5.

21

In the Ukraine the Labour Party held workshops during the year to train women activists to develop an effective campaign to promote inclusion of gender policies in political party programmes. The most effective outcome was increased commitment from the represented organisations to improving womens representation, which instigated a campaign in Parliament and interested the media. The Labour party also supported a regional workshop in Turkey for women activists from Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia to exchange experiences with representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey. It aimed to assist women to ensure their voices are heard in the democratic renewal of their societies. The project ended in a commitment to create an Arab Network for women, based on the principles of the CEE Network for Gender Issues which has done much work to empower women in Central and Eastern Europe. Regional projects completed in Africa in 2011-12 resulted in a number of recommendations for further regional cooperation, particularly the development of a regional womens academy. In Eastern Europe, a similar approach to regional support has introduced a new audience of young activists to the history and ideology of social democracy, contributing to SO 2, Outcome 6. The Liberal Democrats In Africa, the Liberal Democrats long term support work for the Africa Liberal Network (ALN) contributed particularly to SO 2, Outcomes 5 and 6 and also to building regional cooperation (SO 2, Outcome 6). It did this by continuing to support building the capacity of the ALN and to promote the sharing of information, experiences, skills, and ideas across its 27 parties from 21 countries. The network also held an Executive Committee meeting in Johannesburg in May 2011 during which it agreed on a new strategy for 2011-13. The strategy document includes steps to consolidate the network, which has doubled its membership in the past two years. It also made recommendations to improve communications among the liberal parties, all contributing to SO 2, Outcomes 5 and 6. In October 2011 the ALN General Assembly took place in DRC. The network decided its strategy for 2011-13 including relocation of the Secretariat to Africa in 2012. The network welcomed new parties from Botswana, South Sudan, Congo and a Pan-African Organisation for African Liberal Youth, bringing the membership to 30 parties and organisations. Training was also delivered for 30 parliamentary candidates from its three sister parties in Congo, which was held in the margins of the ALN General Assembly. The trainers helped participants to identify their ambitions and targets for the following five years, as well as issues of importance to the electorate and which could be built into a solid grassroots campaigns. The participants also focused on developing messages based on the issues identified, and tying this in with existing manifesto material and liberal principles (SO 2, Outcome 5). In August, a workshop for the youth wing of a sister party in Moldova equipped participants with the skills to be effective trainers within their party. The trainers also worked closely with the participants to develop their ideas for training modules that they went on to deliver within their youth wing (SO 2, Outcome 4). A Gender Workshop for the Liberal Democrats sister-party in Bosnia was also held for female candidates who will be standing for the local elections in 2012. The training focused on presentation and leadership skills and was delivered by two experienced trainers. The Liberal Democrats held workshops in Egypt in July 2011 for members of their sister-party with a focus on reaching out to women and youth groups to increase their effectiveness in parliamentary elections (SO 2, Outcome 5). An assessment visit to Tunisia during the year was also undertaken to identify potential partner parties with seats in the new Constituent Assembly, which share Liberal Democrat values.

22

The Smaller Parties During the year the Smaller Parties 11 provided support to a number of sister-parties including in Moldova, Montenegro, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia. This was in line with last years recommendations that the programme focus on fewer priorities in the coming years to yield stronger results, and to consider allocating greater resources to those countries where the chances of producing greater impact were highest, while ensuring that each of Westminsters Smaller Parties are able to maintain their own WFD programme. The Smaller Parties projects in Africa in 2011-12 focused on giving electorates a genuine choice, and worked to increase the capacity of parties particularly in Zambia and Uganda to become more effective and policy orientated, campaigning organisations (SO 2, Outcome 5 and 6). The Scottish National Party (SNP) undertook further work with a sister-party in Zambia, which had elections in autumn 2011 to provide support for candidate training which benefited 124 candidates and furnished the party with 34 candidate trainers. Work included building support and capacity of women candidates and assistance for the party to effectively communicate their messages to the electorate, building of work in 2010-11 to develop an on-line presence, with work to improve the partys communication capacity, as well as facilitation of strategy design and messaging support. The centrepiece of this project was the launch of the partys first website, which is an important element of the partys communications and campaigns work for the forthcoming elections (SO 2, Outcome 6), and which is now being taking forward independently. Support was also provided following the election to evaluate the partys performance and identify weaknesses, which are being addressed in the new strategic programme (2012-14). The Social Democratic and Labour Party worked in Uganda following the elections in March 2011. Following the brutal conflict in northern Uganda at the hands of the LRA, it is important in this region, now stability is returning, and the introduction of a multi-party political system in 2005, to facilitate increased political dialogue as well as to embed strong political parties to foster positive change in the region. The Democratic Unionist Party provided support for its Namibian sister-party in strategic planning and branding. This included the development of a new mission statement and rebranding of the partys logo and image (SO 2, Outcome 5). This work will be furthered in the new strategic programme (2012-15). No activities were undertaken with the African Christian Democratic Party around the elections, however a team visited the party and agreed to undertake work subsequently (note: this is now underway, first activity in July 2012). Having looked into potential work for the Green Party, the team opted for another option as the cost was too high for the Greens allocation; SNP are still keen to undertake work in Malawi, but has not been possible due to other commitments and financial constraints. With the change of the presidency and an opening party system in Malawi, it is now an ideal time to undertake an assessment and programming.

11

The Westminster Smaller Parties include: SNP; DUP; SDLP; Cymru Plaid; The Greens.

23

Lessons from WFDs work in 2011

Lessons learnt from programmes over the last year include:

The realisation that political reforms do not always lead to democratic consolidation, especially without grass-roots engagement of citizens, civil society organisations, and greater media scrutiny. The importance of ensuring that parliaments which have ruling parties with strong parliamentary majorities respect, encourage and protect the role of the opposition within the parliamentary process. Georgia, Uganda and Mozambique are all countries that have a strong ruling party majority within their parliaments. Parliamentary strengthening programmes should include channels for civil society input into the process, particularly in committee hearings; training for journalists to cover parliamentary affairs more effectively; and opportunities for MPs and the parliamentary service to practise new skills gained in real life situations. The key risks in programming remain and continue to be, paradoxically, the biggest reason for WFD engagement. In many countries, continued ethnic tensions combined with poverty, in a winner takes all context, especially when the states resources are increasing, threaten political instability. Engaging with political parties and parliaments to strengthen their effectiveness within a multi-party democratic system is key to reducing risks in the medium- to long-term. There remain risks to parties objecting to foreign assistance to other parties, leading to accusations of interference. There is often a blur between the government and the ruling party, with state resources frequently being used to campaign. Regional and national challenges can seriously hinder the reform process and affect political development initiatives, such as corruption, strong executives dominating the legislative branch, violations of fundamental human rights, a weak civil society and restrictive legislation on political parties. Parties need internal democratic procedures and clear and developed policy platforms. Young and female politicians need to receive support from their parties. Civil society needs to understand better the roles and responsibilities of political parties. The possible deterioration of security in many of the countries in which we work continued to be a risk throughout 2011-12, and did lead to suspensions of political institutions (e.g. the suspension of the lower house of the Egyptian Parliament). Engagement with civil society to widen and raise awareness on policy issues amongst the public is a growing area of focus.

24

WFD financial overview 2011

WFDs budget for in 2010-11 was 4.89 million. The graphs illustrate the sources of WFDs income, and the regions where it was spent during the year.

FIGURE 1: WFDS TOTAL INCOME FOR 2011

FIGURE 2: PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES