- Home
- Aid by Sector
- Government and Civil Society
- Government and civil society, general
- Democratic participation and civil society
Aid by Sector
Super-efficient Sustainable Cooling Solution for All Applications (S2Cool)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Context In June 2023, Pakistan experienced extreme temperatures exceeding 52.2°C, a level at which human cells begin to cook, blood thickens, muscles constrict around the lungs, and the brain is deprived of oxygen. This severe heatwave resulted in the death of 120,000 people, the loss of 26 billion potential labour hours (equivalent to $16 billion in lost income), and up to 9% of the country's GDP. The extreme heat, coupled with frequent power outages, worsened the vulnerabilities of socially deprived communities and women, leading to increased hospitalizations and miscarriages, as reported by the UNDP and the National Commission for the Status of Women (NCSW). Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director in South Asia, called for urgent global action as these heatwaves severely impacted human rights in Pakistan. Co-creation & Co-designing In response to the crisis, the Pakistan Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Society organized the 28th International Exhibition and Conference in June 2023. A working group led by Dr. Shahzad, consisting of researchers, stakeholders, and end users, was established to identify the issue and develop potential solutions. The group held its third meeting in December 2023 at the ASHRAE UK Chapter conference at Loughborough, where UK researchers and solution providers were invited to join this international effort. Currently, the working group includes over 50 representatives from Pakistani and UK institutions and industries. Aims and Objectives The S2Cool project represents a pioneering collaboration between the UK and partners in Pakistan. The primary aim is to develop a novel, low-cost, and energy-efficient cooling solution and capacity building platform. The primary objectives of the S2Cool project are: Design and Development: Develop and test the 20kW Novel Indirect Evaporative Cooler (NIEC) and its integration with Mechanical Vapor Compression (MVC) systems. AI Framework Development: Develop and implement an AI framework for process optimization and system integration. GESI and EDI Evaluations: Conduct GESI and EDI assessments to ensure equitable benefits for all community members. Performance and Impact Assessment: Assess performance through life cycle costing, and evaluate social, economic, and sustainability impacts. Technology Scale-up and Commercialization: Establish a framework for technology scaling and commercialization. Capacity Building Platform and Knowledge Dissemination: Develop online platform, conduct training and community engagement sessions, and share knowledge and findings. Potential Applications and Benefits The proposed system is versatile, applicable in residential, commercial, industrial, and vehicular settings, including buses. Its benefits include improved comfort, health, productivity, energy efficiency, and equipment preservation. This project will primarily advance UNSDGs 7 and 13, while also supporting goals 3, 5, 9, and 11 by reducing energy use in air conditioning and lowering emissions to combat climate change and address energy inequity in Pakistan. Ayrton Challenge and Theme The S2Cool project addresses the Ayrton Challenge area of "super-efficient demand." The project aims to develop a cooling solution that is highly energy-efficient, making it suitable for a country with limited energy resources and high electricity costs. ODA Compliance The S2Cool project is compliant with Official Development Assistance (ODA) guidelines, targeting a critical development issue in Pakistan, a low-income country. The project aims to improve living conditions, enhance productivity, and contribute to economic development by providing an affordable and energy-efficient cooling solution. By addressing the impacts of extreme heatwaves and supporting sustainable development goals, the project aligns with ODA objectives of poverty reduction and sustainable development in developing countries.
Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF)
Programme to support accountability and inclusion (Programme d'Appui à la Redevabilité et l'Inclusion) (PARI)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme aims to increase the transparency, accountability and effectiveness of governance institutions at central level and in selected provinces to deliver better pro-poor services and support democracy and lasting stability in DRC.
Ghana Governance Programme (GGP)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The Ghana Governance Programme (GGP) will promote an effective, transparent, and accountable governance system that protects civil and political rights. It will achieve this by supporting Election Management Bodies, engaging with political parties, promoting effective citizens engagement and supporting civil society to observe the elections to promote non-violent and credible elections in 2024 and 2024. The programme will also drive organised civil society demand for good governance by promoting transparency and accountability through effective citizen engagement to influence a pro-poor development agenda and drive demand for structural reforms. Additionally, it will support innovative solutions to build state capacity to address key systemic weaknesses to enhance transparency and accountability and reduce corruption and advance human rights priorities in Ghana using a flexible and opportunistic approach to respond to weaknesses in areas such as media freedom or minority rights.
Commonwealth Veteran's Welfare Programme for ODA Eligible Countries
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To provide commonwealth veterans and their widows/widowers from ODA eligible countries, who worked for British Armed Forces before their countries gained independence, now living in poverty, with two meals a day through a 5 year cash transfer programme.
Digital Identity as an Enabler for Development
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme will support governments to implement trusted, secure and inclusive digital Identification and civil registration systems, informed by international evidence and experience, by supporting the World Bank Group’s Identification for Development initiative, known as ID4D, between 2019-2020 to 2024-25. This programme will finance ID4D to, first, produce evidence-based guidance on the preferred approaches for digital identification and illustrate the development value of the systems, second, establish and support global platforms, convening and peer-to-peer exchange to share lessons and experiences of what works and why, and third, provide technical assistance to over 30 governments and regional institutions to support countries to roll-out digital identification and civil registration systems. DFID will also support an independent evaluation of the World Bank Group’s ID4D programme during the course of this grant.
Invest Salone: Private Sector Development, Trade and Job Creation in Sierra Leone
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To increase investment in Sierra Leone's exporting sectors, including agriculture, tourism, and fisheries leading to economic diversification, household income growth and job creation. The programme will help Sierra Leone meet the economic aspirations of its growing young population, tackling the drivers of instability and illegal migration. It will also make Sierra Leone more competitive in global markets putting put it on a pathway to becoming a future trading partner for the UK.
Democracy Deepening in Mozambique
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The Democracy Deepening programme will work with state and non-state actors to contribute to improvements in the enabling environment for political and civic engagement; more empowered civic and political actors; and greater transparency and accountability of political processes.
Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Programme 2
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa 2 (TDDAP 2) programme will help implement the UK’s vision for progress on health security in Africa. It will provide technical and financial support to build health security capacity in up to 5 selected countries, including middle ground powers, strengthen key regional bodies such as the Africa Centre for Disease Control and establish long-term partnerships between African, UK and global institutions. Outcomes; • Strengthened regional institutions to help build and improve global health security; • Improved national public health systems and functions with increased national ownership and leadership of outbreak responses; • Communities trained and provided with the knowledge and tools to identify risks and respond to outbreaks; • An emergency response/contingency mechanism to enable the UK to quickly respond to disease outbreaks and help prevent these from escalating to crisis; • Independent monitoring and evaluation component
Zambia Democratic Governance Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To support the deepening and consolidation of democracy in Zambia in order to build resilience and stabiltiy, and enable development and reform
LGBT+ Rights Programme – supporting LGBT+ rights organisations
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme will transform the lives of millions of LGBT+ people around the world by reducing violence and discrimination against the LGBT+ community and by improving access to services and legislative reform. This will be achieved through the provision of technical and legal support , learning, evidence and advice and support for grassroots LGBT+ organisations
Good Governance Fund (Phase 3) Eastern Neighbourhood: Supporting Governance and Economic Reform
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The Good Governance Fund Phase 3 will deliver demand-led support to governance reforms that allow open societies and economies to flourish. The Good Governance Fund will focus on improving democratic and economic governance, primarily through strategically targeted technical assistance. The Good Governance Fund programme will deliver interventions on a flexible basis, based on identified needs and/or requests from government counterparts or civil society in beneficiary countries (Armenia, Georgia and Moldova) in support of governance and economic reforms. This will support delivery and seek to prevent/reverse democratic backsliding. The Good Governance Fund is part of an integrated portfolio of programmes operating in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate region and supports the delivery of four National Security Council strategies and the Integrated Review.
Mandatory core contributions to the Commonwealth Secretariat
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The Commonwealth Secretariat, the principal intergovernmental organisation of the Commonwealth of Nations, runs programmes that help to contribute to more stable, democratic frameworks in which sustainable development and climate-resilience can be supported in small and vulnerable Commonwealth states. The Commonwealth Secretariat’s programme funds contribute across a range of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. They have an impact on the lives of Commonwealth citizens by promoting the shared goals and values embodied in the Commonwealth Charter on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, building resilience and taking action on climate change and protection of the natural environment, promoting economic development and boosting trade and investment.
Promoting Civic Space
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
Internal drawdown fund to strengthen civic space via Posts and FCDO teams, through support in areas where civic space is closing or under threat.
Rights, Inclusion, Voice and Agency Nepal (RIVA)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The RIVA programme will empower women, girls, and excluded groups in Nepal to understand and claim their Rights individually and collectively, participate in Inclusive policy-making and implementation, and have a stronger Voice and Agency at both national and local levels to advance Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI).
Strengthening Inclusive Democratic Governance and Electoral Process in Nepal
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
Strengthening Inclusive Democratic Governance and Electoral Process in Nepal” through the pooled fund mechanism Nepal Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework Fund for support to Nepal 2026 elections (Jan–Dec 2026) seeks to restore public trust and foster an enabling environment for Nepal’s general election while safeguarding integrity and inclusion.
BHC Honiara - FY25-26 ODA
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme is for the ODA Allocation for the Solomon Islands post for the financial year 2025-2026.
Eastern Neighbourhood Partnership for Resilience Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The programme will strengthen political, societal and economic resilience across the Eastern Neighbourhood by supporting democratic institutions, inclusive governance, civic space, and effective public services. It will counter hybrid threats, disinformation and external interference by investing in civil society, independent media, and local leadership. Targeted technical assistance will help reform minded governments deliver sustainable, citizen focused change, while economic support will improve regulatory quality and reduce vulnerability to external shocks.
UK Hosting of the Berlin Process 2025
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
Established in 2014, the Berlin Process aims to increase connectivity and cooperation in the Western Balkans, with the ultimate goal of supporting the EU accession of the six Western Balkan countries (WB6): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The Prime Minister agreed that the UK will host the Berlin Process in 2025. As the UK resets its relationship with Europe, the Berlin Process will support stability, security and economic growth, combat irregular migration, and tackle gender inequality. This programme will deliver increased UK leadership and stronger relationships with European partners on the Western Balkans, and tangible progress the WB6 on their Euro-Atlantic paths.
Central Asia Small Projects Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme will provide the mechanism for embassies to develop small projects to further the aims of the Country Business Plans and develop learning to support wider programming initiatives, with the overall aim of supporting development in the region.
Advanced filters
To search for Programmes in a specific time period, please enter the start and end dates.